{"id":2470,"date":"2026-06-05T08:34:53","date_gmt":"2026-06-05T08:34:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/raleighmovingnews.com\/?p=2470"},"modified":"2026-06-05T08:34:53","modified_gmt":"2026-06-05T08:34:53","slug":"jennifer-kupcho-grabs-early-lead-in-us-womens-open-with-a-confident-66-at-riviera","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/raleighmovingnews.com\/?p=2470","title":{"rendered":"Jennifer Kupcho grabs early lead in US Women\u2019s Open with a confident 66 at Riviera"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

LOS ANGELES (AP) \u2014 Jennifer Kupcho made seven birdies on an unforgiving Riviera for a 5-under 66 and a one-shot lead over Sei Young Kim in the opening round of the 81st U.S. Women\u2019s Open on Thursday.<\/p>\n

Read more Summer heat builds for central NC<\/a><\/p>\n

The 29-year-old Kupcho has four career LPGA Tour wins, but just one since 2022, when she earned her only major victory in The Chevron Championship at Mission Hills. She missed the cuts of her three previous U.S. Open starts, but charged ahead at Riviera with three straight birdies in her afternoon group before adding back-to-back birdies after the turn.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just really, really like the golf course,\u201d Kupcho said. \u201cIt\u2019s kind of a ball-striker\u2019s paradise. Just hit it down the fairway, hit it on the green and make the putts.\u201d<\/p>\n

Play began under a heavy cloud cover at the 100-year-old country club in Pacific Palisades just two miles from the ocean, but the sun broke through around lunchtime as wind picked up. The conditions weren\u2019t oppressive at any point, but the players realized Riviera\u2019s setup presents a formidable challenge in any weather, and the scores reflected it.<\/p>\n

The entire field managed just one eagle in the first round \u2014 Allisen Corpuz holed out from 86 yards on the 17th.<\/p>\n

Mexico\u2019s Gaby Lopez and Japan\u2019s Hinako Shibuno joined South Korea\u2019s Hyunjo Yoo, Ina Yoon and Minji Kang in the group at 68. Lopez made five birdies in her first eight holes and was the only player to get to 6 under, but she fell back with three bogeys.<\/p>\n

Kupcho gained 4.27 strokes on her approach shots to lead the field in the first round, highlighted by a gorgeous 133-yard shot inside a foot on the second hole. She doesn\u2019t normally do extensive pre-tournament research on courses despite the encouragement of her parents, but she came down to Riviera on a scouting trip when the LPGA Tour stopped 13 miles away in Tarzana two months ago.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I showed up this week, it was just like I knew where everything was,\u201d Kupcho said. \u201cI knew what I was doing. So I think it actually helped. Parents are always right, right?\u201d<\/p>\n

The 33-year-old Kim has played pretty well in sprawling Los Angeles this season: At that JM Eagle LA Championship held at El Caballero in April, she led after the second and third rounds \u2014 leading by eight strokes at one point \u2014 before blowing a three-stroke lead over the final eight holes and losing a playoff to Australia\u2019s Hannah Green.<\/p>\n

Read more Jarvis\u2019 OT goal gives the Hurricanes a stunning comeback in the Stanley Cup Final<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cThis course is really famous in the world, so I\u2019m very happy to play here this week,\u201d said Kim, who also got a head start on Riviera in practice last weekend. \u201cAlso, the course is not easy. Every hole is putting me to the test.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kim birdied her first two holes, but her round didn\u2019t pick up steam until the final four holes, when she made three consecutive birdies \u2014 including two exceptional approach shots and a 29-foot birdie putt \u2014 before drilling another 29-foot par putt to end it.<\/p>\n

World No. 1 Nelly Korda made a rough start at 2 over, struggling off the tee. She also couldn\u2019t get used to a new pair of shoes sent to her this week Nike and LeBron James, a Korda fan who is becoming an avid golfer himself.<\/p>\n

Korda started the day in the new shoes, but changed playing the first six holes \u2014 although she said they didn\u2019t affect her play.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt wasn\u2019t a great day,\u201d Korda said. \u201cI hit it really good Monday through Wednesday, so I have honestly no idea where this came from. So I\u2019m going to go to the range.\u201d<\/p>\n

Aphrodite Deng, a 16-year-old amateur, was in contention for the lead before playing two late holes at 3 over and carding a 70.<\/p>\n

Deng was born in Canada to Chinese parents before growing up in New Jersey and eventually settling in Florida. A competitive child figure skater for several years before the COVID-19 pandemic, Deng took up golf only seven years ago, but won the U.S. Girls\u2019 Junior last year.<\/p>\n

Read more Seth Jarvis scores in overtime, Carolina beats Vegas in Game 2 to tie Stanley Cup Final<\/a><\/p>\n

___<\/p>\n

AP golf: https:\/\/apnews.com\/golf<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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