Coughlin holds a 2-stroke advantage heading into the final round of the Aramco Championship.
NORTH LAS VEGAS, Nev. — Lauren Coughlin has been a strong contender for two days at the Aramco Championship, but with the challenging terrain of Shadow Creek proving its reputation as a course where pars are commendable, she had to exert considerable effort to maintain her two-shot advantage heading into the final round on Sunday.
Coughlin recorded a 1-over 73 on Saturday, bringing her tournament total to 7-under, which was one of only five scores under par.
“This golf course is extremely difficult, particularly if you find yourself in the wrong position,” Coughlin remarked. “I believe I managed to navigate the course well today, and when I did stray a bit, I ensured I left with no worse than a bogey.”
Nelly Korda finished strong with birdies on her last two holes, carding a 69 to reach 5 under and secure second place, setting up a final pairing with her friendly rival.
Nanna Koerstz Madsen and Miyu Yamashita both stood at 3 under, while Leona Maguire was at 1 under.
“Shadow definitely revealed its challenges over the past couple of days,” Korda noted. “It has been playing exceptionally tough, especially on the back nine.”
Hyo Joo Kim is unlikely to extend her LPGA Tour winning streak to three, having started the round with two bogeys and a double bogey in the first three holes. She fell from a tie for second to a tie for 17th at 4 over after a 79.
Being within striking distance is one aspect in this competitive event, which features a $4 million purse and is co-sanctioned with the Ladies European Tour as part of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund Global Series. However, making a significant move is another, as Saturday demonstrated with several players closing in on Coughlin but unable to bridge the gap.
Korda, the worldβs second-ranked player and the 2024 champion of this event, came the closest, even narrowing the gap to a single stroke before Coughlin birdied the par-5 18th.
Korda began her charge early, making birdies at the third and fourth holes to reach 4 under. She maintained her position with pars over the next ten holes before bogeying the par-4 15th, dropping to 3 under. However, Korda concluded with back-to-back birdies.
This year is starting to mirror Korda’s remarkable 2024 season, during which she secured seven victories and earned Player of the Year honors. This performance is certainly an improvement over last season when she did not achieve a win.
After three tournaments this year, Korda has one victory and two second-place finishes.
“I’m just playing really well,” Korda stated. “I have always put in a lot of effort, but I’m proud of the work I’ve accomplished in the past few weeks during my break when I opted not to travel to Asia while the tour was there. I feel rejuvenated, content, and eager to compete.
“Last year was quite unusual, with things not going my way by mere centimeters. That can be draining, which is why I prefer to take longer breaks.”
Coughlin last claimed victory in 2024, finishing first in both Canada and Scotland.
She nearly triumphed at Shadow Creek last year as well, when it was a match-play event, reaching the final pairing before losing to Madelene Sagstrom.
Her strong showing this week indicates that Coughlin has a better understanding of navigating the course compared to many of her competitors.
“There are a few holes where birdies are possible, like the par 5s, 11, and 12,” Coughlin explained. “So, it’s about capitalizing when you can and just holding on for dear life on the other holes.”
