NAPLES, Fla. — Lauren Coughlin holed a bunker shot for eagle on the par-5 seventeenth gap Saturday, and he or she and Andrew Novak teamed for a 4-under 68 in foursomes to construct a one-shot lead going into the ultimate spherical of the Grant Thornton Invitational.
It is one other likelihood for Novak to choose up a group title this yr. He partnered with Ben Griffin to win the Zurich Basic of New Orleans. The Grant Thornton is the one mixed-team occasion.
They had been at 19-under 125 and main by one shot over Charley Hull and Michael Brennan, who had been poised to share the lead till a three-putt bogey on the ultimate gap when Hull lipped out from simply exterior 3 toes. They shot 71.
Lexi Thompson and Wyndham Clark had been two pictures behind after ending with eight straight pars for a 72.
The ultimate spherical is modified fourballs. Every participant tees off, then they change golf balls and persist with that ball the remainder of the way in which, with the low rating counting.
It ought to result in decrease scoring, though the Canadian duo of Brooke Henderson and Corey Conners did their half within the tougher foursomes. They managed seven birdies and briefly shared the lead till a bogey on the 18th for a 67.
That left them three pictures behind, together with Nelly Korda and Denny McCarthy (70) and Jennifer Kupcho and Chris Gotterup (70).
The Kupcho-Gotterup and Coughlin-Novak groups every made double bogey on the par-5 14th. Coughlin helped her aspect get better when she holed out from the fitting bunker on the seventeenth.
“4 birdies and an eagle, that is actually, actually strong for alternate shot,” Novak mentioned.
He was preserving it mild, as at all times, significantly when requested about how badly he needs to win the Grant Thornton Invitational to associate with his Zurich Basic title.
“Some are calling it the modern-day Grand Slam — Zurich, Grant Thornton,” Novak mentioned. “Clearly, enthusiastic about my legacy just a little bit tomorrow.”
Hull has mentioned she likes being within the chasing place, and this week is not any exception.
“Clearly, it will have been good going with the lead into the ultimate spherical,” she mentioned. “However we are able to make loads of birdies on the market tomorrow.”
