LIBERTY CORNER, N.J., and ST. ANDREWS, Scotland (Aug. 14, 2024) – Lottie Woad has won the Mark H. McCormack Medal as the leading woman in the 2024 World Amateur Golf Ranking® / WAGR®.

Woad is the first female winner of the McCormack Medal from England and she receives exemptions into the 2025 U.S. Women’s Open Presented by Ally at Erin Hills and next year’s AIG Women’s Open.

 “I’m really happy to have won the McCormack Medal,” said Woad. “It rounds off a successful year for me and I’m honored to be named alongside the previous recipients of the medal.

“It was always a goal of mine to reach number one and become the world’s leading amateur golfer. It’s taken a while to get there but it’s nice to see all the hard work pay off and achieve this milestone.”

Earlier this year, the 20-year-old became the first European golfer to win the Augusta National Women’s Amateur in dramatic fashion after going birdie-birdie over the final two holes to clip USC’s Bailey Shoemaker by one shot.

She has amassed three victories thus far in her collegiate career, including last fall at the ANNIKA Intercollegiate Presented by 3M. Woad has also recorded three second place finishes, one in the 2024 NCAA D1 Women’s Championship, as well as at the Florida State Match Up and Collegiate Invitational at GCC.

Later this month, she will compete for Great Britain and Ireland in the Curtis Cup at Sunningdale in England in a bid to win the match against the United States of America for the first time since 2016.

"The list of past McCormack Medal winners reads like a who's who of today’s top professional talent, underscoring the immense dedication and passion required to achieve the world’s No. 1 amateur ranking," said John Bodenhamer, USGA chief championships officer. "Lottie's achievement is a powerful testament to her relentless effort and determination. On behalf of everyone at the USGA, we extend our heartfelt congratulations for this remarkable honor."

Professor Steve Otto, chief technology officer at The R&A, said, “Lottie has enjoyed a very successful year in which she has consistently performed at a high level and her results, including winning the Augusta National Women’s Amateur, makes her a thoroughly deserving recipient of the women’s McCormack Medal.

“We would like to congratulate Lottie on this outstanding achievement and look forward to seeing her golf career go from strength to strength in the years ahead.”

The R&A and the USGA co-award the McCormack Medal annually. It is named after Mark H. McCormack, who founded sports marketing company IMG and was a great supporter of amateur golf.
 
The World Amateur Golf Ranking, which is supported by Rolex, was established in 2007 when the men’s ranking was launched. The men’s ranking encompasses over 3,900 counting events, ranking 4,660 players from 118 countries. The women’s ranking was launched in 2011 and has a calendar of around 2,650 counting events with more than 3,033 ranked players from 90 countries.

About the USGA

The USGA is a mission-based golf organization whose purpose is to unify the golf community through handicapping and grassroots programs; to showcase the game’s best talent through the U.S. Open, U.S. Women’s Open Presented by Ally and 13 other national championships and our museum; to provide unbiased global governance with The R&A through the playing, equipment and Amateur Status rules; and to advance issues important to golf’s future, with a focus on driving sustainability, accessibility and inclusion. As a nonprofit association, our work and our team are driven to act for the good of the game. For more, visit usga.org.

About The R&A

References in this document to The R&A are to R&A Rules Limited. Together The R&A, based in St. Andrews, Scotland, and the USGA govern the sport of golf worldwide, operating in separate jurisdictions but with a commitment to a single code for the Rules of Golf, Rules of Amateur Status and Equipment Standards. The R&A governs the sport worldwide, outside of the United States and Mexico, on behalf of over 36 million golfers in 144 countries and with the consent of 159 organizations from amateur and professional golf.

The R&A aims to invest £200 million in developing golf over a decade and supports the growth of the sport internationally, including the development and management of sustainable golf facilities.  For more information visit www.randa.org