Novak and Coughlin Win Grant Thornton Invitational With Record 28-Under Total

Andrew Novak and Lauren Coughlin closed the 2025 Grant Thornton Invitational with a 28-under 188 total at Tiburon Golf Club, winning by three shots over three teams tied for second. The official tournament results list rounds of 57, 68 and 63 for Novak/Coughlin, with the team earning the $1 million first-place prize.

The result added to Novak’s experience of winning in a team format. The Grant Thornton Invitational is a mixed PGA TOUR and LPGA Tour team event, not a Presidents Cup trial, and it should not be treated as one. But a player who keeps showing comfort in partner formats deserves to be tracked more carefully as Brandt Snedeker's 2026 U.S. options develop.

The Final Round

Novak and Coughlin entered the final round with the lead and then shot 63 in the modified four-ball format. The official final table lists three teams at 25-under in second place: Jennifer Kupcho and Chris Gotterup, Nelly Korda and Denny McCarthy, and Charley Hull and Michael Brennan.

That scoring context matters. This was not a narrow win built only on one hot stretch. Novak and Coughlin were excellent in the scramble opening round, steady in foursomes, and sharp again when the format turned back toward aggressive scoring on Sunday.

Why Novak Is Worth Monitoring

Novak is not yet a central U.S. Presidents Cup name in the way Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, Collin Morikawa, or other established stars are. His case is more subtle. Captains need stars, but they also need players who can make a partnership function. Novak's Grant Thornton win does not prove he can handle Medinah, but it does add evidence that he is comfortable sharing responsibility.

That skill can matter in foursomes and four-ball. Some players look uneasy when the rhythm changes from individual stroke play to team accountability. Novak's recent team-event success suggests he does not lose his identity when another player is part of the score.

From Team Stroke Play to Match Play

The Grant Thornton formats put different demands on a partnership. Scramble allows teammates to choose their best shot, while foursomes requires them to alternate on one ball. Modified four-ball changes the rhythm again. Novak and Coughlin’s rounds of 57, 68 and 63 show how their winning total was built across those different formats.

A Presidents Cup match would bring another challenge: responding to one opposing side hole by hole. Novak’s Grant Thornton result adds partnership experience to his record, while his case for Medinah also depends on individual form. U.S. selection will still depend on PGA TOUR form, fit at Medinah, and whether he can separate himself from a deep American pool.

Broader Team-Golf Value

The mixed format remains one of December golf's more useful experiments. It places PGA TOUR and LPGA Tour players on the same competitive stage, uses multiple formats, and gives viewers a clearer look at communication, patience, and partnership dynamics.

For Snedeker, Novak’s win offers a look at how he handles the changing rhythm of partner golf. The next question is whether that comfort carries into other events and remains useful alongside the skills needed on Medinah’s longer holes.