Weekend Wrap And Old Course Preview
Coughlin claims favorite status in St Andrews with Scottish victory. Plus, Ballester wins the U.S. Amateur, and what to expect as the world's best women descend on the AIG Women's Open.
Strict doctor’s orders limited my weekend viewing to stave off a severe breakout of recurring bouts with acute TrentJonesjunktivitis and FedExCupvapidness Syndrome. (The former causes a breakout of ugly clover leaf bunkers on the skin, while the latter induces coma-like naps which I can say did happen on Saturday, but I was able to recover to deliver this Quad.)
As the length of this Monday edition proves, I am 100% symptom-free despite watching more of Hazeltine National than I should have. Doctors assured me that any nightmares and symptoms caused by looking at hideous two-dimensional Rees Jones bunkers encircled in rough will be cured when the AIG Women’s Open turns up in St Andrews this week. Whew!
Here’s a recap of the weekend and a preview of the first women’s major on the Old Course since 2013.
Coughlin Wins Women’s Scottish
America’s Lauren Coughlin one-putted her final seven greens en route to a four-stroke win in the ISPS HANDA Women’s Scottish Open.
Contested over the Kyle Phillips-designed Dundonald Links, Coughlin’s victory is her second in the last month after an LPGA career start that went without winning in 103 starts. The No Laying Up sponsored “Young Hitter” now heads east of Ayrshire as one of the pre-championship favorites while also solidifying a spot on the 2024 Solheim Cup team.
“If you would have told me, let alone beginning of this year, but beginning of last year, I wouldn't believe this is what I've done and it's incredible,” Coughlin said after posting 69-69-66-69. “It's just how hard I've worked to get here, and it's amazing.”
Coughlin’s final round 69 made her the only player in a solid field to post a round in the 60s each day. The Women’s Scottish featured five of the world top 10.
The 31-year-old Minneapolis native played college golf at Virginia. She has two Open appearances, missing cuts in 2022 and 2023.
Four back of Coughlin was Olympic silver medalist Esther Henseleit of Germany, with Japan’s Ayaka Furue tying for third with American Megan Khang.
“Lauren played amazing,” Henseleit said. “Even when she was in trouble, she got out of it really quick. I'm definitely enjoying my time on the golf course at the moment. I feel like the putter got a little bit hot at least this week and I holed some good putts, which is nice to see, and I'm looking forward to next week.”
Fifth-place finisher Charley Hull said the week proved useful despite the lack of final-round winds.
“I said to my caddie, there's a hole today where I had to hit a normal shot, and I almost forgot how to hit a normal shot because I've been used to hitting punch shots all week,” Hull said. “It's meant to be quite windy next week at the British Open. So I think the wind is definitely a good practice this week."
Ballester Is Spain’s First U.S. Amateur Champion
Jose Luis Ballester immediately thanked his mother for producing him from her womb 21 years ago to the day he won the U.S. Amateur. TMI?
Maybe for some, but what a 21st birthday gift: hoisting the Havemeyer Trophy as the first player from Spain to do so and just the second Spaniard to win a USGA title (Jon Rahm, 2021 U.S. Open).
Ballester earned his 2-up win over Noah Kent in the 124th U.S. Amateur at Hazeltine National as both players produced plenty of brilliant shots along with the traditional tired swings that come with the grueling week-long format. Ballester came into the event as No. 10 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking. He opened up a seemingly insurmountable 4-up lead with six to play before Kent’s persistence led to an 18th hole conclusion. That’s where Ballester’s incredible driving and iron play proved too much over a venue that could be best described as abhorred and the complete opposite of what should be used for match play.
Sadly, it’s slated to host the 2029 Ryder Cup, but not before Davis Love and Scot Sherman remodel the Robert Trent Jones mess mangled by son Rees Jones. There is only one way to go with the design. I digress.
Like Rahm, Ballester is a member of the Arizona State golf team and becomes the fourth Sun Devil to hoist the Havemeyer (Billy Mayfair (1987), Phil Mickelson (1990) and Jeff Quinney (2000)). He’s a three-time All-American there, winner of the 2023 European Amateur, and a competitor in two World Amateur Team Championships.
“I think I'm still not conscious of what just happened today,” said Ballester. “Super thankful to have the opportunity to live this moment, especially on my 21st birthday. That's what I'm considering now.
“Super sweet. Again, we have many great Spaniards, many great legends, and being able to add my name into that history, it's pretty sweet.”
Kent, 19, of Naples and a member of the Iowa golf team, had the gallery on his side throughout the match. At times the cheers for Ballester misplays proved unbecoming for the otherwise nice folks of Minnesota.
Kent came into the week ranked 560th in the WAGR and was competing in his first USGA competition of any kind. But he did score an impressive performance this summer to make his finals appearance a little less shocking: a runner-up in the prestigious Porter Cup.
Going into the day, Kent admitted that he never felt quite right after the match. But a mid-match shower during the lunch break was followed by a call to his longtime mentor John Harris, the 1993 U.S. Amateur champion, who, along with sports psychologist Brett McCabe and swing coach Claude Harmon gave him a fighting spirit heading into the afternoon 18. He chipped in for birdie on the 19th hole and two-putted for birdie on the par-5 21st to trim the margin to 3 down before, and four holes later, rolled in a 25-foot eagle putt to make things interesting.
But Ballester’s all-around excellence proved too much. Fueled by chats with Sergio Garcia and his dad Victor, who is also Ballester’s longtime coach, the Spaniard kept his cool throughout the final. But he did admit to thinking of holding his index finger to his lips to quiet the crowd in full Sergio mode.
“I kind of liked it a little bit,” he said of the crowd’s enthusiasm for Kent. “It's true that, when the other guy is feeling it and he's kind of grabbing that momentum and you see all the supporters that are going for him, it can be a little depressing. So, it's important to face it with a nice mindset, and I think I did.”
With The Win (And perks for other Semi-finalist Appearances)…
A gold medal
Custody of the Havemeyer Trophy for one year
Exemptions into the next 10 U.S. Amateur Championships
Exemption into the 2025 U.S. Open at Oakmont (Pa.) Country Club
Invitation to next April’s Masters Tournament (must remain an amateur)
Exemption into the 2025 Open at Royal Portrush (must remain an amateur)
Kent receives a likely invitation to the 2025 Masters along with exemptions to the next two U.S. Amateurs.
Both semifinal losers received bronze medals and are exempt into the next two U.S. Amateurs at The Olympic Club (2025) and Merion Golf Club (2026).
All televised shots in case you missed it…
Elsewhere…
Hideki Matsuyama birdied the final two holes to win the FedEx St. Jude Classic by two over Xander Schauffele and Viktor Hovland.
Brooks Koepka beat Jon Rahm in a playoff to capture LIV’s Greenbrier stop.
Sweden enjoyed an impressive double in The R&A Girls’ and Boys’ Amateur championships, with Havanna Torstensson and Viggo Olsson Mörk each winning. Torstensson triumphed 8&7 over Matylda Krawczynska of Poland at Alwoodley to win the Girls’ Amateur while Olsson Mörk surged from five down after 12 to defeat the Netherlands’ Scott Woltering 4&3 at Moortown. Full highlights here.
The Old Course Returns
Any return to the Old Course makes for a must-see event. But this week’s 2024 AIG Women’s Open takes on added heft when juxtaposed against the increasingly soulless men’s game. Consider…
The final women’s major of the year returns to St Andrews for the first time since Stacy Lewis’ 2013 win.
This may be the last major at the Old Course until 2030 (maybe-hopefully-not-say-it-ain’t-so!).
We could see the Old’s strategy shine thanks to hitting distances in proportion with its design.