Woad

England’s Lottie Woad hit a three-under-par 69 on day two of the Tournament of Champions to share the lead with three-time major winner Lydia Ko.

The 22-year-old, who only turned professional last year and was invited to play at the season-opening LPGA tournament in Orlando, built on her opening round of 67 to jointly lead with New Zealander Ko on eight under.

Olympic Champion Ko, 28, added a 67 on Friday to Thursday’s 69 round the Lake Nona course.

Woad, who hit four birdies and one bogey, said: “I looked at the leaderboard quite a lot because I was getting annoyed.

“The pins were probably a little trickier, so [there] weren’t as many birdies as [Thursday], so I just had to keep giving myself chances.”

Ko, meanwhile, is bogey-free through 36 holes but the 2024 Women’s Open champion said she would never call the Florida course “easy”, adding: “I think this golf course changes a lot depending on how the conditions are.”

England’s Lottie Woad is one shot behind leader Nasa Hataoka after the first round of the Tournament of Champions in Florida.

Woad, 22, who only turned professional last summer and was invited to play at the opening LPGA tournament of the season in Orlando, is one of four players on five under par.

Japan’s Hataoka claimed seven birdies for a round of 66 to lead on six under from Woad, Thai pair Chanettee Wannasaen and Atthaya Thitikul and Sweden’s Linn Grant.

Woad had the lead thanks to six birdies through 14 holes but made her only bogey of the day at the 18th.

She said the Lake Nona course “definitely challenges you”, adding: “The practice days were pretty cold… so it played a little bit easier today.”

Woad was an amateur when she won her first Ladies European Tour title in dominant fashion at the Women’s Irish Open in July.

She then then delivered a statement victory on her professional debut three weeks later when she secured her second tour win at the Women’s Scottish Open.