Lottie Woad’s first US Women’s Open appearance as a professional took a turn for the worse on Saturday when she was assessed a two-stroke penalty.
The trouble started for the 2025 US Women’s Open low amateur when her approach at the par-4 ninth found a greenside bunker at Riviera Country Club, with the ball plugging in the face.
The biggest problem for Woad was her footing, with the Englishwoman unable to get a firm stance.
Woad tried a couple of methods to rectify the situation, one of which was using her right foot to push into the sand. Another saw her caddie place his foot behind her right foot, both to no avail.
After consulting with a rules official, Woad took her shot, but the ball barely moved, before she finally got it out of the bunker and went on to make a bogey.
Unfortunately for Woad, that wasn’t the end of it, with a review shortly afterwards determining that she had tried to improve her stance in the bunker, a violation of rule 8.1a of the Rules of Golf, and carrying a two-stroke penalty.
That turned her five into a triple bogey seven. Woad, who secured the Kroger Queen City Championship title in May, was informed of the decision two holes later.
The incident contributed to a mixed day for Woad, who began with a birdie before following that with a double bogey at the second.
Another bogey and a birdie followed before her rules violation at the ninth.
After the turn, she made three more birdies at 13, 15 and 17 along with bogeys at 14 and 16 as she completed a three-over round of 74.
As a result of Woad’s penalty, she begins the final round on seven over, 13 behind overnight leaders Nelly Korda and Sei Young Kim.
She is grouped with 2023 Amundi Evian Championship winner Celine Boutier, with the pair given a tee time of 7.15am PDT.
