Lottie Woad closes in on LPGA card at Evian Championship

Lottie Woad likely has yet another low-amateur honor locked up entering Sunday’s final round of the Amundi Evian Championship.

She’s in position for an LPGA card, too.

Woad, the 21-year-old Florida State senior and top-ranked amateur in the world, sits at 6 under through 54 holes in France, good for T-19 on the leaderboard, five shots off the lead and a whopping 10 clear of the only other amateur to make the cut, Arkansas junior Maria Jose Marin.

It’s a good bet that come Sunday evening Woad will be low amateur for a third time, following this year’s U.S. Women’s Open and last year’s AIG Women’s Open.

And if she remains inside the top 25 on the leaderboard, she’ll receive LPGA membership via the LPGA Elite Amateur Pathway program (LEAP), which launched late last year, prompting a big decision from the standout Englishwoman, who just last week won the Ladies European Tour’s KPMG Women’s Irish Open by six shots.

“I think I just need to try and limit the mistakes a little bit,” said Woad on Saturday after a 1-under 70 that included six birdies. “I made quite a few birdies today, but there were some others. Need to play smarter on some holes probably.”

If Woad gets to 20 points – she earned her 19th by making the cut – she could turn professional right away, or at any time this year, and enjoy full status through the end of the next season without having to go to Q-School. “If I can bypass that, that would be great,” Woad said of Q-School earlier this week. In addition to her LPGA starts, Woad is already exempt into the Women’s Scottish and AIG Women’s Open.

Florida State head coach Amy Bond has long agreed that Woad is ready for the next level. And even if Woad waited until next season to take up her membership, she’d still be leaving school early.

So, surely Woad will turn pro after a top-25 finish on Sunday in France? Woad wouldn’t confirm or deny.

“I haven’t decided yet,” Woad said. “I just don’t want to think too far ahead. Just get the points and focus on the golf really, and the rest will take care of itself.”

Another solid round at the Evian, and we’ll know Woad’s decision soon enough.