Augusta, GA
This World No. 1 has the chance to become the first to go back-to-back at Augusta National
AUGUSTA, Ga. – Lottie Woad doesn’t like condiments. Give her a sandwich, preferably ham and cheese, with nothing on it. No sauce for her steak. She loves spaghetti but likes her pizza white.
“I can’t convince her that the sauce in spaghetti is the same that’s on a pizza,” said Florida State coach Amy Bond, who calls her star player “particular.”
“She knows what she wants,” said Bond, “and she’s not afraid to tell you.”
That particular approach applies to the way the No. 1 player in the world goes about her business on the golf course. Bond calls her the hardest worker she’s ever coached. She’s used the same ball marker since the age of 12.
She’s funny, in a dry sort of way, and while she’s more comfortable speaking to the media than she was a year ago, it’s still not her favorite thing. The reserved Woad is interested in one thing: being the best. And, as Bond has said, she’s got the stomach for it.
“She’s not afraid to take chances on the golf course,” said Bond, “she’s aggressive, and she’s not afraid of failure.”
Defending champion Lottie Woad tied for lead after 36 holes
That much was on full display at last year’s Augusta National Women’s Amateur, where Woad stormed to the title with birdies on three of the last four holes.
Now she’s in position to do it again, holding a share of the lead with Kiara Romero heading into Saturday’s final round at Augusta National. Given how short the window is to win this event, back-to-back ANWA victories should prove to be an exceptionally rare kind of feat.
“I think I can definitely use last year,” said Load. “I had the lead and then lost it. Tomorrow if that happens again, then I’d know that I’ve come back from there before.”
The Woad highlight reel includes victories at Carnoustie, Augusta National, Baltusrol and a top 10 at the AIG Women’s British Open at St. Andrews. She returns to Augusta National a better player in a number of ways, said Luke Bone, her swing coach since age 7. She’s faster and stronger, hitting it 10 yards farther off the tee with a 260-plus carry. Her wedge game, Bone gushed, is now world class.
Then there’s the experiences she’s had, playing in four LPGA majors. While the hole-out on the 18th at the Old Course is the highlight everyone remembers, Bone, who was on the bag, said the opening 72 in outrageous wind – starting on the back nine – was the most impressive part of British Open week. Bone said she gained four strokes on the field with that round.
Back on the bag this week is England national coach Steve Robinson, who was instrumental in helping Woad plot and prep for last year’s final round. He also delivered a pep talk on the 13th hole that wasn’t fit for print.
Down two with five holes to play, Woad points to a par save on the 14th that kickstarted a finish for the ages.
After a Friday practice round around Augusta with Robinson, Woad reported that the greens are a little firmer this year. She’ll be careful about which pins she attacks. She’s got her notes from last year and likely more confidence about what’s to come than anyone else in the field.
Woad put down a ghost hole on the 18th green Friday to try to recreate the winning putt from last year. She missed it this time and had a good laugh. In keeping things similar to last year, she once again skipped playing the Par 3 Course but did skip on the par-3 16th.
Woad and her teammate, Mirabel Ting, pooled their tickets together so that everyone on the Florida State team could come watch the final round. With five freshmen on the roster, there’s plenty of room for inspiration.
It’s highly probable that this will be Woad’s final crack at Augusta. Though she’s only a junior, she currently leads the LPGA’s new LEAP (LPGA Elite Amateur Pathway) program with 16 points. A victory this week is worth two points, and she needs to get to 20 to secure her LPGA card. The McCormack Medal winner, given to the top-ranked amateur following the U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship in August, receives four LEAP points.
If Woad gets to 20 points before July 1, she can accept immediate membership for the current calendar year or defer until July 1 and play the rest of 2025, plus the 2026 season.
If she gets to 20 points after July 1, she can accept her card for the remainder of the current LPGA season as well as 2026. She could also defer entirely until 2026.
But first, there’s a bit of history on the line.
“She feels comfortable in these situations,” said Bone. “I think she’s been waiting for this event, in some form.”
Only one more sleep.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Newly obtained records show the Georgia Peace Officer Standards & Training Council moved to revoke the certifications of eight Richmond County school police officers tied to an online training cheating scandal.
It’s a case investigators described as involving shared answer keys, deleted group texts and a department culture where some officers said cheating had become routine.
POST opened the investigation around Sept. 3, 2024, after allegations that Richmond County Board of Education Police Department officers cheated on online training courses for which they received POST credit.
The two courses identified in the file were Introduction to Human Trafficking and De-escalation for Law Enforcement, administered online through Virtual Academy. The core allegation is that officers shared screenshots/test answers in a group text so others could complete required online training faster.
Our previous reporting showed the case had grown to nine officers, with Officer Tajuana Jones receiving 24 months of probation and being ordered to take an ethics and professionalism course, while the remaining cases were still open because the officers had requested hearings.
POST records appear to show the next step: for eight officers — Dorothy Holmon, Kara Anderson, Anthony Dubois, Brian Jackson, Wallace Lebrane, Kellie Holland, Jacquez Williams and Nathan Mercer — the POST Probable Cause Committee recommended revocation, and the full council accepted those recommendations in June 2026.
According to the file, the Board of Education hired a third party entity to investigate. That investigation found Sgt. Dorothy Holmon and Cpl. Kara Anderson shared test answers. Officers identified as being in the group text and receiving answers included Brian Jackson, Jacquez Williams, Anthony Dubois, Wallace Lebrane and Kellie Holland.
POST also noted a limitation: there were other phone numbers in the group text, but the group had been deleted or disbanded before POST started investigating, preventing investigators from identifying every number
They have 30 days to file a formal appeal. The process requires submitting a written request for a pre-hearing conference or administrative hearing, a notarized written response to the allegations, and a required administrative fee.
The school system said it couldn’t comment because this is an active personnel matter.
The officers
Dorothy Holmon
• POST paints Holmon as one of the central figures. She admitted taking screenshots of test questions and answers and sending them to subordinates in a group text, and she described what she called a “culture of cheating” going back to 2000. POST says she also encouraged subordinates to go ahead and take the tests after sending the answers. The PCC recommended revocation, and the Full Council accepted it
Kara Anderson
• Anderson also admitted supplying test answers to the group text and acknowledged she knew it was wrong. She told POST her motivation was to get mandatory training completed quickly because of staffing issues. The PCC recommended revocation, and the Full Council accepted it
Anthony Dubois
• Dubois admitted receiving the group text and using the information to check his answers before submitting his test. He also described a broader culture of cheating in the department. POST records say his test score matched Holmon’s and that he missed the same questions. PCC recommendation: revocation. Full Council: accepted
Jacquez Williams
• Williams admitted receiving answer-key screenshots from Holmon and Anderson and admitted using them to complete his Virtual Academy testing. He also admitted he did not report the cheating up the chain of command. PCC recommendation: revocation. Full Council: accepted
Wallace Lebrane
• Lebrane admitted receiving a text from Holmon containing test answers and acknowledged it with blue-heart emojis, according to POST. He denied using the answers, but POST noted his test results matched Holmon’s, including missed questions. PCC recommendation: revocation. Full Council: accepted
Brian Jackson
• Jackson admitted receiving a group text from Holmon containing test answers but said he did not use them and did not take the tests at issue. POST’s concern appears to be that he did not report the message, despite being a supervisor. PCC recommendation: revocation. Full Council: accepted
Kellie Holland
• Holland admitted receiving a group text from Holmon but said the image was blurry and that she did not report it. POST records also say she admitted receiving answers for required Board of Education “GCN” testing from teachers. PCC recommendation: revocation. Full Council: accepted
Nathan Mercer
• Mercer’s case is different from the group-text cases. The file focuses on statements about whether Holmon was going to help him with a test tied to University of Georgia football special-duty work, and whether his account conflicted with statements from other officers. PCC recommendation: revocation. Full Council: accepted
Tajuana Jones
• Jones was covered in a March story. POST records at that time showed she received 24 months of probation, had to complete an ethics and professionalism course, and was accused of receiving answers but not reporting the misconduct.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The South Augusta YMCA will not renew its lease at the Tobacco Road location, the Y confirmed.
The shopping center is being sold, and the current lease ends in October.
The Y has not announced a final day at the current location. Officials said they plan to announce that date and next steps for South Augusta later this month.
The YMCA said it still plans to serve South Augusta after the lease expires.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – A man who was previously wanted for questioning in an Augusta deadly shooting has now been charged with murder in the case, according to authorities.
The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office says Kemfton Quewanaki Kenon, 27, was arrested on Friday in connection to the shooting death of Khyla Rodriguez, of Augusta.
Kenon is booked into the Charles B. Webster Detention Center and charged with murder and possession of a firearm during a crime, according to jail bookings.
Rodriguez, 25, was found dead after deputies received a call about a shooting on May 15 at 1:11 a.m. on Cameron Drive.
The Richmond County Coroner’s Office said Rodriguez was pronounced dead at 2:27 a.m.
Kenon was previously wanted for questioning in the case and was located in Miami-Dade County, Florida. He was interviewed and arrested on an unrelated warrant.
Deputies were also interviewed two other subjects in the case. They were not arrested in the case.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
-
Politics5 minutes agoAssassinations unleashed under Trump haunt Iran war endgame
-
Sports13 minutes agoQ&A: Partner, chance to play in Long Beach reignited AVP star Taylor Crabb’s Olympic fire
-
World23 minutes agoMoldova president nominates pro-European businessman Tofan for PM
-
News50 minutes agoUS congressman says he was detained by armed Israeli settlers in occupied West Bank
-
Los Angeles, Ca2 hours agoNew details emerge in fatal stabbing of boy in El Monte
-
Detroit, MI3 hours ago1 dead, 1 injured after two-vehicle crash at Collingwood and Belleterre in Detroit
-
San Francisco, CA3 hours ago4 arrested, 3 cited after brawl following Giants vs. Rockies game at Oracle Park
-
Dallas, TX3 hours agoMark Cuban takes legal action against Dallas Mavericks ownership over potential new arena deal
