CALIFORNIA — Jennifer Kupcho made a hot start by firing a five-under-par 66 for a one-shot lead in the first round of the US Women’s Open at Riviera Country Club.
Kupcho, trying to reverse her US Open fortunes after missing the cut the past three years, opened with three straight birdies on the Los Angeles course, which hosts the PGA Tour’s Genesis Invitational and will be the venue for Olympic golf at the 2028 Summer Games.
The American finished with seven birdies and two bogeys and a one-shot lead over South Korean Kim Sei-young, AFP reported.
“I was hitting the ball well today, also rolling the ball really well with the putter,” Kupcho said. “So seeing a lot of things fall definitely helped with the confidence with my putter.”
Kupcho, vying for a second major title to go with her 2022 Chevron Championship, said she felt “at home” at Riviera, where her length off the tee is a distinct advantage.
“It’s kind of a ball-striker’s paradise, just hit it down the fairway, hit it on the green, and make the putts,” she said.
After applying that formula so successfully, she said it was “a little bit of a weight off my chest” after her recent lack of success in the tournament.
“Barring something crazy doesn’t happen tomorrow, I’ll be playing on the weekend,” Kupcho said.
World No 1 Nelly Korda, chasing her second straight major title after victory in the Chevron Championship last month, found the going far less smooth on the way to a two-over-par 73.
