Lottie Woad’s rapid rise has been one of golf’s most compelling stories and standing firmly in her corner is Novellus Finance, a name making its presence felt on leaderboards and in locker rooms alike.

From backing the stars of tomorrow to driving some of the sport’s biggest events, Novellus is doing far more than funding golf, they’re helping shape its future.

Golf News discovers what the company has planned for the game in the years ahead.

Photos: Getty Images

What inspired Novellus Finance to become so actively involved?

At Novellus we have always been very passionate about the game and have built some strong relationships within the sport.

Our brand values align closely with the positive work many of our partners are doing in the game. Supporting emerging talent is a natural way for us to give back and invest in the future of a sport about which we care deeply.

Is golf sponsorship part of a wider brand strategy, or is it more about personal passion within the company?

Whilst it began as a personal passion for our CEO Billy McManus, it has evolved into a key part of Novellus’ longer term brand strategy.

Aligning with people and events that share our values has always been important and as we’ve seen success with the athletes we have backed and the growth of the events, it has become a consistently positive area for continued investment.

How do you decide which tournaments and players to sponsor?

It is still quite a fluid process and often depends on the individual event or athlete. For example, we partnered with Annabel Dimmock after seeing the way she engaged with fans at the KPMG Women’s Irish Open.

Her father caddied for her that week, and with her winning the event, it felt like a special story we wanted to be part of.

We spend a lot of time talking with people within golf whose opinions we value. Being able to pick the brains of leading players, caddies and key people in the game really helps us to identify some of the most exciting up and coming players and critically, learn about them as people.

When it comes to selecting events, the promoters have played a key role. Forefront has done an excellent job delivering top class events in Ireland with both the Woman’s Irish Open and the Legends Tour tournaments.

Supporting the Rose Ladies Series was an easy decision for us because we have long been admirers of what Kate and Justin Rose have done for Women’s golf and again, the organisation and professionalism of the tour, made our involvement a very natural fit.

We think providing pathways into the professional game and also providing playing opportunities on high quality courses with meaningful prize funds is critical to developing the next generation of golfers.

What tangible changes have you seen in the careers of the golfers you sponsor?

We think it’s probably too early in our sponsorship journey to know. We hope that our support goes some way to trying to ease the significant financial burden many golfers face.

The prize money on all of the feeder tours as well as the LET Access and lower rankings on the LET tour highlights just how tough making a living from the game has become.

Novellus’ backing helps these athletes invest into more coaching, technology (e.g. GC Quad or Trackman) or hiring a professional caddie. Ultimately, we want to give them the chance to focus on their performance and potential, rather than whether they can afford to compete at all.

Can you share a story of a player whose journey you’ve been especially proud to support?

At Novellus, we have been lucky to share some great moments with several athletes across tennis and golf, but one story that stands out is still very much ongoing.

We have been supporting Euan Walker for several years now. He’s an impressive young man who has come incredibly close to earning his DP World Tour card, with two fantastic wins on the Challenge Tour (now the HotelPlanner tour), but narrowly missing out overall.

The way he carries himself, continues to represent Novellus and gives everything to the game is something that we are incredibly proud of.

We have a feeling this could be the year he finally breaks through and we’re excited to see what he can achieve at the higher levels of the game.

His journey is a powerful reminder of how tough the game is and how much it means to those who dedicate themselves to it.

How do you measure the success of your golf sponsorships beyond simple brand exposure?

We measure success by aligning with individuals who give their all, which not only brings satisfaction to us as a company but also serves as a powerful reminder to our employees.

The perseverance and commitment that these athletes show, despite such frequent setbacks (which of course are common practice in professional sport), sets a wonderful example for everyone at Novellus.

Many of your partnerships are with up-and- coming players, what qualities do you look for in an athlete?

We are spending more time with players and look for key qualities such as resilience, desire and competitiveness. Golf is an incredibly tough game, and you have to love what you do.

The most successful athletes not only relish competing but also embrace the process and progression.

We also value curiosity and willingness to learn. Asking the right questions and seeking the right advice is crucial and the smartest players figure that out early.

Finally, self-belief is essential. It sounds a bit cliched but backing yourself, when it matters most, is what separates the very best!

What do you think are the biggest challenges for young golfers trying to break into the professional ranks today?

The standard today is extremely high. The costs associated with playing professional golf are significant.

These costs exist regardless of the tour you are playing for and prize funds you can compete for. Coach (often coaches for different components of the game), Caddie, Travel, Entry fees, Physio, Physical trainer and psychology.

There’s also an overload of information in the world now with an expectation for instant results, but true success takes time.

Lottie Woad is a great example of this – what looks like an “overnight success” is really the result of 15 years of hard work by her and her support team.

A key challenge is learning to trust the process, to take the advice given and then committing to it for long enough, rather than constantly making changes.

We are strong advocates of trusting the process.

The KPMG Women’s Irish Open, Rose Ladies Series, and Women’s Irish Challenge are all significant events, how does Novellus see its role in helping these grow?

Novellus plays a small supporting role. These events are all driven by passionate, dedicated people and we aim to raise awareness and encourage other businesses to follow our lead by highlighting the positive impact of partnering with high quality tournaments.

We also encourage our Novellus sponsored athletes to compete in the events and, as they achieve greater success, we hope this will help elevate the profile of these fantastic tournaments and tours.

We have seen first hand, how inspiring for the next generation, spending a short amount of time with the players can be.

We try to ensure we are on hand with hats, autograph opportunities with our athletes and some words of encouragement.

We are lucky that the people we support buy into that and have had that from the generations that went before, no more so than in Irish golf where there is a great support network from current and former players advising the next generation as they navigate the professional game.

Are there plans to get involved at a junior or grassroots level, perhaps through coaching programs or youth events?

Absolutely. Lottie’s success offers a powerful foundation to inspire and attract more young golfers into the game.

Novellus is committed to creating a legacy by supporting grassroot efforts and actively engaging with clubs, coaches, and governing bodies to explore the best ways to make the most of this truly unique window of opportunity.

Can you reveal any upcoming golf partnerships or initiatives we should watch for?

We are excited about the next phase of growth at the Novellus academy. We also have several other projects in development, which we look forward to updating you on soon!

Does anyone in the Novellus leadership team play golf themselves? If so, any memorable rounds or personal highlights?

Our CEO, Billy McManus, plays regularly, as do many of our senior team. A memorable highlight is when Billy made two “hole in ones”, within two days, although he is quick to remind us that he hasn’t had any before or since!

If you could sponsor any golfer in history, past or present, who would it be and why?

It’s an obvious choice, but it must be Tiger Woods. While many great players have come before and after him, it’s unlikely we’ll ever see anyone who electrifies the sport or has the same level of impact on the game quite in the way Tiger has.

ABOUT NOVELLUS

Novellus is a privately funded alternative lender providing loans secured against real estate in the UK and Ireland.

The Novellus group have a range of business interests, including co-investments in private debt alongside tier 1 private equity businesses, direct investment in real estate and the pending launch of their fund business, focusing on supporting early- stage funds with cornerstone investments into the strategy as well as investment into the underlying GP.

For more information visit novellusfinance.com

The post HOW NOVELLUS IS DRIVING GOLF’S NEXT GENERATION appeared first on Golf News.

Having partnered with Lottie under a NIL agreement during which time, Lottie enjoyed significant success remaining the number 1 ranked amateur in the world, finishing as the low amateur in the US Open at Erin Hills, winning the KPMG Women’s Irish Open, finishing tied 3rd at the Evian before turning professional.

In her debut event on the LPGA at the ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open, Lottie won impressively against 15 of the world’s top 25 proving she very much belongs at the top table in the Woman’s game.

Billy McManus, CEO of Novellus said: “Lottie is an exceptional, generational talent.

We have been privileged to have played a small supporting role in the last few months of her journey and like the rest of the world, watched in awe of her maturity and the quality of her game.

She is a wonderful role model, a super professional and above all else, a really good person.

We couldn’t be happier to have Lottie represent us on the global stage. I would like to thank Paul McDonnell and the team at Excel as well as Cian Branagan at Forefront for their assistance in making this partnership happen”.

Lottie will continue to have Novellus front of hat and become a brand ambassador through to the end of 2030.

LOTTIE QUOTE

Lottie Woad: “I’m delighted to have secured this long-term support from Novellus.

Billy and the team have been great partners and shown a genuine interest in my career.

I can’t wait to continue to represent Novellus and hope that the good fortune since we began the partnership continues for many years to come”.

Paul McDonnell from Excel: “Novellus have been big supporters of the Woman’s game for some time.

Through the Rose Ladies Series, the KPMG Woman’s Irish Open and three former Curtis Cup players (including Lottie) their commitment to the future of the game has been commendable.

Cementing such a significant investment this early in a professional’s career is testament to the level and potential of Lottie and also the vision and belief Billy and Novellus have shown since meeting Lottie.

It’s a great partnership to have helped put together and we can’t wait to see what they’ll accomplish together”.

The post Novellus Finance Announces Long-Term Partnership with Lottie Woad appeared first on Golf News.

Q. Talk about your first professional start, kind of put into words what that means to you.

I think it’s quite hard to do that, but very special to win in my first event. You know, everyone was chasing me today, and managed to maintain the lead and played really nicely down the stretch and hit a lot of good shots, which is nice.

What was the mindset coming down the final stretch, 16, 17, 18?

I didn’t really know the score most of the back nine. There wasn’t really any scoreboards to be honest. Only knew on 18 or 17, I saw that I had two shots. Kind of assumed she would birdie 18 but then found out she didn’t. Only had like 170 but just laid up and then pitched on.

This week you were never under any real pressure, and you never put yourself in stressful situations. How impressive was that?

I mean, it might have looked less stressful than maybe it was at times, but I think I only had like three bogeys, which, I mean, the wind wasn’t too bad the first due days. But on links golf, it’s definitely about bogey avoidance. That was probably the key to winning.

It was fitting that you hit probably two wedges to set up the birdie at the last. Has that always been the strength of your game?

My wedges have always been a strength, and my approaches in general, I can usually rely on it and control the spin pretty nicely.

Tell us about the Scott connection, the other day, your grannie and your aunt, I think, they live in Scotland?

They live in Scotland. They are not Scottish. They live in Edinburgh. So I’m up here quite a bit.

Did you have them here today?

Yeah, it was great.

What are their names?

Sarah and Marian (laughter)… I don’t call them that.

I don’t want to dwell on the monetary side of things, but obviously you forfeited a heck of a bit of money in the last few. Nice to putt a cheque in the bank?

I don’t even know what the winner’s cheque is. But yeah, I mean, a lot of people have obviously talked about me not winning any money.

But I knew going into this event, at the start, I wasn’t going to win any money. Didn’t make too much difference. And then I knew if I kept playing how I was, then it would all work out.

The amateur-to-pro transition can be quite difficult. It’s early days yet, but any advice for people like Hannah, who had her first pro event this week, as well, Curtis Cup, how you approach it, and what your mindset is in this whole thing?

I think just getting experience is great. Played a lot of majors and pro events before this. So it wasn’t all knew, really. So I think just the more experiences you give yourself, the better.

Go and ride the crest of the wave down to Wales now, then? Looking forward to another AIG?

Just looking to continue the momentum, really.

Porthcawl, have you played there?

I played there once.

Any success?

It was a practise round a few weeks ago.

But you’ll be getting used to this heighten expectation, of course. Do you just shrug that off?

I try to but it’s not always easy. Just looking forward to it.

For the sake of Martin and for Nick, why does the granny and the auntie, why do they live in Scotland?

My aunt’s husband is Scottish. So he’s from Scotland (laughter).

I don’t know why she moved up. Maybe Sarah, my aunt, is the favourite child and she wanted to be near her.

Many players say they win with their B Game. Do you feel like you’re playing your best golf, and if not, when do you think you were?

I don’t think for all four rounds, but I mean, definitely feels pretty good. I think it’s hard to label what your A and B Game is but the first day was probably where I played the worst but still scored pretty good. And honestly, yesterday, I probably played the best and didn’t score the best either. So it just kind of depends, really.

Describe what golf has been like the month of July, the win, the tied third at Evian and then this win.

LOTTIE WOAD: It’s been pretty good, yeah. I don’t really know how to describe it. Just been shooting low scores, which is always nice.

What was your emotions, and what were you feeling like inside when you were on 18?

I mean, I felt pretty good going down 18 because I knew I had a two-shot lead and just hit an 80-yard lay-up and an 80-yard shot. So I felt pretty confident coming down there. It was always nice to finish with a birdie. So just had like a two-footer, which is a nice length, so yeah, happy.

Is it a challenge to remain outwardly calm in such extraordinary and exciting moments as you’ve experienced today?

It’s always a challenge not to think too far ahead. There’s definitely times where I just had to try and think back to the next shot coming down the stretch. But yeah, just try and fix the next shot, really.

You told me last week that you needed to buy a car in the U.S. first for your first pro cheque. Have you thought about what kind of car? They said on the broadcast that you don’t have a license. Do you have a license in the U.S. or do you have a license in the U.K.?

Who gave them that info? I wonder. No, I need to take my test in America and get a car. Yeah, that’s the plan.

Do you have a kind of car in mind?

No.

How did the nerves today compare to winning at Augusta?

Probably a bit less to be honest. I think Augusta, that was the biggest tournament I played in at the time and was kind of my big win.

So definitely felt the pressure of it more there, and I felt like all those experiences helped me with this.

And how has the week been at Dundonald and how have you enjoyed playing the course and the facilities and everything?

It’s been great. Never been here before. The course is amazing, in great condition, and played different every day with the different wind directions. It was a nice challenge and everyone here has been so kind.

Do you ever have a sleepless night in the tournament? Sleep okay last night?

Slept fine (Laughter).

The post LOTTIE WOAD WOMEN’S SCOTTISH OPEN WINNER’S INTERVIEW appeared first on Golf News.

Obviously very excited. Yeah, been thinking about, you know, making my professional debut for a long time. Excited to do it more on home soil, as well. It’s going to be really fun.

Q. Can you talk about Evian and what the experience and the process of turning professional and your thoughts behind it?

It was really cool. Sunday was obviously a really fun day being in contention and being close in the end. Yeah, and then obviously got my LPGA card from that, and so it was a pretty easy decision once I’d spoken to my coaches and my team.

Q. This week is obviously links. How have you prepared for links golf, and how does your game suit links golf?

I mean, I haven’t played links golf that much this year, obviously being in America, but played it a little bit since I’ve been back.

I felt the transition to it is kind of not too bad since I grew up playing amateur stuff on links golf and kind of know how to flight the ball down and stuff like that, which always really helps playing in the wind.

Q. And you earned the Silver Medal last year at St Andrews, so obviously your game must suit links golf. How was that experience?

I do like links golf, and that was a really special week, playing at the Home of Golf and playing well, and yeah, just getting to play St Andrews is really cool, especially in an Open.

Q. What are your first thoughts of the course this week? Do you have any first impressions?

Never played here before. Yeah, it’s a really good course. A little bit softer than before with all the rain. So might play a little bit different. If the wind gets up, it could still throw some curveballs out there.

Q. So have you seen your draw for the week, and what did you think when you saw it?

Going to be fun couple of days. Obviously two players that I look up to, so it will be cool.

Q. What has the reception been from the players? Is anyone acknowledging the fact that you’re playing your first professional tournament and given you advice?

A few players have spoken to me. Everyone is really friendly. Yeah, it’s been nice.

Q. Have you had someone you looked up to most amongst pros? Who has been your inspiration?

I think growing up, I watched a lot of the English pros. So being paired with Charley tomorrow is going to be cool.

Q. Does it feel any different being a professional so far?

Not really, no. Just try and do the same as I was doing before.

Q. Will you working on finishing your degree while you’re playing next spring?

I haven’t decided on that yet. I need to speak to academics on that and decide whether I want to do that. Because obviously I want to putt a lot of my focus into this.

Q. Turning professional, does it feel like there’s more responsibilities or anything you’ve had to prepare for this week that you hadn’t previously?

I haven’t really had to do too much to be honest. Just been focused on the golf, really.

Q. Have you been following the women’s Euros, and did you watch the Sweden and England match last Thursday?

I did. Yeah, we’re playing tonight. So probably watch that.

Q. Who do you think will be playing in the final?

England.

Q. And do you watch a lot of other women’s sports, as well, other than golf?

Really only football and golf. That’s it to be honest.

The post LOTTIE WOAD INTERVIEW ON TURNING PROFESSIONAL appeared first on Golf News.

The 21-year-old first joined the England Golf set-up in 2017, declaring in her application letter that her dream would be to “become a professional golfer”.

Eight years later, through a lot of hard work and dedication, the Farnham golfer has achieved her dream.

Below is a timeline of some of Lottie’s key achievements since she has been part of the England Golf set-up, while you can find out more in detail by clicking here.

England Golf Performance Director Nigel Edwards said: “Lottie Woad has been a really special member of the England Golf Squads over the years, moving from Regional Squads through to National Girls and more recently, National Women’s squad.

“She has embraced all that has been provided, from the extensive playing opportunities to the coaching support of our national coaches and national lead practitioners. Her successes have been well-documented which have included the British Girls’ Championship, Augusta National Women’s Amateur and more recently, the Women’s Irish Open.

“Lottie has been a joy to work with and support – she has a fantastic work ethic, a desire to learn and get better, and loves the big occasion. Lottie will thrive in the professional game and I really believe that Lottie will become one of the biggest names in professional golf in the years to come.

“For our squad members who have seen Lottie train through the years, she is a complete inspiration and has shown what can be achieved if you dedicate and commit yourself to your dream – an absolutely stellar role model.”

The post Lottie Woad turns professional appeared first on Golf News.

Woad, 21, carded a brilliant 7-under-par 64 on Sunday to surge into contention, ultimately finishing at 13-under for the tournament, just one shot behind the playoff between Grace Kim and Atthaya Thitikul. Kim would go on to win the title in dramatic fashion, but it was Woad’s fearless display that captured the golf world’s attention.

“It’s a bit of a mixed feeling,” Woad admitted afterward. “I’m really proud of how I played, especially today, but of course it’s tough being so close.”

Had she managed to birdie the final hole, Woad would have forced her way into the playoff and had a shot at becoming the first amateur to win a women’s major since France’s Catherine Lacoste at the 1967 U.S. Women’s Open.

MAKING HISTORY

Despite the narrow miss, Woad made history in another way. Her third-place finish secured the final point she needed to qualify for LPGA Tour membership via the Elite Amateur Pathway (LEAP), a program introduced to create a smoother route from amateur to professional golf. She becomes the first golfer to earn her Tour card through this system.

Woad now faces a pivotal decision: whether to turn professional immediately or finish her collegiate career at Florida State University, where she has already made waves as a standout performer.

“I’ll take a bit of time this week to talk with my coaches and family,” she said. “It’s been a big week and there’s a lot to think about.”

Woad’s final score of 271 is the lowest ever recorded by an amateur at the Evian Championship, capping a breakout summer that has confirmed her status as one of golf’s most promising rising stars.

The post Lottie Woad Comes Agonizingly Close to Historic Major Win appeared first on Golf News.

Despite her win, Woad will not receive the €67,500 (£58,000) winner’s cheque due to her amateur status. The prize money instead goes to Sweden’s Madelene Sagstrom, a four-time Solheim Cup player, who finished second with a closing 68.

Woad, currently the world’s top-ranked amateur, surged ahead in gusty conditions on Friday, widened her lead to seven strokes by Saturday, and sealed her win at Carton House with six birdies and two bogeys on Sunday.

The 21-year-old broke 70 in all four rounds and becomes the first amateur to win on the LET since Jana Melichova triumphed at the 2022 Czech Ladies Open.

Already the winner of the 2024 Augusta National Women’s Amateur, Woad impressed throughout the week in County Kildare, carding just three bogeys across 72 holes.

“It felt pretty comfortable overall,” Woad said after the win. “There were a few moments early on the back nine that could’ve gone wrong, but I hung in there and finished strong with a couple of nice birdies.

Birdieing the second with a 12-footer settled me in, and although I didn’t hole quite as many putts as earlier in the week, it was pretty stress-free in the end.”

England’s Charley Hull, ranked 19th in the world, finished fourth with a final-round 69, while Irish player Anna Foster (72) was the best of the home contingent in a tie for 12th at eight under.

Canice Screene shot a flawless 66—tied for the lowest round of the day—to climb inside the top 40.

Woad opened Sunday with two birdies in her first four holes, dropped a shot at the fifth, but quickly regained ground with birdies at the eighth and 13th.

After a bogey on the 15th, she closed with back-to-back birdies on 16 and 17 and a steady par at the last to finish at 271.

“It definitely means a lot,” she said. “I knew I had a big lead, but I still had to stay focused. There were some great players behind me, so I’m really proud to have finished it off.”

Florida State University’s Woad now turns her attention to next week’s Evian Championship, where she’ll continue her impressive rise on the global stage.

Elsewhere, England’s Hannah Screen shot a 67 to finish tied fifth, while Ireland’s Leona Maguire ended a frustrating week with a final-round 75, leaving her in a tie for 48th.

The post Lottie Woad Dominates to Win Irish Open as an Amateur, Sagstrom Takes Prize Money appeared first on Golf News.

Lottie, it’s been a great start to the year hasn’t it – talk us through your college season so far in 2025?

“We’ve played around six events, and yeah, I’ve just played pretty solid, got a couple of wins and, most importantly, I didn’t finish outside the top three.

I’ve been consistent and in contention around the lead, which I’m happy with, and everything’s feeling pretty solid heading into the ANWA.

It’s all positives really. I’ve seen some improvements on certain parts of my game that I was working on during the off-season, inside like 75 yards, so that’s always nice to see.

There are definitely some things I could work on but it’s always nice just to see the areas that you’re working on improving in the stats.”

You landed your first ever hole-in-one last week, tell us about that?!

“I hadn’t had one before, so that was nice. It was funny because I had a message on Instagram from one of the England Golf coaches a week before, asking if I’d ever had a hole-in-one, and I was like “Oh, I’m gonna try and get one!”.

I then got one almost straight away, so that was funny! It was an 8-iron from 159 yards downhill. I saw it go in which was nice!”

What is it like to drive down Magnolia Lane knowing all the greats before you that have been there?!

“It’s always special. I’ve been the last two years and it was incredible the first time and you still kind of get all the same feelings when you go back.

The drive is so special and then seeing the course, once you’ve seen it on TV, you get to see all the holes you’ve watched certain players play, and you get to play them yourself.

It’s really special. It is just like what you see on TV. It’s very green, the grass is very green and it’s kind of just like you’re hitting off the carpet really.

It’s perfect. And then you have all the trees and the flowers in full bloom for April which is pretty cool. It’s very colourful and while some might say it doesn’t meet the expectations of what you see on TV, I would say it definitely does.

Last year after the win, the next day I got to go into the clubhouse and got to have a tour, see the Crow’s Nest, which we don’t have access to, so that was all really cool. When I was in the clubhouse they arranged for me to meet Danny Willett too which was cool.”

No doubt you’ll be looking to defend your title this year?!

“I’m obviously trying to win it again but the main aim is to stay in contention for the final day at Augusta and see where that puts me.

But it would be cool to go back-to-back. That said, anyone in the field really can win it, they are the best 70 in the world so it wouldn’t surprise me if anyone was challenging and I could name most of the field really!”

You’ll be joined by England Women’s teammate Patience Rhodes at Augusta this year. What advice have you got for her?

“Just to enjoy it and have fun. Not everyone gets to experience this and take it all in but at the same time, it can be tough to focus on the golf during your first time.

There are a lot of new things so I think you just have to make sure you get everything done that you need to do and get everything ready for the tournament.

We have so many commitments during the week aside from golf that we have to do, so it’s just about managing time.”

What other events are big ones on your radar this year?

“We’re into the close season with the college season now, we’ve got our conference championships coming up and then regionals and nationals and then straight after that I’ve got the US Open.”

Will you be looking forward to some of the events representing England and being back alongside some friends and coaches?

“I see most of our team because we’re based in the US, so I see them at a lot of college events, which is nice, but yeah, getting to catch up with some of the coaches I don’t see as often will be nice.”

The post INTERVIEW: LOTTIE WOAD PREPARES TO DEFEND TITLE AT AUGUSTA appeared first on Golf News.

The format of the matches sees eight female amateurs from Great Britain & Ireland taking on their counterparts from the USA.

Each of the first two competition days features three foursomes and three four-ball matches. On Sunday, eight singles matches are contested.

One full point is awarded for each victory, while a half-point is earned for matches that are tied after 18 holes. The USA needs 10 points to retain the Cup, while GB&I requires 10.5 points to reclaim it.

USA handed out a heavy 15.5-4.5 defeat to GB&I when the matches were held at Merion Golf Club in 2022, and the visiting side will be strong favourites to lift the title again.

Of the 42 matches played to date, USA have won 31 times, GB & Ireland have won 8, with three matches tied (1936, 1958 and 1994).

The home side, which is being captain by Catriona Matthew, will have the benefit of having current women’s world amateur no.1 Lottie Woad in its ranks.

Fresh off her top-10 finish in the AIG Women’s Open at St Andrews, Farnham-based Woad is looking forward to competing alongside her amateur peers again, and at a course with which she is very familiar.

“I’m really looking forward to the Curtis Cup,” she said. “It is one of the big goals that I think any amateur wants to play in and being near where I live, there’s going to be a lot of supporters. It’s one of my favourite golf courses in the world – I just love heathland courses. It’s going to be really fun.

“I’ve played Sunningdale quite a bit, so I know the course. It looks like the weather is going to be a lot better than it was in Scotland last week, and I’m looking forward to being able to hit the ball in the air again after playing knock-down shots all week at St Andrews!

The home side also includes Mimi and Patience Rhodes, with the English duo the first sisters to compete in the same match since Leona and Lisa Maguire in 2010.

Patience said: “I’m so excited to be here. Being here with my sister, Mimi, as well, it’s just making it that more special. We’ve been saying it since we were younger that it would be really cool to play together in the Curtis Cup and having that happen is like a dream come true.

“I love match play, you kind of just go for things and it’s more exciting. Anything can happen. Sunningdale is a gorgeous course. The greens are amazing and rolling so well. Just being here at home with the home crowds is great.”

HOW THE TEAMS LINE UP

Great Britain & Ireland
Sara Byrne, 23, Ireland
Beth Coulter, 19, Ireland
Hannah Darling, 21, Scotland
Aine Donegan, 21, Scotland
Lorna McClymont, 23, Scotland
Euphemie Rhodes, 22, England
Patience Rhodes, 20, England
Lottie Woad, 20, England

United States
Zoe Campos, 21, Valencia, Calif.
Anna Davis, 18, Spring Valley, Calif.
Rachel Kuehn, 23, Asheville, N.C.
Asterisk Talley, 15, Chowchilla, Calif.
Catherine Park, 20, Irvine, Calif.
Jasmine Koo, 18, Cerritos, Calif.
Melanie Green, 22, Medina, N.Y.
Megan Schofill, 23, Monticello, Fla.

Tickets to watch the 43rd Curtis Cup can be bought at Sunningdale on the day, with walk-up prices at the gate each day being £25 for adults, with 50% off for youths and free for under-16s.

The whole event is being screened live on Sky Sports from August 30-September 1.

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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.”

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