COUGHLIN CARDS RECORD NINE-HOLE 26 AT NW ARKANSAS EVENT

Lauren Coughlin recorded the lowest nine-hole score in LPGA Tour history during the second round of the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship on Saturday, making nine consecutive birdies to complete her front nine at Pinnacle Country Club in 26 strokes. The 33-year-old added a further birdie on the 12th hole. According to Yahoo Sports, Coughlin shot 61 for the round overall. The performance followed an opening round of 2-over-par 73 on Friday, in which she carded four bogeys and two birdies. Coughlin sits tied for 18th place at 8-under overall, eight shots behind tournament leader Yuna Nishimura.

Only one other player in LPGA Tour history has birdied every hole on a single nine, according to EssentiallySports: Amy Yang, who shot a 9-under 27 on the back nine during the final round of the 2015 LPGA KEB Hana Bank Championship. Five players in LPGA history have recorded a 27 over nine holes, nine strokes under par for a par-36 stretch, with Mi Hyang Lee the only other player among them to shoot a 9-under 27, at the 2016 Founders Cup. By comparison, the PGA Tour's nine-hole record stands at 8-under 26, set by Corey Pavin during the 2006 US Bank Championship. A lower score of 11-under 25 was shot by Jamie Kureluk at the 2010 Alberta Open, though that event was not a PGA Tour tournament.

The record comes five months after Coughlin won the inaugural Aramco Championship in Las Vegas in April, her first LPGA Tour title since 2024. She closed that event with an even-par 72 at Shadow Creek Golf Course to finish at 7-under 281, five shots ahead of Nelly Korda and Leona Maguire. Coughlin had opened the Aramco Championship with a 5-under 67 before adding a 3-under 69 in windy conditions to build a five-shot lead. She also competed for Europe at the Solheim Cup before this week's tournament.