Rookies stepping up to the golf tee on LPGA Tour
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Sweden's Ingrid Lindblad was one of seven rookie winners on the LPGA in 2025.
ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
- Lottie Woad and six other rookies won on the LPGA in 2025, tying the record. Woad made an immediate impact, claiming victory in her professional debut.
- Prior Major experience, success on other tours, and strong amateur/college careers are key factors preparing rookies for immediate LPGA success.
- The LPGA tour's depth and global talent pool significantly rose, producing a record 29 different winners in 2025.
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SINGAPORE – Even before turning professional, Lottie Woad – who joined the LPGA Tour in July 2025 – had already played in the big leagues seven times.
Her appearances at the Majors, earned through achievements such as her victory at the 2024 Augusta National Women’s Amateur Championship, allowed the Briton to test herself on some of golf’s toughest courses.
Competing against the world’s best also gave her invaluable experience that prepared her for the big stage.
The 22-year-old is part of an emerging wave of players who have adapted quickly to life on the LPGA Tour.
As an amateur, Woad had underlined her potential by winning the 2025 Women’s Irish Open on the Ladies European Tour, beating the field by six strokes.
Just weeks later, she made an immediate impact on her professional debut, claiming a three-shot victory at the Women’s Scottish Open.
“I got to experience the course set-ups, obviously playing against the pros and kind of what the week’s like,” said Woad on the sidelines of the Feb 26-March 1 HSBC Women’s World Championship.
“So when I turned pro, all of this wasn’t new, which was nice.”
In 2025, she was one of seven rookies to win on the tour, with that number tying the record set in 2009 for most rookie winners in a season.
The others were Japan’s Rio Takeda, Miyu Yamashita, twins Akie and Chisato Iwai, as well as Sweden’s Ingrid Lindblad and China’s Miranda Wang.
In total, the 2025 season produced a record 29 different winners on the LPGA Tour, showcasing its depth of talent.
Lindblad, who won the LA Championship, believes the global standard of women’s golf has risen significantly, pointing to the international diversity of winners last season.
She said: “I don’t know if we do something different, or if just the people... are just really good.
“That seems to be the case, because there are players from the US, from Europe, from Asia, from all over the world who win on this tour.”
Experience on other tours has helped many players prepare for life on the LPGA Tour.
Lindblad, 25, began her professional journey on the Epson Tour – the LPGA’s developmental circuit – in 2024, before graduating to the main tour in 2025.
She recalled how much more competitive the Epson Tour has become since her first appearance there in 2019, when she played at the Florida’s Natural Charity Classic on an invite and finished tied-23rd.
Returning in 2024 with full status, she missed the cut in her first event after shooting nine-over 153 across two rounds.
She credited the advice from fellow Swede and three-time Major champion Anna Nordqvist, who urged her not to rush the jump to the LPGA.
She said: “That was a great advice from her, just to play on the Epson Tour and try to figure out things like how many events I can play in a row. It could also be things like what kind of golf courses I like and I don’t like.
“That was a really preparation overall like how to travel, just as mini steps towards the LPGA.”
Miyu Yamashita of Japan in action during Round 2 of the HSBC Women's World Championship at the Tanjong Course, Sentosa Golf Club, on Feb 27.
ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
Outside of the United States, other tours such as the LPGA of Japan have gotten increasingly competitive
Both Woad and Lindblad enjoyed stellar amateur careers that helped lay the foundation for their success. They topped the amateur world rankings and grew accustomed to handling expectations and pressure.
College golf also played a pivotal role in their development.
World No. 9 Woad remembers playing about 15 collegiate events a year while she was an undergraduate at Florida State University, giving her a taste of the tour’s demanding schedule.
She added: “Playing college golf definitely helps – you travel a lot, you’re playing against really good players, you’ve got great facilities and coaches and stuff like that. So that just gets you in the mindset.”
Lindblad similarly used her time in college to sharpen her game before turning professional.
“I basically tried to get as good as possible when I was still in school, because I knew whenever you come out here, it’s more playing, more travelling, you don’t have as much time to practise,” said the world No. 56.
Seven-time Major champion Park In-bee, who last competed on the LPGA Tour in 2022, believes that technology and easy access to resources online have accelerated player development in recent years.
While she welcomed the emergence of new faces on tour, she also stressed the importance of having “a superstar” on the series.
The former world No. 1, who is in Singapore as a sponsor’s guest, said: “The variety of winners tells people that this tour is very strong and that there are many players this good.
“But at the same time, for the popularity of the game and the impact of the game, you definitely need a superstar.”
Australian world No. 4 Minjee Lee, who has played on the LPGA Tour since 2015, added: “It’s really motivating to see the younger generation, who watched us on TV for a really long time. “I feel like they have a silent push for the older girls out on tour.
“We are really driven and passionate to do what we do as a profession, but I just feel like it’s really nice to see the girls, especially the Aussies, coming up. It’s been a full circle moment.”
