Sagstrom to face Coughlin in T-Mobile Match Play final at Shadow Creek
NORTH LAS VEGAS, Nev. — Madelene Sagstrom again needed extra holes — as did her opponent, Celine Boutier — to advance Sunday in the T-Mobile Match Play and then made the final with a more conventional 4 and 2 victory over Angel Yin.
Sagstrom was scheduled to play Lauren Coughlin in the afternoon for the title at Shadow Creek. The pairing guarantees there will still not be a repeat winner in this 5-year-old tournament.
Sagstrom’s match against Boutier was suspended Saturday because of darkness with the players tied through 17 holes. Their match began late after Sagstrom defeated Carlota Ciganda in 19 holes. It took Boutier 28 holes to finally dispose of Ashleigh Buhai.
The two resumed play early Sunday morning with Sagstrom recording a birdie on the par-4 19th hole to advance.
“We were talking about it last night because I had to sit and wait for them to finish their marathon of a playoff,” Sagstrom said. “I was like, ‘Do I want to be in their shoes or do I want to be in my shoes?’ You never know. This morning I definitely felt like I was awake. I had already warmed up. I was ready to go out again, so I probably think it was a little bit of an advantage.”
Sagstrom then took out 12th-ranked Yin in the semifinals. Yin was the highest-ranked player in the semifinals and one of two Americans.
The other was Coughlin, who advanced to the final with a 1-up victory over Ariya Jutanugarn. Coughlin rallied over the final two holes, with Jutanugarn 1-up before going 3-over par over on the 17th and 18th. Coughlin finished par-birdie to advance.
“I’ve been lucky that 17 has been a really good number for me all week,” Coughlin said. “I’m not fighting between clubs because it’s a really small green. I think I’ve just started to get into a groove and just get really focused there towards the end. I’ve just gotten everything seemed to go my way there at the end.”
Coughlin, 32, is ranked 17th in the world and seeks her first victory since the Scottish Open in August. The Charlottesville, Virginia, resident has two career victories, both occurring last year.
Sagstrom, 32, is hoping to win for the second time. The Swede is ranked 67th and last won in 2020 at the Gainbridge LPGA at Boca Rio.
Source: espn.com