Coughlin, Shin, take 1st-round lead with 66s at the LPGA’s Scottish Open

TROON, Scotland (AP) — American Lauren Coughlin and South Korea’s Jenny Shin shot 6-under 66s Thursday to take a one-stroke lead at the LPGA Tour’s Scottish Open at windswept Dundonald Links.

The 33-year-old Shin began the day from the 10th with a birdie and added further birdies on the 12th, 14th and 18th holes to make the turn in 4-under.

“On this golf course, the tee shots are pretty crucial,” said Shin. “I really focused on getting my tee shots on the fairway, and it’s really dried out, so it’s playing a little shorter than the year’s past when it was quite wet out here.”

Coughlin, who won the Aramco Championship in April, won the Scottish Open in 2024. She had eight birdies and two bogeys Thursday.

“I knew it was going to be playing difficult out there,” Coughlin said. “I felt like I had a really good game plan and executed really well and made a few putts. It was windy, even in the practice round days, so I feel like I had gotten a good feel for it. Just a good game plan and good execution today as well.

South Korea’s A Lim Kim was in third place after a 67 while Lisa Pettersson was a stroke behind in fourth.

Four players were tied for fifth with 70s — Germany’s Esther Henseleit, Sweden’s Anna Nordqvist and the Japanese duo of Erika Hara and Miyu Yamashita.

Anna Huang of Vancouver, B.C., carded a 13-over-par 85 and could have trouble making the weekend cut.

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