THE CHEVRON CHAMPIONSHIP

April 17, 2024

Lottie Woad

The Club at Carlton Woods

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: All right, welcome back here to the media center at The Chevron Championship. I am pleased to be joined by a sponsor exemption who made her way into this major championship through the August National Women's Amateur, Lottie Woad. Lottie, welcome to Houston and your debut on the LPGA Tour and any major championship.

What have the last week, last few days been like for you?

LOTTIE WOAD: Yeah, the last few days have definitely flown by. Got back to FSU and went to class a couple times and flew out here and it's just been crazy.

Q. We were talking about it feels like a whirlwind for you. Who are some people that have reached our to you that you would never have expected after winning at Augusta?

LOTTIE WOAD: Yeah, there was a lot of people, a lot of people I didn't know. The cool thing was the mad different pros that watched it, people I look up to like reaching out on Instagram and Twitter -- X -- and saying they watched it and enjoyed it.

On the Sunday I stayed at Augusta and I met a few players there. I met like Danny Willett in the clubhouse and that was really cool, and Tom Watson, Nancy Lopez. I met so many people and it was just really cool for me.

Q. Just one more from me here. Just being around here and being around players in general, what have you seen after being on the ground here for a few days?

LOTTIE WOAD: Yeah, it's just been really cool for me to be hitting next to people that I've grown up watching, like play the same course as them, watching how they go about things and prep for this week and taking it all in really.

Q. Is there anyone that you played a practice round with or had lunch with or any moments that have stuck out with these players?

LOTTIE WOAD: I played the practice round a couple times on my own actually. Just how it's worked out. My putting coach is here who coaches a few players, including Charley Hull. Got to meet her and get a picture of her, which was really cool.

Q. What's the goal for the week? What would you consider to be a good week in your first LPGA event?

LOTTIE WOAD: I haven't really thought about a result or anything. Like I haven't thought about if I'm going to make the cut. Just kind of sticking to my game plan, my processes, and just treating it like any other amateur event I play in and just try to see what I shoot.

Really haven't got like a position in mind.

Q. I wanted to say congratulations. I'm excited for you as well.

LOTTIE WOAD: Thank you.

Q. Being 20 years old, that's insane. How is the transition coming from England to Florida State and being here at the LPGA now?

LOTTIE WOAD: Yeah, it was pretty smooth honestly coming over. Definitely a change in environment and a little bit of weather than England, so that's been great. Really the schooling is a little different than what we have in England.

In terms going to the events with the team, that wasn't too much of a transition for me. A little bit different courses than we have back in England, so getting used to different grasses and things like that took a little bit longer.

Really enjoyed it so far.

Q. How do your teammates feel about you being here?

LOTTIE WOAD: Yeah, I think they're excited for me. We have ACC conference championship which starts tomorrow. A little bit of a tough decision there.

The coaches were all very supportive of me coming here. Hopefully we can both play well.

Q. Couple of things. Can you describe how fast things are happening for you now? Now you're playing majors, also regionals and nationals and majors again.

LOTTIE WOAD: Yeah, very fast. I kind of had my summer schedule set a week ago and now it's going to change a little bit with getting into the majors.

That's only good for me. That's a good problem to have. Everything has been changing, but just trying to enjoy it and everything that comes with it.

Q. I think the other thing is I don't know if you had a chance to talk to them, we have Jennifer Kupcho here who was the first winner of the ANWA. Is that an inspiration or something you can see in your future?

LOTTIE WOAD: Yeah, I definitely want to try and follow in their footsteps. They all really kicked on after playing or winning ANWA and are all here playing this week as pros. Definitely want to follow what they've been doing.

Q. I know that everyone has watched the Masters dozens of times on TV. Sure you have, too. What are some things that surprised you on Sunday when you got out there and was really in the heat of competition about the course or whatever?

LOTTIE WOAD: Really, the amount of people for a starter. There were a lot of people there, a lot more than I expected. Crowds were pretty deep.

It was really cool to see so many people there supporting us. I played Augusta the first time last year so I kind of knew what to expect this year.

In terms of how it looks different to TV, I would say it's a lot more undulating and there is a lot more raised greens and stuff like that that you can't really see on TV.

Probably the doglegs are sharper than you might think. You really need to play a draw off a lot of the tees other than 18. Having that knowledge from last year going into Saturday this year was really helpful for me.

Q. One of the things Augusta is famous for is their gift shop. I don't need an exact figure, but you feel like you and your family did a good amount of damage in the gift shop?

LOTTIE WOAD: Last year I didn't actually go in. I ran out of time. We had to go to a college event straight after the round.

This year I was lucky enough to be invited into the members shop, which is kind of exclusive, so I got a few limited edition stuff from there, which was really cool. My dad was there, so I definitely got him to pay for it. (Smiling.)

Q. When you think about birdieing 17 and 18, how rare that is for anybody to do that, what does that mean to you that so many famous shots on those holes and the outcome is uncertain until the very end? What did it mean to birdie the last two?

LOTTIE WOAD: Yeah, it meant a lot. Kind of didn't really have anything to lose at that point and just going at the pins. The putt on 17 was very important. Probably being one backing going into 18 with a must-birdie would've been a lot harder than to make birdie to win outright.

So to birdie 17 gave me momentum going into 18. Thankfully a nice pin on the front so I could use that backstop.

Q. Were you prepared for a playoff?

LOTTIE WOAD: Yeah. I wasn't really thinking about that on the fairway. I was trying to go at that pin. I didn't have very far in. I was trying to make birdie. I was a little conscious on the putt I had, that it was downhill and they're quite quick at Augusta, so careful with that. But I was only thinking about holing it.

Q. How closely have you followed the LPGA over the years, and is there a moment or memory you have of watching The Chevron Championship that stands out to you?

LOTTIE WOAD: Yeah. I followed it obviously quite a bit, particularly the majors, watching the majors. The thing I remember from The Chevron Championship is people jumping in the water, particularly at the old venue as well. Just people jumping in when they win.

I remember 18 here being a crucial hole and the par-5 being reachable and people going for it and it coming down to that from last year.

Q. That tradition of leaping did continue here last year with Lilia Vu. Have you had a chance to look at the lake and would you jump in should you win on Sunday?

LOTTIE WOAD: I mean, I saw it. It's not the most clean, but if I win I'll jump in, yeah. Why not?

Q. You talked about what that week meant to you. How has that changed your perspective? You always thought you were a good player. Obviously had success in college. How has that win changed your career focus or trajectory or anything at all?

LOTTIE WOAD: Yeah, it probably changed it a little bit, but not massively. I know I can compete with the people that were there. We play week in and week out with each other at college. Like I've won college events before against them.

But getting that win, being the biggest win for me at a historic venue is definitely life changing. But I don't think it will really speed anything up or change my plans at all really.

Q. So taking you back to the present now, you played, practiced the golf course; another tough golf course. What do you think is going to be your strategy here? What's going to be the most important shots for you here?

LOTTIE WOAD: Yeah, the hardest part about this course is the greens are really firm so you have to be careful to certain pin locations and certain holes.

Particularly on a few of the longer par-4s you're hitting maybe 6-iron in so it's going to release a little bit. There are definitely some holes that are par holes and ones I'll take all pars on all week.

Kind of trying to minimize mistakes and taking opportunities on the par-5s and some of the wedges you do have. It's definitely a course that is quite demanding off the tee and you need to be hitting the fairways. With the greens being firm you can't be hitting out of the rough.

If you drive it well, there are definitely opportunities.

Q. I know we talked off camera here about I think you think you have finals this week.

LOTTIE WOAD: I think they're the next week I think. Or the week -- I don't really know. I know they're very soon.

Q. What was it like telling your professors this week you're going to have to miss because you're going to play in a major championship?

LOTTIE WOAD: I just sent them a quick email. I'd emailed about me playing ANWA the week before. I was just like, I won ANWA so I'm into the majors now, so I'm not going to be there next week. I hope you can excuse me.

Q. And who was one the most famous people to reach out and congratulate you or who stuck out the most to you?

LOTTIE WOAD: Trying to think. I feel like sticking out the most was probably like the English players that I looked up to watching. There is a picture on Instagram of Justin Rose in front of the TV like with me holing the putt. He's definitely one of my idols, so seeing him watching it and supporting me was really cool.

Q. What was the Instagram you're talking about with Justin?

LOTTIE WOAD: It was like a picture of him. I was in the TV in the background. It was when I holed the putt.

Q. That's pretty cool.

LOTTIE WOAD: Yeah, it was pretty cool.