Lauren Coughlin first met John Pond at a football Christmas party at the University of Virginia where they lived in the same dorm. Pond, a “mediocre center” on the football team, said his roommate at the time took her on one date, and they later bonded over the fact that she had a car.
Now they find themselves in the heat of battle together at the Amundi Evian Championship, where Pond is on the bag and his wife is one shot off the lead.
Pond proposed at the 2016 ACC Championship after the Cavaliers won the team title, and Coughlin captured her first individual win. Coughlin’s coach gave the mic to Pond during the trophy presentation, and he got down on one knee to pop the question.
Earlier this year, Pond quit his job in fundraising at Virginia to come travel with Coughlin full-time on the LPGA. After a stint of Pond caddying for her in the spring, Coughlin hired Annika Sorenstam’s longtime looper, Terry McNamara.
“I think I had no expectations this week, given that (John) hasn’t caddied for me in quite a while since Terry has been caddying for me,” said Coughlin.
“But I think he’s just my favorite person, so there is just a lot of – it’s just easy to be comfortable with him out there. He’s really starting to get the gist of how to caddie.”
Pond has looped for former Duke player Gina Kim in recent weeks.
Coming into the LPGA’s fourth major of the year, Coughlin made it a point to work on hitting off uneven lies, a requirement at hilly Evian. It paid off. This marks the first time she’s made the cut at this event in four appearances.
Earlier this season, the 31-year-old tied for third at the Chevron (with hubs on the bag). Currently eighth on the Solheim Cup points list (the top seven make the team), she’s on the cusp of making Team USA for the first time in a year when the competition won’t be too far from her Virginia home.
Coughlin might not be a household name, but she’s got a built-in fanbase with No Laying Up. She’s been part of their Young Hitters program since 2019 and has the NLU logo on the bag.
Coughlin, a rookie in 2018, has yet to win on the LPGA and is currently ranked 56th in the world. She won the 2018 PCH Classic on what was then the Symetra Tour. While her ball-striking has always been strong, it’s an improved short game that has made the difference in recent years.
It wasn’t all that long ago that Coughlin was fighting to keep her tour card. Now she’s in the hunt once again to win a major.
Here’s a look at Coughlin’s career through the years:
KPMG Women’s PGA Championship – Round Two
Lauren Coughlin of the United States smiles after making birdie on the ninth green during the…
Lauren Coughlin of the United States smiles after making birdie on the ninth green during the second round of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Congressional Country Club on June 24, 2022 in Bethesda, Maryland. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
Amundi Evian Championship – Round Three
Lauren Coughlin of the United States tees off on the 15th hole during the third round…
Lauren Coughlin of the United States tees off on the 15th hole during the third round of the Amundi Evian Championship at Evian Resort Golf Club on July 13, 2024 in Evian-les-Bains, France. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images)
Amundi Evian Championship – Round Three
Lauren Coughlin of the United States and their Caddie on the 18th green during the third…
Lauren Coughlin of the United States and their Caddie on the 18th green during the third round of the Amundi Evian Championship at Evian Resort Golf Club on July 13, 2024 in Evian-les-Bains, France. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images)
2024 Amundi Evian Championship
Lauren Coughlin of the United States plays her second shot on the third hole
Lauren Coughlin of the United States plays her second shot on the third hole
during the third round of the Amundi Evian Championship at Evian Resort Golf Club on July 13, 2024 in Evian-les-Bains, France. (Photo by Matthew Lewis/Getty Images)
Amundi Evian Championship – Round One
Lauren Coughlin of the United States tees off on the second hole during the first round…
Lauren Coughlin of the United States tees off on the second hole during the first round of the Amundi Evian Championship at Evian Resort Golf Club on July 11, 2024 in Evian-les-Bains, France. (Photo by Matthew Lewis/Getty Images)
LPGA: The Chevron Championship – Second Round
Lauren Coughlin (USA) drives off the second tee during the second round of The Chevron Championship…
Lauren Coughlin (USA) drives off the second tee during the second round of The Chevron Championship golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports
LPGA: KPMG Women’s PGA Championship – First Round
Lauren Coughlin plays her shot from the 11th tee during the first round of the KPMG…
Lauren Coughlin plays her shot from the 11th tee during the first round of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship golf tournament at Congressional Country Club. Mandatory Credit: Scott Taetsch-USA TODAY Sports
LPGA: KPMG Women’s PGA Championship – Final Round
Lauren Coughlin putts on the 3rd green during the final round of the KPMG Women’s PGA…
Lauren Coughlin putts on the 3rd green during the final round of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-USA TODAY Sports
LPGA: KPMG Women’s PGA Championship – First Round
Lauren Coughlin plays her shot from the 11th tee during the first round of the KPMG…
Lauren Coughlin plays her shot from the 11th tee during the first round of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship golf tournament at Congressional Country Club. Mandatory Credit: Scott Taetsch-USA TODAY Sports
LPGA: Kroger Queen City Championship at Kenwood Country Club
The golf bag of Lauren Coughlin, from Charlottesville, VA, on the 10th green at the 2023…
The golf bag of Lauren Coughlin, from Charlottesville, VA, on the 10th green at the 2023 Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G at Kenwood Country Club in Madeira, Ohio, Friday, Sept. 8, 2023. Mandatory Credit: Liz Dufour-USA TODAY Sports
TOTO Japan Classic – Final Round
Lauren Coughlin of the United States hits her tee shot on the 4th hole during the…
Lauren Coughlin of the United States hits her tee shot on the 4th hole during the final round of the TOTO Japan Classic at the Taiheiyo Club’s Minori Course on November 5, 2023 in Omitama, Ibaraki, Japan. (Photo by Yoshimasa Nakano/Getty Images)
2023 Women’s PGA Championship
Lauren Coughlin tees off on the 4th hole during the third round of the KPMG Women’s…
Lauren Coughlin tees off on the 4th hole during the third round of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-USA TODAY Sports
2015-Virginia-NCCA-Women-1670
Virginia Tech’s head coach, Kim Lewellen, far right, poses with players from left to right, Lyberty…
Virginia Tech’s head coach, Kim Lewellen, far right, poses with players from left to right, Lyberty Anderson, Briano Mao and Lauren Coughlin, during Sunday stroke play at the 2015 Women’s NCAA Championship at The Concession in Bradenton, Fla.
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Virginia’s Lauren Coughlin during the UCF Challenge at Eagle Creek in Orlando, Fla.
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Lauren Coughlin of Virginia during the UCF Challenge at Red Tail Golf Club in Sorrento, Fla.
Virginia Cavaliers Proposal ACC Championship
John Pond proposes to Lauren Coughlin.
The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican – Round One
Lauren Coughlin of the United States prepares to play a shot on the ninth hole during…
Lauren Coughlin of the United States prepares to play a shot on the ninth hole during the first round of The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican at Pelican Golf Club on November 09, 2023 in Belleair, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)
ShopRite LPGA Classic presented by Acer – Round Two
Lauren Coughlin signs a fan’s shirt after the second round of the ShopRite Classic at Seaview…
Lauren Coughlin signs a fan’s shirt after the second round of the ShopRite Classic at Seaview Bay Course on June 11, 2022 in Galloway, New Jersey. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images)
AIG Women’s Open – Day One
Lauren Coughlin of The United States tees off on the 12th hole during Day One of…
Lauren Coughlin of The United States tees off on the 12th hole during Day One of the AIG Women’s Open at Muirfield on August 4, 2022 in Gullane, Scotland. (Photo by Octavio Passos/Getty Images)
LPGA Player Portraits
Lauren Coughlin poses for a portrait during the LPGA KIA CLASSIC at the Park Hyatt Aviara…
Lauren Coughlin poses for a portrait during the LPGA KIA CLASSIC at the Park Hyatt Aviara on March 21, 2018 in Carlsbad, California. (Photo by Donald Miralle/Getty Images)
