CALGARY, Alberta — Lauren Coughlin held onto the lead Friday in the CPKC Women’s Open, while Canadian star Brooke Henderson was derailed by closing bogeys at windy and smoky Earl Grey Golf Club.
Coughlin, who grew up in Chesapeake, followed her opening 4-under-par 68 Thursday in chilly and windy conditions with a 70 Friday to get to 6 under, a stroke ahead of Hannah Green and Haeran Ryu. The temperature made it into the 70s after barely climbing into the 60s Thursday.
“I think I handled it really well overall,” said Coughlin, 31, a former Hickory High and Virginia Cavaliers star who is seeking her first LPGA Tour victory. “It was just really difficult to judge how far the ball was going to go with the wind and the crosswind and how firm the greens got. And they had some tough pins, especially considering the direction of the wind.”
Playing through a smoky haze from wildfires, Henderson bogeyed the final four holes in her afternoon round for a 73 that left her seven strokes back at 1 over. She won the 2018 tournament.
Coughlin is coming off a fourth-place finish two weeks ago in France in the major Evian Championship. On Friday, she had three front-nine birdies and bogeyed the par-4 11th. In two rounds, she’s 7 under on the first nine holes and 1 over on the second nine.
“I putted extremely well,” Coughlin said. “Two-putted really well all day. Took advantage of the front nine, which you have to, and then kind of hold on on the back nine.”
Green matched Coughlin with a 70. The Australian is a two-time winner this year, taking the HSBC Women’s World Championship in Singapore in February and the JM Eagle LA Championship in April.
Three-time champion Lydia Ko had a 71 to join second-ranked Lilia Vu (70) and Jennifer Kupcho (72) at 3 under.
