ERIN, Wis. — Lottie Woad has earned a 17th point in the LPGA Elite Amateur Pathway standings with her made cut at the U.S. Women’s Open at Erin Hills, bringing the Englishwoman within three points of securing her LPGA Tour card via the program that was debuted by the LPGA organization earlier this year.

Woad has had 16 points since 2024, which she earned by winning the McCormack Medal (4), reaching No. 1 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings (3), capturing the 2024 Augusta National Women’s Amateur title (2), finishing in the top 25 both at last year’s Chevron Championship and AIG Women’s Open at St Andrews (2), playing for the Great Britain and Ireland Team at the 2024 Curtis Cup (2) and representing the International Team at the 2023 Arnold Palmer Cup (1).

She is currently hanging around the top 20 of the leaderboard at 2-under overall, posting an even-par 72 on Thursday in Wisconsin after carding one double bogey, two bogeys and four birdies, two of which came back-to-back on holes three and four, and then backing that up with a much steadier 2-under 70 on Friday after recording one bogey and three birdies on holes one, 12 and 17.

Her second-round effort was one that the Florida State University Seminole was quite pleased with, particularly considering how difficult Erin Hill is playing under U.S. Women’s Open conditions and how well she bounced back from a couple of late missteps on day one that were a bit frustrated for the collegiate winner.

“I played great yesterday approach-wise,” Woad said. “I think I was up there for that. I could have holed a few more putts. Today, I putted a lot better and maybe didn't hit it as good, but I got it around. I think, in the end, it was probably a fair score for both.”

Woad will have an opportunity to secure her 18th LEAP point over the next 36 holes if she maintains her position in the top 25, a point that would put her within two points of earning LPGA membership. She is scheduled to compete next week in the Arnold Palmer Cup, so if things go according to plan for the 21-year-old, she could wind up being only one point away from becoming the first player to earn Tour status via the program.

And while the weekend at a U.S. Women’s Open generally presents one of the toughest 36-hole tests of the year for the world’s best players, Woad has some fairly recent experience competing in these types of scenarios on which she can lean at Erin Hills.

Before earning exemptions into four of the five LPGA majors last year as a result of winning the 2024 Augusta National Women’s Amateur, Woad had never competed in an LPGA Tour tournament of any kind, let alone a major championship. She proved her mettle quickly, however, by tying for 23rd in her LPGA debut at The Chevron Championship and then finishing T10 in August at the Old Course at St Andrews, what was an impressive performance from the young talent in the most Scottish of unpredictable weather conditions.

And now at the U.S. Women’s Open, Woad will now have a chance to leave her mark over the next two rounds in the Badger State in just her second appearance in this major tournament as she tries to earn another top-25 or better result in her sixth-ever LPGA Tour appearance, a finish that would see her near even closer to obtaining the coveted first LPGA Tour card to be awarded via the LPGA Elite Amateur Pathway.

“I like tough golf courses, and generally, at the majors, they’re pretty tough,” said Woad. “I think it'll be a lot more relaxed playing the weekend. Coming down the stretch, I think I was finishing on maybe the tougher holes to finish on, and the wind was picking up, so easy to make a few bogeys, so that was a bit more stressful. But tomorrow, I can play freely.”

Woad Watch: Lottie Woad Secures 17th LEAP Point with Made Cut at U.S. Women’s Open

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