Three years ago, when the Augusta National Women’s Amateur first became a disrupting force for the Chevron Championship and the LPGA, the winner in Georgia was Wake Forest’s Jennifer Kupcho. She was the 2018 NCAA Women’s Division I champion, and someone pegged to be a star when she turned pro.
This week at the Chevron event, Kupcho is an accomplished LPGA member with a Solheim Cup berth to her credit. She still has no LPGA title on her resume, though that could easily change Sunday.
As the Chevron Championship moves into its final round ever in the Coachella Valley on Sunday, the field will be chasing Kupcho for the chance to be the final golfer to celebrate a victory by leaping into Poppie’s Pond at Mission Hills Country Club.
Sparked by a run of four consecutive birdies on the front nine, Kupcho fired an 8-under 64 on Saturday to reach 16-under-par 200 and forge a six-shot lead heading into the finale at Mission Hills Country Club.
Jennifer Kupcho smiles after putting on the 9th green on the Dinah Shore Tournament Course during round three of the Chevron Championship at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California, on Saturday, April 2, 2022.
The numbers and records for Kupcho on the day were staggering. Her 16-under total sets a tournament 54-hole mark, two strokes better than Patty Tavatanakit last year and Pernilla Lindberg in 2018. The 64 tied Kupcho’s low round in an LPGA event.
Kupcho is threatening the tournament’s 72-hole scoring record of 19 under, set by Dottie Pepper in 1999. Her six-shot lead is short of the event’s 54-hole margin set by Karrie Webb in 2000. Kupcho is also trying to become the second player in two years to make the Chevron Championship not only her first major but her first LPGA win of any kind.
Tavatanakit won the 2021 title and is still in contention this year at 10 under, alone in second after a 2-under 70 on Saturday. Jessica Korda is alone in third at 9 under after a solid 67 on Saturday in a tournament where…
Source : yahoo
