Lauren Coughlin holed a bunker shot for eagle on the par-5 17th hole Saturday, and she and Andrew Novak teamed for a stout 4-under 68 in foursomes to build a one-shot lead going into the final round of the Grant Thornton Invitational.
It’s another chance for Novak to pick up a team title this year. He partnered with Ben Griffin to win the Zurich Classic of New Orleans earlier this season. The Grant Thornton stands as the only mixed-team event on the schedule.
Coughlin and Novak sit at 19-under 125, just one shot ahead of Charley Hull and Michael Brennan, who were poised to share the lead until a three-putt bogey on the final hole when Hull lipped out from just outside 3 feet. They shot 71.
Lexi Thompson and Wyndham Clark are lurking just two shots behind after finishing with eight straight pars for a 72.
Sunday’s final round features modified fourballs. Each player tees off, then they switch golf balls and stick with that ball the rest of the way, with the low score counting. This format should lead to lower scoring and plenty of movement on the leaderboard.
The Canadian duo of Brooke Henderson and Corey Conners did their part in the more difficult foursomes format. They managed seven birdies and briefly shared the lead until a bogey on the 18th for a 67, leaving them three shots back.
Also three behind are Nelly Korda and Denny McCarthy (70) along with Jennifer Kupcho and Chris Gotterup (70).
Both the Kupcho-Gotterup and Coughlin-Novak teams made double bogey on the par-5 14th. But Coughlin helped her side recover spectacularly when she holed out from the right bunker on the 17th for eagle.
“Four birdies and an eagle, that’s really, really solid for alternate shot,” Novak said.
He’s keeping it light, as always, particularly when asked about how badly he wants to win the Grant Thornton Invitational to complement his Zurich Classic title.
“Some are calling it the modern day Grand Slam — Zurich, Grant Thornton,” Novak joked. “Obviously, thinking about my legacy a little bit tomorrow.”
Hull has said she prefers being in the chasing position, and this week is no exception.
“Obviously it would have been nice going with the lead into the final round,” she said. “But we can make plenty of birdies out there tomorrow.”
