European golfers build Solheim Cup momentum as Woad and Alexander shine

England’s Lottie Woad opened with a four-under-par 68 at the LPGA Tour’s FM Championship in Boston, positioning herself among the leaders in the final tournament before the Solheim Cup. The round leaves her in an eight-way tie for fifth place, four shots behind South Korea’s Sei Young Kim, who set the pace with a 64.

Woad, who has secured two LPGA Tour victories since turning professional last year, capitalised on a strong front nine. She recorded four birdies in the first half of her round, noting that hitting the fairways was essential due to the thick rough at TPC Boston.

"I hit some pretty close shots on some holes and then did well on the par-5s getting on greens, so just kind of had tap-ins on the front nine," Woad said. She acknowledged that a couple of missed fairways on the back nine resulted in pars rather than birdie opportunities, which she aims to correct in the next round.

This performance carries significant weight for the European team, as Woad is one of 12 players selected by captain Anna Nordqvist for the September showpiece in the Netherlands. The Solheim Cup represents a major fixture in the European sporting calendar, with live coverage scheduled on Sky Sports.

Fellow European team member Charley Hull shot a one-under 71, while world number one Nelly Korda, who will spearhead the United States side under captain Angela Stanford, recorded a level-par 72. Meanwhile, captain Nordqvist began her final professional tournament at two-over par, shortly after her unexpected retirement announcement earlier this week.

Strong showing in Ireland

Across the Atlantic, the Ladies European Tour offered further positive indicators for the continent’s players at the rain-hit KPMG Women’s Irish Open. South Africa’s Casandra Alexander fired a course-record 63 at The K Club’s Palmer South Course to finish nine-under par and take the outright lead.

Alexander’s round included four front-nine birdies and five on the back nine, eclipsing the earlier 67 posted by Italy’s Alessandra Fanali. Fanali now shares second place on five-under par alongside England’s Lily May Humphreys, the Czech Republic’s Jana Melichova, and the Isle of Man’s Ana Dawson.

Ireland’s Leona Maguire also remains in contention, opening with a one-under 71. These final events before mid-September provide essential competitive sharpness and broadcasting momentum for the women’s game as the continent prepares for the Solheim Cup.