Nishimura leads LPGA event in Arkansas by 5 as Coughlin sets record by opening with 9 birdies

ROGERS, Ark. — Yuna Nishimura continued to take advantage of good scoring conditions, making nine birdies on Saturday to shoot her second consecutive 8-under 63 for a five-shot lead at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship.

She was nearly overshadowed by Lauren Coughlin, who set an LPGA record by opening with nine straight birdies. Needing to shoot 3 under on her second nine to become the second player to break 60 on the LPGA Tour, Coughlin made just one more birdie and settled for a career-best 61.

“Everything just seemed to be going exactly how far I wanted it to, right at the hole and I was putting really good putts on it as well,” Coughlin said.

Seeking her first LPGA Tour victory after six wins on the Japan LPGA, Nishimura has one bogey through 36 holes of the 54-hole event at Pinnacle Country Club. She rebounded from that dropped shot on the par-4 13th, her fourth hole of the day, to go out in 31. Birdies on Nos. 7 and 8 allowed her to post 16-under 126.

“I was a little disappointed on the 13th, but overall I was kind of relieved by it,” Nishimura said through an interpreter. “Not too much pressure on myself and it worked out.”

Auston Kim (64), Mary Liu (64) and Michelle Zhang (64) were five shots back. European Solheim Cup stars Lottie Woad (66) and Charley Hull (67) were among the group at 10 under.

Playing a day before her 34th birthday, Coughlin began with a birdie on the par-4 10th hole and didn’t make a par until the par-4 first. She made the turn in 9-under 26, hitting a wedge to about 3 feet on the par-5 18th for her ninth birdie.

After making birdie on the par-3 third to reach 10 under, Coughlin closed with six straight pars. The LPGA single-round scoring record is a 59 by Annika Sorenstam in the second round of the Standard Register PING in Phoenix on March 16, 2001.

Coughlin was well aware of where she stood.

“I started to get a little bit of adrenaline pretty much 9 green on for the next few holes, but then I made the birdie on 3 so I thought I was like, I really have a chance now,” Coughlin said. “Then, yeah, just couldn’t quite get it close enough unfortunately, last few holes.”

Coughlin, who shot a 2-over 73 in Friday’s opening round, she moved up 106 spots on the leaderboard into a tie for 21st. The cut was 4 under, and 117 of 143 players who completed two rounds shot par or better.