Lauren Coughlin made LPGA Tour history at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship by becoming the first player in circuit history to open a round with nine consecutive birdies. The American raced to a 26 on the front nine at Pinnacle Country Club, marking the lowest nine-hole total ever recorded on the tour.
Coughlin, who teed off on the back nine for her second round, saw her remarkable streak end with a par on the first hole. She subsequently missed an opportunity on the par-five second before birdying the par-three third, briefly raising hopes of a 59, the lowest possible score in regulation golf. The last 59 on the LPGA Tour was achieved in 2001.
Despite her historic front nine, Coughlin closed the round with six consecutive pars to card a 10-under 61. The performance keeps Annika Sorenstam’s long-standing records intact. Coughlin now sits at eight under par, trailing leader Yuna Nishimura by eight shots heading into the final day.
“I was making a lot of those mid-range putts,” Coughlin said. “I hit everything pretty much inside 12 feet on my whole front nine. My longest putt might’ve been the 17th, which was probably about 15 feet or so. Other than that, everything just seemed to be going exactly how far I wanted it to, right at the hole and I was putting really good putts on them. Couldn’t quite get it close enough (to a ’59 round’) unfortunately those last few holes.”
Nishimura continued her strong form with a second successive 63, moving to 16 under par and extending her lead to five shots over Auston Kim, Mary Liu, and Michelle Zhang.
In the chasing pack, English players Charley Hull, Lottie Woad, and Jodi Ewart Shadoff sit at 10 under, six shots behind the leader. Ewart Shadoff birdied her first three holes on her way to a 66, while Woad posted the same score with six birdies and one bogey. Hull remained bogey-free in her 67.
Former AIG Women’s Open champion Miyu Yamashita is also in contention at nine under, playing alongside Julia Lopez Ramirez, who was part of Europe’s winning Solheim Cup team earlier this month. Among those who failed to advance were Mimi Rhodes and Leona Maguire.
The final round of the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship will air live on Sunday from 7pm on Sky Sports+.
So close to a 59! It’s a shame she couldn’t close it out, but what a round.
Did anyone else notice the leaderboard is already five shots clear? Yuna Nishimura looks unstoppable.
A 61 with only two bogeys is still solid. The front nine was just historic though.
Nine straight birdies is absolutely insane! Hope she keeps that momentum going on Sunday.