Surrey amateur star Lottie Woad has won the Mark H McCormack Medal as the leading woman in the World Amateur Golf Ranking for 2024.
Farnham-based Woad, who is the first ever English winner of the women’s McCormack Medal, will receive exemptions into next year’s US Women’s Open and the AIG Women’s Open on the back of the award.
Woad, 20, said: “I’m really happy to have won the McCormack Medal. It rounds off a successful year for me and I’m honoured to be named alongside the previous recipients of the medal.
“It was always a goal of mine to reach number one and become the world’s leading woman amateur golfer. It’s taken a while to get there but it’s nice to see all the hard work pay off and achieve this milestone.”
Earlier this year, Woad became the first European golfer to win the Augusta National Women’s Amateur, and she did so in dramatic fashion after finishing birdie-birdie over the final two holes to pip American Bailey Shoemaker by one shot.
She has also recorded three second-place finishes in the NCAA D1 Women’s Championship, Florida State Match Up and Collegiate Invitational at GCC, while in the autumn of last year won the ANNIKA Intercollegiate..
Next week she will compete for Great Britain and Ireland in the Curtis Cup at Sunningdale in a bid to win the match against the USA for the first time since 2016.
‘THOROUGHLY DESERVING RECIPIENT’
Professor Steve Otto, Chief Technology Officer at The R&A, said, “Lottie has enjoyed a very successful year in which she has consistently performed at a high level and her results, including winning the Augusta National Women’s Amateur, makes her a thoroughly deserving recipient of the women’s McCormack Medal.
“We would like to congratulate Lottie on this outstanding achievement and look forward to seeing her golf career go from strength to strength in the years ahead.
“The list of past McCormack Medal winners reads like a ‘Who’s Who; of today’s top professional talent, underscoring the immense dedication and passion required to achieve the world’s number one amateur ranking,” said John Bodenhamer, USGA chief championships officer.
“Lottie’s achievement is a powerful testament to her relentless effort and determination. On behalf of everyone at the USGA, we extend our heartfelt congratulations for this remarkable honour.”