{"id":752900,"date":"2026-06-22T13:05:27","date_gmt":"2026-06-22T13:05:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/752900\/"},"modified":"2026-06-22T13:05:27","modified_gmt":"2026-06-22T13:05:27","slug":"you-have-to-see-how-short-the-putt-was-that-lottie-woad-missed-on-the-last-hole-to-lose-the-meijer-lpga-classic-australian-golf-digest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/752900\/","title":{"rendered":"You have to see how short the putt was that Lottie Woad missed on the last hole to lose the Meijer LPGA Classic \u2013 Australian Golf Digest"},"content":{"rendered":"

[Photo: Raj Mehta]<\/p>\n

Lottie Woad had all but made it official, needing just an 18-inch putt on the final hole to win the Meijer LPGA Classic.<\/p>\n

She had just dazzled on the 17th hole, holing out from a greenside bunker at Blythefield Country Club to take a one-shot lead into the final hole. Major winner Miyu Yamashita, who had already finished her round, wasn\u2019t warming up for a potential playoff. She was standing and watching.<\/p>\n

Then the unthinkable happened. The usually unflappable Woad \u2013 ranked seventh in the world \u2013 missed her short putt. It lipped out and she three-putted for bogey, sending the tournament into a playoff.<\/p>\n

Lottie Woad misses the par putt on 18 and the Meijer LPGA Classic is heading into a playoff pic.twitter.com\/umNvo9KDZH<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 LPGA (@LPGA) June 21, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

World No.8 Yamashita shot a final-round, eight-under 64 and won on the first playoff hole, making a four-foot birdie putt for the title. Woad had to return to the same green where she had just missed a short putt.<\/p>\n

\u201cI went pretty straight, left-centre. I mean, it went left on me,\u201d Woad said. \u201cI\u2019m not sure if that was me or the green or it\u2019s late in the day. A lot of people played. Could have been any of those things. But, yeah, missed.\u201d<\/p>\n

The 22-year-old Woad was in control most of the day and week in Belmont, Michigan. Yamashita took over the lead briefly on the back nine, but Woad got it back. She was on the cusp of her third career victory and the one-year anniversary of her LPGA debut is still a month away. Woad won in her first event, the Scottish Open, and is being hailed as one of the next biggest young stars on tour. She proved she\u2019s human, and the head-scratching missed putt will clearly sting for a while. Especially after she was on such a high after that perfect bunker shot on the 17th.<\/p>\n

\u201cObviously, 17 was pretty, a bonus. Didn\u2019t have the easiest bunker shot and obviously made it. Thought it was going a little bit past, so was happy with that,\u201d Woad said. \u201cAnd 18, hit a decent tee shot. I would always go for it in two, but kind of wishing I didn\u2019t now. Next time I think I should have laid up and tried to chip on. Been going for it every day, so I thought might as well. Got a pretty bad lie in the rough and hit an OK shot. Yeah, obviously wish I got the first putt a little closer and kind of wish I putted first, too, instead of watching Cassie [Porter\u2019s] putt. Kind of tricked me.<\/p>\n

\u201cFelt like I hit an OK putt. Obviously lipped out on the high side. Miyu played great in the playoff hole.\u201d<\/p>\n

LOTTIE WOAD no way?!?! \ud83e\udd2f<\/p>\n

She holes out from the bunker on 17 and heads to final hole with a one-stroke lead pic.twitter.com\/6LUX5I31J3<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 LPGA (@LPGA) June 21, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

This had shades of the Kroger Queen City Championship last year when then world No.1 Jeeno Thitikul four-putted<\/a> the final hole to lose. Three of those putts were from three feet or closer. Charley Hull \u2013 the eventual winner \u2013 wasn\u2019t even watching Thitikul. No one expected that kind of collapse.<\/p>\n

As improbable as it was for Woad to lose, it seemed just as improbable for Yamashita to win, given that she was five shots behind when the final round started. Yamashita won the $US487,500 prize from the $US3.25 million purse. Yamashita \u2013 who won her third career LPGA event \u2013 improved each day of the tournament, going 72-68-67-64 for a 17-under-par 271 total to win. She got into the playoff because of Woad\u2019s devastating miss and took advantage to the opportunity and closed it out on the last hole.<\/p>\n

The aforementioned Cassie Porter was the pick of the Australians, carding a closing 70 to share fifth place after being in contention all week.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was able to put together a solid round, and it all felt pretty natural out there,\u201d Yamashita said through an interpreter. \u201cLottie played really well too. I honestly didn\u2019t expect it to end up in a playoff.\u201d<\/p>\n

No one did.<\/p>\n

Now, Yamashita goes into the KMPG Women\u2019s PGA Championship this week at Hazeltine National, the third major of the year, with plenty of confidence and Woad heads into the major trying to figure out what in the world happened on that putting green. World No.1 Nelly Korda \u2013 who didn\u2019t play in the Meijer Classic \u2013 has already won the first two majors of the year, the Chevron Championship and US Women\u2019s Open, and is undoubtedly the player to beat.<\/p>\n

\u201cDefinitely felt like played good this week, obviously. Felt pretty comfortable in the final group the last two days,\u201d Woad said. \u201cJust kept myself in it. Made a lot of clutch putts this week, so I\u2019m going to try and shake off this missed one. Hopefully, next week is my week instead.\u201d<\/p>\n