Lauren Coughlin and Andrew Novak surged to the top in Florida, cracking a bunker-to-eagle on the 17th and posting a 4-under 68 in foursomes to grab a one-shot lead heading into the Grant Thornton Invitational’s final round.
This marks another potential team title for Novak this year. He previously teamed with Ben Griffin to win Zurich Classic of New Orleans. The Grant Thornton is the sole mixed-team event on the schedule.
At 19-under 125, Coughlin/Novak held a one-shot edge over Charley Hull and Michael Brennan, who looked poised to share the lead until Hull’s three-foot lip-out on the final hole produced a bogey after a three-putt. They finished at 71.
Lexi Thompson and Wyndham Clark were two back after closing with eight consecutive pars for a 72.
The finale shifts to modified fourballs. Each player tees off, then teammates swap golf balls and keep the same ball for the remainder of the round, with the best score counting.
That format typically yields lower scores, though Henderson and Conners—Canada’s duo—carded seven birdies in the tougher foursomes and briefly led before a bogey on the 18th left them at 67.
They trailed by three, alongside Nelly Korda and Denny McCarthy (70) and Jennifer Kupcho and Chris Gotterup (70).
Both Kupcho/Gotterup and Coughlin/Novak also incurred a double bogey on the par-5 14th, but Coughlin helped her team rally with a clutch hole-out from the right bunker on the 17th.
“Four birdies and an eagle, that’s really, really solid for alternate shot,” Novak said, keeping the mood light even as he acknowledged the significance of winning Grant Thornton to complement his Zurich Classic triumph.
“Some people are calling it the modern-day Grand Slam—Zurich, Grant Thornton,” Novak remarked. “I’m definitely thinking about my legacy a bit tomorrow.”
Hull, meanwhile, has thrived in the chase scenario, noting it’s still early and promising a flurry of birdies if given the chance on Sunday.
"Obviously, it would have been nice to carry the lead into the final round, but we can still rack up birdies tomorrow," she said.
