Lottie Woad used just 26 putts in a four-under 68 at TPC Boston, surging into contention while sharpening her game for the Solheim Cup.
Lottie Woad brought a scorching putter to the FM Championship on Thursday, needing only 26 putts to shoot a four-under 68 at TPC Boston.
The English star finished the opening round near the top of the leaderboard after collecting four birdies, avoiding a single bogey and turning a potentially messy back nine into nine straight pars.
That’s one way to make golf look uncomplicated.
Woad attacked the par-five second for her first birdie, then nearly holed her approach at No. 6.
Her ball stopped inches from the cup, leaving a tap-in that pushed her farther under par. Another birdie followed at the par-five seventh before she poured in a downhill putt of nearly 10 feet to complete a front-nine 32.
The formula was brutally efficient: find fairways, take advantage of the par fives and let the putter handle the rest.
TPC Boston’s thick rough began causing problems after the turn, however. Woad’s driver started leaking left, removing several realistic birdie opportunities.
Instead of trying to manufacture hero shots, she shifted into damage-control mode. She aimed toward the centers of greens, accepted routine pars and kept bogeys off the card.
It wasn’t explosive, but it was mature—and completely stress-free on the scorecard.
The 68 also represented a sharp response after Woad missed the cut at The Standard Portland Classic and skipped the CPKC Women’s Open.
That break gave her time to recover and visit Bernardus Golf in the Netherlands, where she’ll soon make her Solheim Cup debut for Team Europe.
The scouting trip produced its own highlight: Woad made a hole-in-one on the par-three 13th while playing alongside European teammates Celine Boutier and Nanna Koerstz Madsen.
Speculation continues to surround a possible Solheim Cup partnership with Charley Hull. Woad acknowledged that she already knows her likely partner, but she’s keeping that information locked down.
Her confidence isn’t nearly as secret.
Woad won her LPGA Tour professional debut in 2025 and added another victory at May’s Kroger Queen City Championship.
Five additional top-10 finishes have established her as a regular contender rather than an occasional leaderboard visitor.
Now she’s threatening again at the FM Championship. If the driver straightens out and that putter stays hot, Thursday’s 68 might only be the opening warning.
