Five things from CPKC Women’s Open, where Lauren Coughlin won in her 101st start

Late on Sunday, the cheers on the rowdy par-3 17th rang a little different after Lauren Coughlin hit the shot of the day. Chants of U-S-A filled the air in Calgary as Coughlin set up the birdie putt that would forever change her golf career. In her 101st LPGA start, Coughlin stepped into the winner’s circle at the CPKC Women’s Open.

Just two weeks after coming up short at the Amundi Evian Championship, the 31-year-old journeywoman was chugging champagne from the bottle on the 18th green at Earl Grey Golf Club.

“I don’t even really know how to describe it,” said Coughlin, who took a $350,000 first-place prize. “You know, I think I’ve had people believe in me for a really long time, and I wouldn’t be here without their push and love.”

Here are five things to know from the 50th edition of the CPKC:

At long last

Coughlin, a late bloomer who nearly quit professional golf not long after she started, picked a fine time to have a breakout year. With the Solheim Cup only an hour from her Virginia home, she’s now a lock to make the team. An exceptional ball-striker who found something in her putting earlier this spring with a new weapon, Coughlin notched two birdies in her last four holes to defeat last year’s Louise Suggs Rookie of the Year, Haeran Ryu, who was leaking oil throughout the back nine, and hold off a charging Mao Saigo.

Coughlin, who hired Annika Sorenstam’s longtime caddie earlier this year, hung tough down the stretch to secure a two-stroke victory over Japan’s Saigo, who barely made the cut and then shot 61-69 over the weekend to take solo second. Coughlin led the field in greens in regulation, winning the Audi Precision Award and a $25,000 bonus.

“I think just my story in general just shows that I’m always trying, always willing to try to do things,” said Coughlin. “I am willing to stay in it. I don’t give up. I think I showed that perfectly today.”

Forgettable finish

It was a brutal ending for Ryu, who bogeyed the last three holes and also doubled the 11th. The South Korean, who was looking for her second career LPGA victory, leads the tour in most top 10s without a win this season with eight. Ryu looked in control for much of the day until she got wayward off the tee, and her putter went cold. She closed with a 75 to drop to a share of third with Jenny Shin.

“I can only remember my mistakes from the last couple holes,” Ryu said after the round, “but there is always next time, so I’ll do my best next.”

Weekend surge

Saigo came into the week leading Gabriela Ruffels by 16 points in the Rolex Rookie of the Year race and extended her lead after a record weekend. A six-time winner on the JLPGA, Saigo began the weekend nine strokes back after shooting 73-74 in the first two rounds.

But after going 9 under in a 10-hole stretch on Saturday, she broke the 18-hole scoring record at the CPKC with an 11-under 61. Her 69 on Sunday paled in comparison but was good enough for a solo runner-up finish in her championship debut.

“I was chasing leader this morning. However, I started with a bogey,” Saigo said. “From there, I was able to be in contention, and that experience, I’d like to cherish.”

Canada’s finest

In her 11th start at the CPKC, Brooke Henderson notched her seventh top-25 finish. Henderson, the winner here in 2018, carded her lowest round of the week, a 4-under 68, to finish in a share of eighth. She called the crowds in Calgary on Sunday exceptional. Once again, she was serenaded with the national anthem, “O Canada,” on the rowdy 17th, known as “The Rink.”

“I had so many people out there watching me today, and I wasn’t necessarily expecting that,” she said. “I was thinking they might go watch the leaders. It was just so cool. It was a lot of fun today, climbing up leaderboard a little bit, making some birdies.”

Henderson was pleased to see her ball-striking improve as the week progressed. She’ll head back to Smiths Falls next week to work with her father, who is also her coach, and her sister, who is also her caddie, before heading to Paris for her third appearance in the Summer Olympics.

Hot start

Andrea Lee shot 28 on the front nine at Earl Grey without birdieing either of the two par 5s. It was a person record for the former Stanford standout and ties a tournament record for the CPKC. Lee poured in five consecutive birdies from Nos. 5-9 but hit a wall when she made the turn. A double bogey on the 10th hole set the tone for a back-nine 41, resulting in a final-round 69.

“I felt like I was struggling this entire week,” said Lee, “and then everything finally came together on those nine holes, so I feel like maybe the momentum is switching a little bit with my game.

“Hopefully I can see some better results moving forward.”

Lee has struggled on tour since contending at the U.S. Women’s Open, where she ultimately tied for third.

This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Five things from CPKC Women’s Open, where Lauren Coughlin won in her 101st start