by Lottie Woad’s title defense was certainly a storyline coming into this week, but the top-ranked amateur in the world didn’t dominate the headlines. It’s an understandable slight, given that 49 of the top 50 amateurs in the world were vying for this year’s championship and that her own teammate at Florida State University, Mirabel Ting, has been on a historic run in recent weeks.
Woad didn’t take long to make her presence felt with an opening round of 65 on Wednesday, but Megha Ganne’s record-breaking 63 diverted the attention away from the defending champ once again. With round two in the books and Woad tied at 9 under with Kiara Romero, she now has everyone’s full attention with her name atop the leaderboard for all eyes to see.
This is familiar territory for Woad. She was in the final group last year and had the benefit of a two-shot cushion. That lead didn’t last long, and Woad needed every single one of her three birdies in the final four holes to sneak past Bailey Shoemaker. She’ll lean on that experience come Saturday, knowing that if she falls behind Romero or others, she’s got what it takes to make a comeback.
TAKEAWAYS: FIRST ROUND | SECOND ROUND
First things first…today’s practice round. This will be Woad’s first time on the course since her victory last year. She’s been on the grounds earlier this year, but only visited the Par 3 Course for a media shoot. When asked about what she’s looking forward to seeing, Woad kept things practical, saying she’s interested in seeing any visual differences from Hurricane Helene’s damage and if there’s much difference in the handful of greens that she’s heard have been redone.
Woad may need another heroic finish if she is to become the first two-time winner in ANWA history. Last year’s final round 69 was just enough to get the job done. With a long list of chasers well within striking distance, she’ll need to call on her experience and success at ANWA, where she’s only shot over par once in eight tournament rounds.
Co-leader Romero and a host of other hopefuls stand in the way of Lottie’s repeat dreams. More on them below:
Kiara Romero
The Oregon sophomore said this week is the “happiest I’ve ever been on the golf course.” You’d be happy, too, if you had your older sister caddying for you and were tied for the lead. Even a double bogey on the par-4 fourth hole couldn’t bring down Romero as she moved past it quickly and rattled off three birdies in a row shortly after.
Older sister, Kaleiya, will be by Kiara’s side Friday during her practice round, but not in the caddie role. They plan to take in as much as they can from their Augusta National caddie tomorrow and make a decision afterward on who will carry Romero’s bag in the final round. Want to learn more about Kiara? Check out The Qualifier from our Fried Egg Stories series back in 2021, when Garrett Morrison interviewed a then 15-year-old Romero as she was attempting to qualify for the U.S. Women’s Open and was paired with Juli Inkster.
The Cardinal
Almost 20% of the players vying for the championship on Saturday are Stanford Cardinal. Yes, all six players on their roster made the cut. Megha Ganne, Andrea Revuelta, and Meja Örtengren are all in the top ten and within two strokes of Woad and Romero. Paula Martin Sampedro, Nora Sundberg, and Kelly Xu round out the group. For all of Stanford’s success in recent history, this may turn out to be its most dominant team.
Juniors Playing Like Vets
The teenage trio of Asterisk Talley, Gianna Clemente, and Scarlett Schremmer passed the Champions Retreat test with flying colors. Talley (T6), Clemente (T17), and Schremmer (T17) will be employing slightly different strategies for Saturday’s final round. Talley will be using the same caddie she had last year when she tied the second nine record with a 32 en route to her T8 finish. Clemente and Schremmer will have a parent on the bag. Clemente’s dad will continue his caddying role from the first two rounds, and Schremmer’s mom, former LPGA player Patricia Ehrhart, will help guide her in her first round at Augusta National.
Watch the final round from 12-3:30 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock.
This piece originally appeared in the Fried Egg Golf newsletter. Subscribe for free and receive golf news and insight every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
