EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France — Turns out gummy bears aren’t the only sweet that motivates Lottie Woad on the golf course.

While reading her eagle putt on the par-5 ninth hole at Evian Resort Golf Club, the Englishwoman’s caddie, David Taylor, said he’d buy her an ice cream if she rolled the 16-footer in for a three. To no one’s surprise, with that extra incentive propelling her on, Woad’s ball found the bottom of the cup, a one-putt that helped her post a 4-under 67 to kick off her third berth in The Amundi Evian Championship.

“Played pretty solid,” said Woad of her opening-day effort, which has her sitting four strokes back of Aki Iwai. “Was in the fairway a lot and hit a lot of greens and was 5-under early on. And then, there are a few tricky holes on the front nine that I played, so dropped a few there, but a nice finish with the eagle to get it back to four.”

This is the third straight year that Woad has teed it up in this major championship, as she was first awarded an exemption in 2024 after her victory at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur and was then again extended an invitation by Evian to compete in 2025.

Woad became the first amateur to qualify for LPGA Tour membership via the LPGA Elite Amateur Pathway at last year’s event. Lottie secured her 20th LEAP point with a T3 finish in this major tournament, a 72-hole performance that saw her miss out on a playoff with eventual champion Grace Kim and Thailand’s Jeeno Thitikul by just a single stroke.

Woad then ultimately elected to accept LPGA membership the week following Evian, turning professional and winning in her pro debut as a 2025 rookie at the ISPS HANDA Women’s Scottish Open at Dundonald Links.

The 2026 season marks Woad’s first full year competing on the LPGA Tour, and while she technically isn’t a rookie, it’s certainly felt that way for the 22-year-old in her 13 starts ahead of the year’s fourth major championship. Up to this point, Lottie had yet to play many of the courses in the LPGA’s annual rotation, so coming to a property with which she has previous experience has felt like a breath of fresh air for Woad.

“I think it's just nice coming somewhere that you're more familiar with,” Woad said. “I’ve probably still played this one of the least out of the most people playing with it being here every year, but this year, so far, every course has been new. Even just the practice days, it's nice to turn up and already know where the holes go and stuff like that. Makes you feel a little bit more comfortable.”

That comfort was on full display during Thursday’s first round, as Woad made five birdies in addition to her closing eagle, two of which came back-to-back on the par-3 second and par-4 third holes. The 67 is her lowest round-one score in a major championship, besting her previous benchmark of 68 by one stroke, which she shot on Thursday at last year’s Amundi Evian Championship.

This is Woad’s 14th start of the 2026 season, and in the 11 cuts she has made thus far, the Florida State University alum has collected her second career victory at the Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G and tallied four additional top-10 results, one of which is a solo second that came at the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give and saw her fall to Miyu Yamashita in a playoff.

So, even though she came to the year’s fourth major championship off a missed cut at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Hazeltine National Golf Club, Woad is once again proving that she’s more than in form and that the blemish on her season-long resume was just a momentary blip that she’s put well out of her mind with another major opportunity on deck.

And who knows? There just might be more ice cream in her future over the next 54 holes if those eagle putts keep dropping, particularly if DT is buying.

Lottie Woad Looking for More Success, Ice Cream in First Evian Start as LPGA Member

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