LPGA: Jennifer Kupcho wins first Chevron Championship title
Jennifer Kupcho received the Chevron Championship by two strokes, claiming her first victory on the LPGA Tour and the primary main of her profession.
The 24-year-old is the primary American to win the occasion since 2015.
Kupcho’s victory celebrations started when she leaped into Poppie’s Pond, as is custom, accompanied by her husband, caddy, and cheers from the gang. The custom was began by Amy Alcott in 1983 and has been noticed by each winner since.
“It is surreal,” Kupcho mentioned, in line with ESPN. “To be a significant winner is basically particular and to be the final individual right here at Mission Hills to leap into Poppie’s Pond, it is all actually particular.”
Subsequent yr, the event is transferring from the Mission Hills Nation Membership to Houston beneath a cope with present sponsors, Chevron.
“To only be capable to [win] rapidly after my wedding ceremony and be capable to rejoice with my husband and have him right here, it is actually particular,” Kupcho continued. “I did not see him coming throughout the bridge. He picked me up. I do not assume he is ever picked me up, in order that was fairly cool.”
Previous to Sunday, Kupcho’s most notable win got here as an newbie, when she received the inaugural Augusta Nationwide Girls’s Novice in 2019.
Regardless of her relative inexperience, it was a near-complete efficiency from the 53rd ranked participant, who had shared an early lead with Minjee Lee following the opening spherical.
Kupcho remained atop the leaderboard all through the weekend and took a six-stroke lead into the final spherical after carding an 8-under 64 within the third spherical for a tournament-record 16-under 200 complete.
Initially, Kupcho prolonged this benefit in the course of the closing spherical, getting birdies on the fourth and fifth holes, earlier than taking part in the final 13 holes in 4-over to card a 2-over 74 closing spherical and end the event 14-under.
Fellow American Jessica Korda completed in second place on 12-under after she shot 69 on the ultimate spherical, whereas Slovenia’s Pia Babnik closed with a 66 to complete a shot behind Korda in third. Defending champion Patty Tavatanakit tied for fourth place at 10-under.
