IRVINE, Scotland — Former Hickory High and University of Virginia star Lauren Coughlin pulled away with superb putting and closed with a 3-under-par 69 to win the Women’s Scottish Open on Sunday, her second LPGA title this summer, to secure a spot on the U.S. Solheim Cup team.
Coughlin, who won the CPKC Women’s Open in Canada three weeks ago, recovered from a pair of early bogeys to move ahead of Megan Khang on the front nine and Esther Henseleit of Germany on the back nine at Dundonald Links.
The 31-year-old Chesapeake native one-putted the final seven holes on a chilly day along the Ayrshire Coast, none more devastating to Henseleit than the 16th hole. Coughlin was leading by three and in trouble in a bunker. She blasted out to 20 feet and holed the par putt.
She also saved par from just off the green on the 17th, then polished off her performance with a 25-foot birdie putt on the par-5 18th.
“It’s unbelievable,” Coughlin said. “Two wins in three events is pretty crazy, but I just stuck in there, tried to stay as present as I could, and got some putts to drop at the end. If you would have told me, let alone beginning of this year, but beginning of last year, I wouldn’t believe this is what I’ve done, and it’s incredible. It’s just how hard I’ve worked to get here, and it’s amazing.”
Coughlin finished at 15-under 273, four shots ahead of Henseleit (70). It was the second straight runner-up finish for Henseleit, coming off her Olympic silver medal in the Paris Games.
“It was fun today,” Henseleit said. “I was playing really solid. I had a little go on the back nine, but Lauren played amazing.
Coughlin, whose 112 putts were the fewest of any 72-hole finisher, earned enough Solheim Cup points to lock up one of the six automatic spots for the Sept. 13-15 matches at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Gainesville, Virginia. It will be her Solheim Cup debut in her seventh year on the LPGA Tour.
Coughlin, along with her fourth consecutive top-10 finish, joined Nelly Korda (six) and Hannah Green (two) as multiple LPGA Tour winners this season.
Khang was tied with Coughlin through five holes, but didn’t make another birdie and had two bogeys to finish with a 74. The American tied for third with Ayaka Furue of Japan, who shot a 68.
Charley Hull of England started with two bogeys in three holes and was never a factor, closing with a 73 to finish fifth, seven shots behind.
The women now head across Scotland for the Women’s British Open at St. Andrews, the final major championship of the year.
___
AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf
