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“ But I went there with a purpose and everything came together,” added Coughlin, who tied for seventh at 6-under 354 in the 90-hole“ Q-school. I’ m just excited and thankful.”

With University of Virginia coach Kim Lewellen as her caddie for the week at LPGA International in Daytona Beach, Fla., Coughlin didn’ t just show up for the annual stressfest— she contended. The 2016 ACC Player of the Year was 9 under par in her final 36 holes, posting a 6-under 66 in her fourth round.

“ It almost felt like I couldn’ t miss that day,” she said.“ Everything just seemed to want to go into the hole.”

But it wasn’ t that way for most of 2017. After earning her undergraduate degree in psychology in 2016, and completing her final year of eligibility on the Virginia women’ s golf team that spring— earning her master’ s degree in intercollegiate athletic administration— Coughlin found the adjustment difficult as a full-time touring pro on the Symetra Tour.

She made six cuts in 13 tournaments, posting a season-best tie for 16th. By early September, Coughlin“ hit a wall” and took six weeks off from competition. She even wondered if playing professionally was what she wanted to be doing.

“ I talked to my parents about maybe getting a job and not playing anymore,” she said.“ And I talked to the [ UVA ] football office, where I interned for my master’ s degree, as well as to coach Kim. Kim told me [ former Virginia collegian ] Brittany Altomare had experienced the same low early in her professional career and she reminded me that Brittany went on to finish second at this year’ s Evian Championship( one of the LPGA’ s majors).”

Coach Lewellen advised Coughlin to refocus during the months leading into the LPGA’ s Q-school. She also promised to serve as caddie if Coughlin made it into the final stage.

“ She definitely pushes and challenges me to be better and to work hard,” said Coughlin, advancing into her second final LPGA Q-school this year and her first as a professional.“ Besides my family and my fiancé, I don’ t think anybody believes in me as much as Coach Kim.”

Coughlin also got a taste of the LPGA Tour in 2017, qualifying for the Volunteers of America Texas Shootout in April and receiving a sponsor’ s invitation to play in the Kingsmill Championship in her home state in May. She missed the cut in each, but called it a“ great learning experience” for things to come.

Coughlin remembers being excited earlier this year as she watched her former college teammate nearly win The Evian Championship. That moment affirmed that if Altomare could contend on the LPGA Tour, maybe she could, too.

And after Coughlin had safely earned her LPGA card for 2018 at Q-school, she smiled after receiving a text message from Altomare— this time with her former teammate congratulating her for earning LPGA membership.

The 2018 season will be a milestone year in Coughlin’ s life for other reasons. She will marry former Virginia offensive lineman John Pond on Jan. 20— the Saturday before Coughlin makes her LPGA rookie debut at the tour’ s season opener in the Bahamas, set for Jan. 25 – 28.

“ He’ s going to caddie for me during the tournament, which will basically be our honeymoon,” Coughlin said.

And as for the LPGA’ s notoriously global tournament schedule, Coughlin laughs when she thinks about 2018, and how her travel savvy will have to ramp up in a hurry.

“ I have a passport, but I’ ve never been out of the United States,” she confessed.“ That’ s going to change quickly, since my first tournament is in the Bahamas and my second event is in Australia.”