Lauren Coughlin holes bunker shot for eagle to team with Andrew Novak for lead at mixed-team event

NAPLES, Fla. (AP) — 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. The Grant Thornton is the only mixed-team event.

They were at 19-under 125 and leading by one shot over 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 were two shots behind after finishing with eight straight pars for a 72.

The final round is 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.

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It should lead to lower scoring, although the Canadian duo of Brooke Henderson, from Smiths Falls, Ont., and Corey Conners, from Listowel, Ont., did their part in the more difficult foursomes. They managed seven birdies and briefly shared the lead until a bogey on the 18th for a 67.

That left them three shots behind, along with Nelly Korda and Denny McCarthy (70) and Jennifer Kupcho and Chris Gotterup (70).

The Kupcho-Gotterup and Coughlin-Novak teams each made double bogey on the par-5 14th. Coughlin helped her side recover when she holed out from the right bunker on the 17th.

“Four birdies and an eagle, that’s really, really solid for alternate shot,” Novak said.

He was keeping it light, as always, particularly when asked about how badly he wants to win the Grant Thornton Invitational to go along with his Zurich Classic title.

“Some are calling it the modern day Grand Slam — Zurich, Grant Thornton,” Novak said. “Obviously, thinking about my legacy a little bit tomorrow.”

Hull has said she likes 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.”

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The Associated Press