Korda and Ko hail Woad as 'breath of fresh air' before Open challenge

English 21-year-old heads into Women's Open in fine form after winning in Scotland on her professional debut

- Ewan Murray

History suggests caution is advisable when assessing female golf phenoms. Michelle Wie won just a single major. Charley Hull has reached the age of 29 while scaling golfing heights, but it is fair to say wild excitement about her career when a teenage amateur has not been borne out by subsequent results. For a multitude of reasons, promise can outweigh reality.

If it were at all her style - and it is not - Lottie Woad could claim to have already justified the hype. Winning last year's Augusta National Women's Amateur was a statement of intent. Recent weeks have been rocket-fuelled for the 21-year-old; Woad won the Irish Open and challenged for the Evian Championship while still an amateur. One professional start, at the Scottish Open, saw Woad lift the trophy on Sunday. She is the name on everyone's lips as the Women's Open lands at the links of Royal Porthcawl, starting today.

"She's playing great golf," said Lydia Ko, the defending champion, of Woad. "I've seen her swing. My coach has sent me a video of her swing as well because there's aspects that I'm kind of going for that she has."