Lauren Coughlin recorded the lowest nine-hole score in LPGA history, birdieing every hole of her opening nine and carding a 9-under 26 Saturday at the LPGA’s Walmart NW Arkansas Championship.
Coughlin, who opened the tournament in 2-over 73 on Friday, then parred her 10th hole, the par-4 first at Pinnacle Country Club in Rogers, Arkansas, to also tie the LPGA record for consecutive birdies.
“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 it as well,” said Coughlin.
Even with the record nine, Coughlin turned at 7 under for the tournament, nine shots off the lead at the time. She cooled off on the back nine, only making one birdie coming in, and finished with a 10-under 61.
“I started to get a little bit of adrenaline pretty much 9 green on for the next few holes, but then I made the birdie on 3 so I thought I was like, I really have a chance now,” Coughlin said. “Then, yeah, just couldn’t quite get it close enough unfortunately, last few holes.”
Japan’s Yuna Nishimura opened the event with back-to-back 63s.
The only other player in LPGA history to birdie every hole on a single nine was Amy Yang, who shot a 9-under 27 on her back nine of the final round of the 2015 LPGA KEB Hana Bank Championship. Yang was among five players who’d carded 27 for nine holes, though Mi Hyang Lee was the only other player to shoot 9 under (2016 Founders Cup).
Annika Sorenstam, in the second round of the 2001 Standard Register Ping, is the only LPGA player to shoot 59.
The PGA Tour record for nine holes is 8-under 26, set by Corey Pavin at the 2006 U.S. Bank Championship. Jamie Kureluk’s 11-under 25 at the 2010 Aberta Open still stands as the record in all competition.
Mark Calcavecchia and Kevin Chappell share the PGA Tour record for consecutive birdies with nine.