Ready
to Reach
New
Heights
Lauren Coughlin’s achievements have
her looking toward new horizons
by BRIAN BAILIE, assistant women’s golf
coach at the University of Virginia
and KIM LEWELLEN, head women’s golf
coach at the University of Virginia
with LAUREN COUGHLIN
Photography by SCOTT K. BROWN
w w w. v s g a . o r g
Master_VSGA_MayJune14.indd 9
I
t’s no surprise to anyone who knows Lauren
Coughlin, a University of Virginia junior, that
she’ll be pursuing a rare third straight VSGA
Women’s Amateur title this summer (July 8-11
at Hidden Valley Country Club in Salem).
Coughlin likes the challenge and spirit of
enjoyment that accompanies the game, but she
also has an uncommon desire to succeed and win.
That’s part of the reason why she’s riding an eightmatch winning streak entering this year’s Women’s
Amateur. The run of victories is hardly a small
feat, given the five days of intense competition and
pressure (not to mention the typically searing heat
of summer) that accompanies the championship.
Whether it’s cracking the lineup at tournament
time as part of the Cavalier women’s golf team or
excelling on the VSGA stage, the growth of her
game can be traced to embracing the learning and
improvement process. Lauren redshirted when
she arrived at U.Va., and to her credit, she’s been
willing to alter her limits by setting ambitious
goals and taking steps to fulfill them before
climbing toward the next pinnacle.
“She does everything that’s ever asked of her
and more,” says Brian Bailie, the assistant women’s
golf coach at U.Va., whom Coughlin credits with
helping to fine tune her swing, along with Kim
Lewellen, the Cavaliers head women’s golf coach.
Coughlin also has an uncanny ability to
maneuver the ball both ways as the situation
dictates.
“One of the finest qualities that Lauren possesses
is her adaptability and ball control, which is
unmatched,” Lewellen says. “She can shape shots
like the guys I used to watch growing up, like [Lee]
Trevino, [Jack] Nicklaus and [Arnold] Palmer.
Lauren will see a shot that most of us wouldn't
dream of pulling off, and sure enough, she shapes
the shot just as she visualized. This not only makes
her a better competitor, but fun to watch.”
Coughlin credits her work with PGA
professional Butch Liebler when she was a junior
golfer with helping her to develop the foundational
elements of her swing.
“I wouldn