AUGUSTA, Ga. — Lottie Woad takes two practice strokes, her head peering over at the cup as she rehearses her ideal follow-through. She shuffles her feet forward, separating them to shoulder width as she gently places her left hand on her leather grip. She rests her mallet putter behind the ball. One more look. She pulls the trigger.
Behind every triumph at Augusta National is a process. Woad has hers down to a science.
The Florida State sophomore’s pre-putt ritual over that 16-footer on No. 18 — the one that capped off her birdie-birdie finish to come back and win the Augusta National Women’s Amateur by one shot — was a routine she has executed thousands of times. All she had to do was stick to it. That part was never in doubt for the 20-year-old.
It turns out that following a game plan is Woad’s specialty. Her Augusta National course management strategy has been mapped out since she first played it during the 2023 ANWA final round. Her practice sessions are scheduled down to the minute. She recently started working with a sports psychologist to learn breathing techniques for critical moments. Anytime she spots a leaderboard, Woad stares it down: She wants to know exactly where she stands, at all times.
“Lottie is almost an obsessive-compulsive golfer,” says Steve…
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