{"id":678899,"date":"2026-05-18T16:00:13","date_gmt":"2026-05-18T16:00:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/678899\/"},"modified":"2026-05-18T16:00:13","modified_gmt":"2026-05-18T16:00:13","slug":"lottie-woad-fixed-a-strange-equipment-problem-and-then-won-the-kroger-queen-city-championship-australian-golf-digest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/678899\/","title":{"rendered":"Lottie Woad fixed a strange equipment problem and then won the Kroger Queen City Championship \u2013 Australian Golf Digest"},"content":{"rendered":"

[Photos: Dylan Buell]<\/p>\n

Lottie Woad\u2019s birdies and wins are good for sales of candied gummies and new tattoos.<\/p>\n

The world No.10 from England, who will be moving up the rankings, won her second LPGA title today at the Kroger Queen City Championship at Maketewah Country Club in Cincinnati.<\/p>\n

RELATED: The Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews just checked off this notable first<\/a><\/p>\n

Her caddie, David \u201cDT\u201d Taylor, rewards Woad and himself a gummies treat for each birdie, and she had four in a final-round, one-under-par 69 to beat Haeran Ryu by two shots. Australia\u2019s hopes were carried by Robyn Choi, who finished in a tie for eighth place.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve done it the last few events that we remembered,\u201d Woad said. \u201cI think people think that we\u2019re like stuffing our faces with sweets during the round, but, realistically, we\u2019re eating like four gummie bears.\u201d<\/p>\n

Taylor had another carrot for Woad \u2013 a win and she could decide his next tattoo. Woad isn\u2019t sure what she\u2019ll make him get, but after the round he said he had an open spot on his leg and was ready to make good on the promise.<\/p>\n

Lottie Woad is now a two-time LPGA Tour winner \ud83c\udfc6 pic.twitter.com\/No7bfOcVDz<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 LPGA (@LPGA) May 17, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

The 22-year-old Woad won $US300,000 from the $US2 million purse after shooting 70-64-65-69 to finish at 12-under 268. With a second victory in her 19th career start, Woad is the fastest player to reach two LPGA titles since Sung Hyun Park won twice in her first 16 appearances, in 2017.<\/p>\n

This victory was even sweeter for Woad than the first, when she captured the Women\u2019s Scottish Open last July in her professional debut<\/a>. Success was expected of Woad, who rose to be the top-ranked player in the World Amateur Golf Rankings and won the Augusta National Women\u2019s Amateur in 2024. Only a year ago, she was still playing college golf for Florida State University and finished runner-up in the individual NCAA Championship. She earned her card onto the LPGA through the tour\u2019s LEAP college points system.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think the first one just happened so quickly that it was kind of hard to take in,\u201d Woad said of the winning star to her career. \u201c\u2026I think now being out here full time and this being my job and that was my first event. Just seeing the competition each week and travelling and all that, I think this is just definitely a lot sweeter.\u201d<\/p>\n

Woad had a three-shot lead after 54 holes of the Kroger and fell into a tie on the final day, but never lost it and surged back ahead late.<\/p>\n

If you told her earlier this month that she would win this week, she might not have believed you. She missed the cut last week in the Muzuho Americas Open after shooting 80-77. That left her beyond frustrated with her putting. She investigated her equipment and learned her grip wasn\u2019t on straight. She got a new putter grip, played well on the greens and hoisted the trophy.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis year, I putted pretty nicely. Last week was definitely the worst,\u201d Woad said. \u201cI changed the putter grip so it was straight again and felt better in my hands. Also spent last weekend just putting the whole time. Just stayed in New Jersey and practised there. I think it was a little bit of practice and also the grip being on straight, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

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In the final round, Woad made a 10-footer for birdie on the first hole, then rolled in a key eight-foot par save on the 14th and drained and a 20-footer for birdie on the 17th. She stepped up to the final hole with a comfortable two-shot cushion.<\/p>\n

Ryu was right there until she bogeyed the 10th, then double-bogeyed the 13th to fall three shots behind. Ryu birdied 14 and Woad bogeyed 13, so Woad\u2019s lead was down to one. Both players worked around a double-bogey in the final round.<\/p>\n

While Woad will prepare for the US Women\u2019s Open in early June at Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles, she\u2019ll also need to pick the next tattoo for Taylor.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am either going to do with the area we\u2019re in or something to do with the tournament or maybe it\u2019ll be like a sweet or something,\u201d Woad said.<\/p>\n

World No.1 Nelly Korda didn\u2019t win, finish second or play in the final pairing of a tournament for the first time this year, but she still finished in the top 10. Korda was four under through two rounds and wasn\u2019t able to make a big move on the weekend. Still, she shot a final-round 67 and finished at five-under to be T-8, nine shots back. World No.2 Jeeno Thitikul, last week\u2019s winner, finished seventh.<\/p>\n