Late charge carries Woad to Augusta national championship

By Chuck Walsh
Seminoles.com

AUGUSTA, Ga. – Florida State All-American Lottie Woad birdied her final two holes, shot a final round 69 and won the championship of the Fifth Annual Augusta National Women’s Amateur at the famed Augusta National Golf Course.

Woad made a late charge to defeat USC’s Bailey Shoemaker by one stroke and win the greatest tournament in women’s amateur golf by one stroke.

Woad finished with scores of 68-71-69 and a three-round total of 208. Shoemaker finished with scores 70-73-66 and a three round total of 209. Woad finished as the only player in the championship with under par scores in each of the three rounds of the championship.

“I think the turning point me was a great par save on 14 to stay two back,” said Woad. “I knew coming in, there were some good hole locations for me to get at. It means so much. I’ve watched this event so much and to win it is so special. I’m enjoying it, and embracing it, really.”

Renowned golf analyst Mike Tirico was on hand for the trophy presentation to the Seminole sophomore.

“Not many people can say at Augusta National that they birdied three of the last four under the heat and the pressure to win a championship, but they will say that about you (Lottie) forever,” said Tirico. “We congratulate Lottie Woad as the winner of the 2024 Augusta National Women’s Amateur.”

Seminole sophomore Mirabel Ting finished in a tie for eighth place in the individual standings with a final round scores of 2 over par 74 and a three-round total of 1 over par 217 in her first career appearance in the AWNA.

The individual finishes by Woad (1) and Ting (T8) mark the first time in Florida State’s history that multiple Seminoles have finished in the top-10 in the ANWA standings in the same year. It also marks the fourth and fifth top-10 ANWA finishes in school history with Woad and Ting joining Beatrice Wallin (tied for fourth in 2022, tied for seventh in 2019 and tied for 10th in 2021) in the five-year history of the event.

Woad, 20, got off to a fabulous start with two birdies on her first seven holes. She totaled two birdies and nine holes at par on her first 12 holes of the championship round last Saturday. Following an uncharacteristic bogey in the 13th hole, she closed her round with three birdies on her last four holes to win the championship.

“I had a lot of my family come to support me,” said Woad. “Particularly my nan, who is 85 and over from England to watch me. I think she had fun today.”

Woad pulled into a tie with a birdie on the par 4 hole No. 17 and teed off on hole No. 18 tied with Shoemaker. Following a terrific tee shot on hole No. 18, Woad hit her second shot to within 15 feet then won the championship with the most important birdie putt of her young career.

Woad was joined at Augusta National Seminole Head Coach Amy Bond, Heath, and Ting (who played in the event) and teammates Alice Hodge and Kaylah Williams who made the drive up to Augusta.  

“This week was about Lottie and working towards her dream of playing world-class golf,” said Bond. “Today was a day that Lottie learned a lot about herself. She dealt with some missed opportunities, early, handled some adversity and found a way to get the job done when the pressure was on. 

“We are all very proud of the way she handled herself, as we are with all of the girls in our program every day.”