HE PACES FIELD THROUGH 72 HOLES
In the final round on Pinehurst Course No. 6 for LPGA Q-Series presented by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, Muni He (Chengdu, China) fired a 2-under par 69 to snag the outright 72-hole lead by two strokes at 9-under overall.
As a Epson Tour rookie in 2018, He captured her first professional title at the inaugural Prasco Charity Championship. Meanwhile, she made eight cuts across 19 starts on the LPGA Tour this year in her rookie campaign. Now at Q-Series, He believes that winning mentality is getting back into form.
“I think it's pretty similar, but because we're here for two weeks instead of just four it’s very important for me to keep reminding myself like, ‘Hey, be patient and pace yourself’ because we have so much golf left,” said He, who recorded five birdies this afternoon. “When we start to play poorly, at least for me, can tend to rush things and feel like I'm running out of time.”
BREAK COMES AT RIGHT TIME FOR COUGHLIN
For Lauren Coughlin (Charlottesville, Virginia), the break in Q-Series could not have been more perfectly timed. The University of Virginia graduate not only battled the course today, but also the beginning of a cold.
Nonetheless, she carded a 3-under par 68 to sit at 7-under overall entering three days off. Going back to July on the Epson Tour calendar and the Donald Ross Classic, Coughlin has recorded 32 rounds of even par or better in her last 36 competitive rounds.
“If you would've told me this is where I would be at the start of the week I’d be very, very happy which I am,” said Coughlin, one of three players tied for second. “I’m fighting a bit of a cold so it's great that we get a couple days' rest. Looking forward to a new golf course, new week, and seeing how good I can do it again next week.”
50 PLAYERS 2-OVER PAR OR BETTER AT HALFWAY POINT
The conclusion of round four at LPGA Q-Series presented by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina signals the halfway point of the 144-hole cumulative stroke play marathon. Play is now complete on the George and Tom Fazio-designed Pinehurst Course No. 6 and it shifts to Jack Nicklaus-designed Pinehurst Course No. 9 for the last four rounds from Oct. 30-Nov. 2.
Competing in a total of eight rounds over two, four-day segments, the top-45 finishers and ties receive Category 14 membership on the LPGA Tour Priority List for 2020. Individuals in that range, but outside of the top-20 and ties also earn Category C status on the Epson Tour.
Meanwhile, a cut to the top-80 and ties is set after the sixth round and the unofficial purse of $150,000 will be distributed at event’s completion. With 72 holes in the books, a total of 50 players are 2-over par or better and exactly 80 are 10-over par or better.
“I was really frustrated after the first two days and wasn’t playing horrible golf, just couldn’t score,” said Laura Wearn (Charlotte, North Carolina), who was 9-over par before rounds of 67-66 got her to even par and tied for 32nd. “It felt really good to make some birdies and come back. The front nine I could not believe what was going on [with seven birdies], then the back kind of leveled off.”
NOTABLE QUOTES
Maia Schechter (-7, T2) on weekend plans ahead of Pinehurst No. 9:
“I think it's going to rain tomorrow, so day after might go walk nine holes and putt then just get to know a new golf course. So new greens, new golf course. I'm going to try and treat it as any other tournament. Everybody starts back at scratch. Try and get another top-10 basically is my plan.”
Emma Talley (-7, T2) on her overall performance through four rounds:
“My goal was to not shoot over-par in the two weeks, and I made bogey on the last to shoot 1-over. So, it’s probably a good thing [for a break] because I'm a little mad, which I shouldn't. In the grand scheme of things, I'm in a great position going into next week. Now I feel like I have something to work on a little bit and just prepare for next week. Take a day off and start it all over again. It's a marathon.”
Lauren Kim (-6, T5) on leaving today’s 1-over 72 in the past and getting ready for week two:
“Try to eliminate because I am still right in it. I didn’t give too much away. I’m just really disappointed to not get an under-par round back today after yesterday’s finish. Keeping my head in it, not getting too far ahead of myself, positive or negative. Still four more rounds, so a lot can happen and hoping to prepare the best I can then see what happens.”
PLAYER NOTES
Muni He
- He, 20, is a native of Chengdu, China
- University of Southern California alumna
- Played 21 events as a Epson Tour rookie in 2018, advancing to the weekend 16 times earning two top-10s and her first professional title at inaugural Prasco Charity Championship
- Finished T27 at inaugural LPGA Q-Series to earn Priority List Category 14 status for 2019 LPGA season
- Career-best finish on the LPGA Tour is T27 at the 2019 Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational with playing partner P.K. Kongkraphan
- Made eight cuts in 19 events on the big stage in 2019 as a rookie with her highest result in stroke play being T35 at the Aberdeen Standard Investments Ladies Scottish Open
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