Nice write up for Lottie Woad.

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I suppose to an extent that’s what it is, a bit of an end of season blow out type event.

Exactly what it is…though one with $4,000,000 pot for the 32 players to divi up winnings don’t seem to count towards overall LPGA winnings or any ranking…but hey.

I thought the format for the final round was fun…better ball with players playing the hole off their partner’s tee shot. Our pro is thinking of having it for his Pro’s Day next year. Feels like a good format for the Low and High handicap pairing.

Anyway. Lottie finished 40th in the Race to the CME Globe and 11th in the Rolex World rankings. Pretty darned good given she played a good bit less than half the tour comps - in the CME ranking only 9, with most above her playing over 20, a few over 25, and one playing 30. In the Rolex world…18 comps with all above her playing more than 36, most well over 40. Roll on 2026.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Tournament of Champions: Lottie Woad one shot off lead after opening round in Florida

England's Lottie Woad is one shot behind leader Nasa Hataoka after the first round of the Tournament of Champions in Florida.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Voyager EMH]

After 15 holes of the second round, Lottie is top of leader board at -8

Come on Lottie

 

[Burnsey]

After 15 holes of the second round, Lottie is top of leader board at -8

Come on Lottie

I watched the highlights of round one and she wasn't as close to the pins as usual with her approaches, but as said, she is at the front and doing great.

She is competing in a world class field and looking fantastic.

 

[Voyager EMH]

Immediately joined by L.Ko on -8, who has also completed 15 holes.

 

[Voyager EMH]

And that is how round 2 has finished
Woad and Ko joint leaders on -8

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Note new caddy…

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I watched the highlights of round one and she wasn't as close to the pins as usual with her approaches, but as said, she is at the front and doing great.

She is competing in a world class field and looking fantastic.

The field comprises all of last season’s LPGA 2025 tour winners, plus winners from the previous season who didn’t win in 2025. Only Jeeno Thitikul won twice 2025, and there were 29 different winners - hence the field is larger than it normally is.

I guess 29 different winners shows that the tour has great strength in depth without there being one or two dominant players…as Nelly Korda was the 2024 season. Of course multiple single winners could suggest a drop off in standard…but I don’t think that’s the case. Lots of LPGA players are very good indeed and know how to win a tournament.

It’s tough and Lottie has come out of the blocks fast…posting much better first two rounds is something she has said she needed to do more often this season. Last season she quite often had good Rnds 3 and 4 but sometimes from just too far back to enable her to be right in the final day mix.

for the weekend.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Sunday round cancelled due to very high winds and freezing temperatures in Florida - as it was also yesterday (Saturday). Lottie had a terrible run of four bogeys in five holes in the 3rd round, nonetheless she finished T7…which isn’t shabby in a field of tournament winners. And £47.5k tucked away.

Could certainly have been better and after the 3rd round 4th was still a possibility. But good start to the season.

And is Nelly back to dominate after a winless 2025…she’s certainly back. Her Saturday’s 64 was incredible given the conditions.

 

[Voyager EMH]

Although joint leader after 2 rounds, finishing tied 7th is not a disaster in poor conditions. More good points for world rankings for Lottie, I imagine.

During the third round Charley Hull had got to 7-under for the tournament, high on the leader board, after an eagle on the 11th. Last 6 holes in 6-over, however. Finished tied 17th in the end.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Although joint leader after 2 rounds, finishing tied 7th is not a disaster in poor conditions. More good points for world rankings for Lottie, I imagine.

During the third round Charley Hull had got to 7-under for the tournament, high on the leader board, after an eagle on the 11th. Last 6 holes in 6-over, however. Finished tied 17th in the end.

Not at all a disaster given the quality of the field

And she seems to get on well with her new caddie…Dave Taylor from Dingwall.

He was a member of Fortrose and Rosemarkie (a decent links track that a few on here know - I’ve never played it myself though it’s only a mile from my cousin’s house ).

Next an Asia swing for the LPGA tour…off to Thailand (19th) and Singapore (26th), plus tbc Hainan, China (5th March)…all with more Sky Golf coverage than previous seasons.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Latest Rolex world rankings after last tournament has Charley Hull at #5 (no move) and Lottie at #8 (up 3). Best ever world rankings for British women’s golf.

 

[Arthur Wedge]

Latest Rolex world rankings after last tournament has Charlie Hull at #5 (no move) and Lottie at #8 (up 3). Best ever world rankings for British women’s golf.

Anyone know what they did before they started the rankings in 2006

Was it just money lists ?

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Anyone know what they did before they started the rankings in 2006

Was it just money lists ?

Dunno…but I guess money-wise Dame Laura would have been right up there much of early to mid 90s - she certainly got to #1. Alison Nicholas's would have been a regular winner at the same sort of time though she was winning mostly later in the 90s and early 00s - a bit after Davies won her multiple LPGA Majors.

With Hull and Woad this last three months is the 1st period UK has had two players in the world top 10, with current joint positions being their highest. Lottie got to #10 in Nov of last year. Charley got to #5 in September last year and for the most part has been able to stay there.

 

[Lucifer MorningStar]

A quick google shows that it was done subjectively through performance accolades, individual money lists and media rankings based on who won the Rolex player of the year award which was introduced in 1966 by LPGA and used a points system based on top 10 finishes throughout the year with greater weighting to the majors.

So based on that through the 90s and 2000s , I’d have thought the likes of Laura Davies, Karrie Webb and for me the ladies GOAT (personal opinion of course) Annika Sorenstam would have been the big 3 players at that time.

 

[cliveb]

So based on that through the 90s and 2000s , I’d have thought the likes of Laura Davies, Karrie Webb and for me the ladies GOAT (personal opinion of course) Annika Sorenstam would have been the big 3 players at that time.

And Lorena Ochoa, she was pretty dominant in the early 2000s

 

[Lucifer MorningStar]

And Lorena Ochoa, she was pretty dominant in the early 2000s

Good shout I’d forgotten about her but I thought the ladies rankings had come in when she was at her peak, though I may be wrong on those dates. However another one before the rankings would be Se Ri Pak she performed superbly during that period from lates 90s up to around 2007.

 

[D-S]

A lot of irritation about cancelling Sundays round and making it a 54 hole event. The issue was that it was 10 degrees c and deemed to cold, despite the fact that the ‘celebs’ played at 9 am. I saw an interview saying that the putting green was a bit firm before they played (around 8.30) but the greens were fine first thing. They could have easily delayed the start in such a small field event.
I thought of posting this in the ‘Winter Handicap’ thread.

 

[Yorkshire Hacker]

Not at all a disaster given the quality of the field

And she seems to get on well with her new caddie…Dave Taylor from Dingwall.

He was a member of Fortrose and Rosemarkie (a decent links track that a few on here know - I’ve never played it myself though it’s only a mile from my cousin’s house ).

Next an Asia swing for the LPGA tour…off to Thailand (19th) and Singapore (26th), plus tbc Hainan, China (5th March)…all with more Sky Golf coverage than previous seasons.

Visited Fortrose and Rosemarkie golf course last year whilst on a motorcycle tour of the area. Sadly no clubs. Looks a lovely course, and a chance to see some dolphins after 9 holes!!

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Visited Fortrose and Rosemarkie golf course last year whilst on a motorcycle tour of the area. Sadly no clubs. Looks a lovely course, and a chance to see some dolphins after 9 holes!!

Exposed, windy and cold…no surprise then that DT was wearing shorts for the 3rd round…