Lauren Coughlin wins the CPKC Women’s Open for her 1st LPGA Tour title
By The Associated Press on July 28, 2024.
CALGARY, Alberta (AP) – Lauren Coughlin won the CPKC Women’s Open on Sunday for her first LPGA Tour title, pulling away from Haeran Ryu with a two-stroke swing on the par-3 17th. Tied for the lead after Ryu three-putted for bogey on the par-4 16th, Coughlin hit a 6-iron to 8 feet and birdied the 195-yard 17th. Ryu then missed a 3-foot par try to fall two shots back Coughlin closed with a 1-under 71 for a two-stroke victory over Mao Saigo in mostly calm conditions at Earl Grey Golf Club, with smoke from wildfires again leaving a haze over the course. Coughlin finished at 13-under 275. Saigo shot 69, a day after breaking the tournament record with a 61 on the tree-lined course with thick rough and small greens. The 22-year-old Japanese player is an LPGA Tour rookie after winning six times on the JLPGA. Ryu also bogeyed the 18th in a 75 that left her tied for third with Jenny Shin (67) at 10 under. Jennifer Kupcho was fifth at 8 under after a 71. The leader after each of the first two rounds, Coughlin began the day a shot behind Ryu. Coughlin birdied the par-3 fifth, bogeyed the par-4 sixth and 10th and birdied the par-5 15th. The 31-year-old former University of Virginia player was coming off a fourth-place finish two weeks ago in France in the major Evian Champions. Coughlin is in position to play for the United States in her home-state Solheim Cup in September at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club. She won in her 103rd LPGA Tour start. Ryu had her second straight top-three finish. The 23-year-old South Korean was second last week in Ohio in the Dana Open. She won the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship last year for her first tour title. Canadian star Brooke Henderson, the 2018 winner, finished with a 68 to tie for eighth at 6 under. On Friday, she bogeyed the final four holes in a 73 that left her seven shots back going into the weekend. “I feel like I’m right there,” Henderson said. “Great days like yesterday and today, total minus-7, so if I cleaned up the first two days a little bit, I could have been right in the mix.” ___ AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf 14-13
