Sagstrom Takes T-Mobile Match Play, Grabs First LPGA Title Since 2020

On Apr. 6, Madelene Sagstrom won the T-Mobile Match Play at Shadow Creek with a dramatic 1-up win over Lauren Coughlin in the final match, earning her second career title on the LPGA Tour. The hard-fought match was the first time in the tournament's five-year history that the final made it to the 18th green.

Sagstrom took a four-hole lead after six, but Coughlin came roaring back to briefly lead themselves, putting the ladies into a tense back-and-forth battle. The pivotal moment arrived at the 16th hole, where Sagstrom's steady par bested a double bogey from Coughlin, enabling the Swede to recapture the lead and cling to it through the final two holes.

“I thought last week, ‘Am I ever going to play good golf again?'” Sagstrom said. “As professional golfers, it's (a) very rewarding job when it goes well, but extremely difficult when it's tough and I've questioned myself a lot in my career. Am I good enough to play against these girls? Am I going to be one of the best players in the world? I've always had the ambition to be, but then I never know really.”

Sagstrom earned $300,000 with the win, her first since claiming the Gainbridge LPGA title in 2020. Her road to the championship included a semifinal victory over Angel Yin, whom she defeated 4 and 2 after completing a grueling quarterfinal match against Celine Boutier that was suspended due to darkness and resumed Sunday morning. She sealed that match with a birdie on the 19th hole.

Coughlin, who is 17th in the world and still looking for her first win on the LPGA Tour since she took the Scottish Open in August of 2024, advanced to the final after defeating Yin in a tight semifinal. Both finalists were pushed by the notoriously challenging layout at Shadow Creek, which challenged players with its court-speed greens and exacting strategy.

The T-Mobile Match Play event continues to stand out on the LPGA Tour with its unique head-to-head format, offering thrilling competition and showcasing the resilience and skill of players like Sagstrom.