WILLIAMSBURG (WAVY) – Chesapeake’s Lauren Coughlin is enjoying “home-course” advantage this week. A Hickory High School graduate, she’s playing only an hour away from her hometown, and will have a gallery of friends, and even her high school coach, following her around the Kingsmill Championship.

“It’s cool because I remember coming here, and watching Laura Davies, Christina Kim, Annika (Sorenstam)  and Lorena (Ochoa) and them. Now I’m here playing in it,” said Coughlin, who’s in the middle of her rookie season on the LPGA Tour.

Making the weekend a little easier, Coughlin’s husband will be right alongside her, as her caddie.

“Try and keep her calm and mainly this is just time together,” said John Pond, a former center for the University of Virginia football team. He and Coughlin first met in Charlottesville, and garnered some national attention for Pond’s proposal.

After winning the ACC Tournament individual title, Coughlin stood on the 18th green, receive red her tournament trophy, and finally the ring from Pond.

“I would say our wedding day was a little bit better, but up until that point, it was probably the best day of my life,” said Coughlin, who sits only five shots behind the leader at -1.