It's a hard Woad as Lottie trails Japanese leaders

LOTTIE WOAD was five shots off the pace as Japanese pair Rio Takeda and Eri Okayama shared the first-round lead at the AIG Women's Open.

- By Keir Scott

Surrey sensation Woad carded a level-par 72 at a blustery Royal Porthcawl on a day the 21-year-old sensation was under huge scrutiny and Mimi Rhodes shot 69 to finish as the top English player.

Woad entered the final major of the year as tournament favourite, despite this being only her second event as a professional.

She had won her first at the Women's Scottish Open last weekend, a remarkable success coming on the back of victory at the Irish Open and a tied-third finish in the Evian Championship in her final weeks as an amateur.