Woad returns to defend Scottish crown
Rising English star heads back to Dundonald Links as momentum builds around a growing championship
Paju, Korea - Lottie Woad will return to Dundonald Links this summer with history at her back and expectation at her side, confirming she will defend her title at the 2026 ISPS HANDA Women’s Scottish Open from July 23-26.
The world No.9 arrives as the reigning champion after a breakthrough performance last year, when she claimed a three-shot victory on her professional debut, finishing at 21-under par. It was a moment that capped a remarkable stretch, having already lifted the KPMG Women’s Irish Open as an amateur earlier that month before going on to finish tied third at The Amundi Evian Championship.
Woad’s rise has not slowed. She followed her Scottish triumph with a tied-eighth finish at the AIG Women’s Open, securing her third top-10 result in just eight major appearances across two years. This season, she has continued to build, recording three top-15 finishes and climbing to a career-high world ranking of No. 8, all within eight months of turning professional.
“I’m really excited to return to Dundonald Links this summer,” Woad said. “Last year was such a whirlwind, and winning on my professional debut was so special. I spend a lot of time in Scotland with my family, so to win the ISPS HANDA Women’s Scottish Open was amazing and definitely my favourite stop on the schedule so far. It’s been an incredible year, so I’m really looking forward to going back and having the chance to defend my title.”
She will be joined by Scotland’s Gemma Dryburgh, who brings both local support and proven consistency. A three-time winner of the Jock MacVicar Leading Scot award, Dryburgh posted six top-20 finishes on the LPGA Tour in 2025 and will look to contend on home soil.
“It’s always incredibly special to play in front of a home crowd, and the support I get in Scotland means so much,” Dryburgh said. “Dundonald Links is a fantastic venue and a true test of links golf, so I’m really looking forward to being part of such a strong field and putting in a great performance for the fans. It’s been amazing to see how this event has grown from strength to strength over the years.”
That growth was underlined with the announcement of a new £4.5 million funding agreement from the Scottish Government and VisitScotland, securing support for the championship through to 2028 and reinforcing its place on the global schedule.
The tournament returns to Dundonald Links for a fifth consecutive year, following a record-breaking 2025 edition that attracted more than 11,000 spectators. It will again stand as the only LPGA Tour event staged in Scotland this season.
For Woad, the setting is familiar, the memories vivid. Now comes the harder task—returning not as the surprise, but as the standard.