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The Star
an hour ago
- Business
- The Star
American lass Jennifer Kupcho finishes strong to claim fourth LPGA title at ShopRite LPGA Classic
Jennifer Kupcho of the United States poses with the trophy after winning the ShopRite LPGA Classic presented by Acer 2025 at Seaview Bay Course on June 08, 2025, in Galloway, New Jersey. -- Photo by-LPGA GALLOWAY, New Jersey, USA: American Jennifer Kupcho ended a title drought of close to three years by winning the ShopRite LPGA Classic presented by Acer at Seaview, A Dolce Hotel. Kupcho sank an eight-foot birdie putt in rainy weather at the par-71 Bay Course for a closing 66 and a 54-hole total of 15-under-par 198 (68-64-66), edging Korean Ilhee Lee (63-68-68) by one shot. Another Korean, Sei Young Kim, took third place on 12-under-par 201 (68-68-65), a shot clear of Japan's Ayaka Furue (66-66-70). It was an impressive finish from Kupcho in the wet conditions, as the 28-year-old birdied three of the last five holes to pick up her fourth LPGA title. Kupcho won three times in 2022 including a Major at the Chevron Championship, but has struggled to close the deal in recent years. 'It just feels amazing. I struggled a lot early in the year and had a lot of tough weeks, a lot of hard conversations, and it feels good,' said Kupcho, who pocketed US$262,500 from the US$1.75 million total purse. 'I really just wasn't thinking about anything else. In my mind, I had set on 14-under, so I was just trying to get to that number – obviously, I did a little better. I kind of stayed in my zone the whole time,' she added. Lee was the sole leader 36-hole leader and had co-led the first round after an opening 63. Two early final round bogeys from the 36-year-old Korean dropped her off the pace, but she came back strongly with five birdies on the back nine to claim sole second place. Ilhee Lee of South Korea reacts on the 15th green during the first round of the ShopRite LPGA Classic presented by Acer 2025 at Seaview Bay Course on June 06, 2025 in Galloway, New Jersey. -- Photo by-LPGA Joining the LPGA Tour in 2010, Lee won the 2013 Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic for her sole LPGA victory. Struggling with a chronic shoulder injury since 2019, Lee has made limited tour starts over the last seven years as she finished her college degree and worked for a short spell. 'I worked for Financial Forum for 100 days and then got out. Then I realized, 'Oh, I'm good at golf,' so I started teaching a little bit, not full time, but I loved it. "Since then, I was teaching a little bit and playing at the same time, and rehabbing, more treatment on my shoulder, back and ankle,' said Lee, who got into the field as a past tournament winner. Among the players who missed the 36-hole cut of two-under-par were Malaysia's Kelly Tan (70, 75) and defending champion Linnea Strom of Sweden (72, 75). The next stop for the LPGA Tour is this week's Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give at Blythefield Country Club in Belmont, Michigan. This will be followed by the third Major of the 2025 season, the KPMG Women's PGA Championship at Fields Ranch East at PGA Frisco in Texas. - The Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA)
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Sei Young Kim aces 76-yard par-3 17th to take clubhouse lead at ShopRite LPGA
Sei Young Kim aced the small but mighty 17th at the ShopRite LPGA Classic to post the clubhouse lead. The 32-year-old South Korean holed out from 76 yards on the penultimate hole with a pitching wedge, clanking it off the flagstick and into the cup. She followed it with a birdie on the closing par 5 at Seaview's Bay Course to post a 6-under 65 and get to 12 under for the tournament. Kim is a 12-time winner on the LPGA, though winless since 2020. "I hit the right number and I saw the bounce, one, and in," said Kim. "I was like, wow. My skin everywhere was goosebump." Advertisement At the time of Kim's ace, the par-3 17th was ranked 15th in difficulty on Sunday with a scoring average 2.84. As Kim finished up her round, the leader, Jennifer Kupcho, was just making the turn on a rainy, windy, and chilly afternoon near Atlantic City. Kim was rolling along with birdies on six of her first 13 holes before a double-bogey on the 14th and bogey on the 15th seemingly dropped her out of contention. Sei Young Kim of Korea waves to the crowd on the 13th green during the final round of the ShopRite LPGA Classic presented by Acer 2025 at Seaview Bay Course on June 08, 2025 in Galloway, New Jersey. "It was like a rollercoaster, up and down, up and down," said Kim. "Yeah, back nine starting four hole I made three in a row birdie. My thoughts like it could be win, possibly. Advertisement "That thinking made me a little bit nervous. That's why my tee shot hole 14 goes way right." The ace on the 17th was the third of her career, with two coming on the LPGA and one on the Korean LPGA. After the round, Kim changed her flight to see how the rest of the afternoon unfolds and prepare for a possible playoff. This article originally appeared on Golfweek: LPGA's Sei Young Kim hole-in-one on 76-yard hole at ShopRite Classic
