Shadow Creek Thriller: Match Play Magic Unfolds in Las Vegas
Suspense, resilience and twilight drama at the LPGA T-Mobile Match Play quarterfinals
Augusta, Georgia - Beneath the glowing Nevada sun at the Shadow Creek Golf Course, the T-Mobile Match Play quarterfinals delivered an enthralling spectacle of resilience, drama, and sheer golfing excellence. In Las Vegas on April 5, Lauren Coughlin and Ariya Jutanugarn fought through swirling desert winds to secure their coveted semifinal spots.
Coughlin, seeded 13th, battled fiercely with Australia's Stephanie Kyriacou. Twice falling three-down, Coughlin rallied spectacularly to even the match on the 11th hole. With nerves of steel, she edged ahead on the penultimate hole, securing victory 1-up. Remarkably, this marks Coughlin’s first-ever semifinal berth, earned after an exhausting marathon—90 competitive holes already played this week.
Reflecting on her decisive putting, Coughlin revealed her secret: a deep breath to calm nerves, taught by mental game experts. "A deep breath can help your body relax. It's already hard enough to put a good stroke on it, and if you're tense, who knows what might happen," she explained, her eyes bright with confidence.
Meanwhile, former champion Ariya Jutanugarn, seeded 32nd, dazzled in her match against the undefeated Maja Stark. Jutanugarn was clinical, dominating for 13 of the 16 holes played, clinching victory 4 and 2. Despite self-professed struggles with her swing coming into the tournament, she has rediscovered form at precisely the right time. “My expectation is to make sure I can walk all day tomorrow. It's just like a gift,” she humbly admitted.
Yet the drama isn't finished. France's Celine Boutier and Sweden's Madelene Sagstrom will resume their gripping contest early Sunday, halted by darkness after 17 closely matched holes. Sagstrom remains undefeated; Boutier, no stranger to endurance contests, played 45 holes on Saturday alone. "It was a very long day, but just got to keep pushing until tomorrow," Boutier vowed.
With Angel Yin awaiting the winner between Boutier and Sagstrom, and Coughlin set to clash with Jutanugarn, the semifinals promise another day of edge-of-your-seat excitement. Golf at its unpredictable, captivating best unfolds at Shadow Creek.