01/08/2025

FRIDAY | AUG 1, 2025

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SPORTS

No extra pressure, says Lottie as final major tees off Ű BY JACK RATHBORN

status as one of the best in the world with a tied third finish in The Evian Championship, just one shot behind winner Grace Kim. Woad is based in the United States and detailed how she will spend her first professional pay cheque: “I need to get a car in America.” “I don’t know how they do it, but I feel like I’m playing well,” Woad added on her pre tournament status as favourite. “So I guess I was going to be one of the favourites. Obviously everyone’s so good, so I feel like anyone can win really. “You’ve seen it this year, so many – I think every winner has been different. So there’s many people it could be.

“There’s always pressure obviously, but I don’t think there’s any more than there was, like from my perspective, before any of the last few weeks. “Kind of still was wanting to contend there and that’s still the aim.” Woad believes her performance at the Evian Championship will add to her chances this week. Woad said: “I think it gave me a lot (of confidence). “Some of the majors I made the cut, I didn’t really have the best weekend on. So I was hoping to capitalise a bit more on that one. “The final round was also very good. Yeah, it definitely gives me confidence in that and knowing that I can chase it down on Sunday.

“I don’t feel too different. “I’ve got a lot of confidence from the last month really and I’m just trying to continue to ride that.” World No 1 Nelly Korda, Open runner-up to Lydia Ko at St Andrews 12 months ago, lauded Woad, adding that she is “definitely high up there right now” as far as major contenders. “I don’t think I’ve reflected too much, to be honest (on the last month),” Woad concluded. “I think after this big week, I’ve got a week before I go out to America. “That’s probably when I’ll look back at the last few months and kind of reflect on that.” – The Independent

GOLF phenom Lottie Woad has dismissed carrying any extra pressure at this week’s AIG Women’s Open at Royal Porthcawl despite winning on her professional debut last week at the Scottish Open. A major test for the first time as a pro in South Wales begins overnight, with Woad’s spectacular form carrying over from a three-shot win last week. The 21-year-old clinched the US$300,000 (RM1.3m) top prize after no payout earlier in the month from her Irish Open due to her amateur status at the time, and Woad cemented her

All eyes on Woad English prodigy rides wave of momentum into AIG Women’s Open A S the world of women’s golf prepares for the final major of the year, an English prodigy has seized the lime light. said this week. “Enjoyed being in these events and competing and being in contention, just try to have fun with it and not add too much stress, really.” Woad is the odds on favourite to win this week and she’s

marks its first time hosting the women’s major. It is a par-72 course that will play 6,580 yards this week. Lydia Ko of New Zealand is the defending champion thanks to her two-shot win at St. Andrews last year, shortly after she won the Olympic gold medal and clinched her place in the LPGA Hall of Fame. “I think it was just fun for me, and I was just trying to have more of an open mindset and just trying to be free rather than hit perfect shots,” Ko said. “I think that’s really important on these links-style golf courses. “You could hit a really solid shot and be so far away from the pin, and that could be vice versa. It’s just more about creativity, and I hope that will be kind of the strategy that I’ll take towards this week.” Three of the first four major winners this season were first-timers: Japan’s Mao Saigo at the Chevron Championship; Sweden’s Maja Stark at the US Women’s Open; and Australia’s Grace Kim at the Evian, where she had a comeback for the ages. Kim finished her final round birdie-birdie-par-eagle to force a playoff, where she beat Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand. “I think just knowing that my game is there and good enough,” Kim said of this week’s test. “Just mentally preparing whatever could happen.” – Field Level Media

“Absolutely amazing,” said Nelly Korda, who played with her at the Scottish Open. Korda remains atop the world rankings, but her winless season has come as a surprise after she won seven times in 2024. “I feel like I don’t really have anything more to prove to people ever,” Korda said. “For me it’s just I’m passionate about the game.

Lottie Woad is the hottest player in the game and will be among the favourites to land her first major championship when the AIG Women’s Open tees off at Royal Porthcawl overnight in Porthcawl, Wales. Woad’s litany of accomplishments dates back to last year, when she won the Augusta National Women’s Amateur, rose to No. 1 in the world amateur rankings and tied for 10th at the Women’s Open at St. Andrews for low-amateur honours. But July has seen the 21-year-old truly dominate the sport. Woad had a six- shot win at the Women’s

certainly caught the eye of her peers

“I love the game. I love playing in these kind of conditions, testing my game, and getting to play against the best players in the world.” Royal Porthcawl has hosted three Senior Open Championships s i n c e 2014, b u t this

Irish Open on the Ladies European Tour, then tied for third at the most recent major, the Evian Championship, all before officially turning pro.

Then came the Women’s Scottish Open last week, where Woad matched Rose Zhang’s feat

in 2023 by winning her first start as a professional, three strokes clear of the field. “I’ve really been just enjoying myself,” Woad

Lottie Woad. – AFPPIC

Playoff push, desperation underscore drama of Wyndham Championship

Swiatek cruises, Osaka battles, Bouchard says au revoir

THE Wyndham Championship has a funny way of setting the table for the FedEx Cup playoffs. In 2023, Lucas Glover

front foot a little bit, I can’t be sitting back waiting for it to happen,” Scott said. “I’ve got a couple of days to put myself in contention for the week end. Yeah, I feel confident with my game that I can do that. It’s about executing.” Tony Finau (No. 60) and Rickie Fowler (No. 61) are not guaranteed to make the playoffs, so they’re playing this week in order to maximise their distance from the cutoff line. Finau and Fowler are also Ryder Cup veterans, and there are only a few opportunities left to impress US captain Keegan Bradley, who has six captain’s picks to make this fall. Another Ryder Cup veteran hopeful his game is rounding into form at the right time, Jordan Spieth is a big fan of the August calendar ahead, start ing this week. “It’s one of the better tracks that we play all year,” said Spieth. “Also, as we look ahead to next week, first playoff event, there’s a lot of similari ties in this grainy bermuda and stuff like that.” – Field Level Media

The top 70 players in the FedEx Cup standings after this week will qualify for the FedEx St. Jude Championship in Memphis.

WIMBLEDON Iga Swiatek cruised, Naomi Osaka battled through and Canadian Eugenie Bouchard called time on her WTA career with a gutsy second-round loss in Montreal yesterday. Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic sent Bouchard into retirement with a 6-2, 3-6, 6-4 victory – but not before the Canadian thrilled her hometown fans by seizing an early break in the third set. Spectators were on their feet, trying to will Bouchard to another victory on the heels of her first round triumph on Tuesday – her first WTA win since 2023. But Bencic won five of the last six games to vanquish Bouchard, who had announced earlier in July she would retire after a final appearance in her home tournament. “I think it’s so special to play my last match here in Montreal on this court in front of you guys,” a teary Bouchard said as she was honored on court after the match. champion

“I remember being a little kid sitting in these stands, hoping and dreaming that I would play on this court one day. “I grew up playing on these courts, and courts all around Montreal and near here, so it feels like such a full circle moment to finish my career here.” There was no drama for Poland’s Swiatek, who breezed past Chinese qualifier Guo Hanyu 6-3, 6-1 in her first match since her crushing victory over Amanda Anisimova in the Wimbledon final. Swiatek, seeded second, broke Guo’s serve six times to book her spot in the third round. It was much harder going for Japan’s four-time Grand Slam champion Osaka, who saved two match points in a 4-6, 7-6 (8-6) 6-3 triumph over Liudmila Samsonova. “She definitely came out really hard and, for me, I was definitely overwhelmed and I didn’t know if I should also be hitting winners,” Osaka said. “After a while I just tried to keep the ball in court.” – AFP

Australian veteran Adam Scott finds himself 85th in the standings and needing a very high finish to leap into the top 70. “I feel like my game’s been pretty good since May so I need to be on the

won the regular-sea son finale to jump from outside the top 110 in the points race into the playoffs. He capitalised by winning the

very next week in the playoff opener in Memphis.

The year prior, Tom Kim of South Korea announced himself by winning the Wyndham at 21 years old to qualify for the playoffs. Some big-name players would like to join that list at the 2025 Wyndham Championship begin ning overnight at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Adam Scott. – REUTERSPIC