LOS ANGELES – In a dazzling opening round of the 81st U.S. Women’s Open, Jennifer Kupcho showcased her remarkable skills by carding a 5-under 66, putting her one shot ahead of Sei Young Kim on a challenging Riviera course.
At just 29 years old, Kupcho has already accumulated four wins on the LPGA Tour, including her only major victory at The Chevron Championship in 2022. Despite struggling in her previous U.S. Open appearances, she found her stride at Riviera by making an impressive seven birdies. Her performance was punctuated by three consecutive birdies in the afternoon session, followed by back-to-back birdies after the turn.
“I just really, really like the golf course,” Kupcho remarked. “It’s kind of a ball-striker’s paradise. Just hit it down the fairway, hit it on the green and make the putts.” Her affinity for the course was evident as she gained 4.27 strokes on approach shots, leading the field.
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The tournament kicked off under heavy cloud cover at the historic country club located just two miles from the Pacific Ocean. As the sun broke through around lunchtime, players faced formidable conditions that tested their skills. The setup of the Riviera certainly proved challenging, as evidenced by the entire field managing just one eagle during the first round—Allisen Corpuz holed out from 86 yards on the 17th.
In a strong performance, Mexico’s Gaby Lopez and Japan’s Hinako Shibuno joined South Korea’s Hyunjo Yoo, Ina Yoon, and Minji Kang, each finishing the day with a score of 68. Lopez made an impressive five birdies in her first eight holes, briefly reaching 6 under, but fell back with three bogeys.
Kupcho’s approach game was particularly noteworthy, highlighted by a superb 133-yard shot that landed within a foot of the hole on the second. While she typically does not conduct extensive research on courses, her recent scouting trip to Riviera before the tournament paid off, as she felt prepared and confident upon arrival.
“When I showed up this week, it was just like I knew where everything was,” she reflected. “I knew what I was doing. So I think it actually helped. Parents are always right, right?”
Sei Young Kim, 33, also demonstrated strong form at Riviera. Having previously led at the JM Eagle LA Championship, she was eager to tackle the famed course. “This course is really famous in the world, so I’m very happy to play here this week,” Kim noted, acknowledging the challenges the course presented.
Kim began her round with two early birdies but truly ignited her score on the final four holes, where she made three consecutive birdies, highlighted by two exceptional approach shots and a 29-foot birdie putt.
Meanwhile, world number one Nelly Korda faced a challenging start, finishing the day at 2 over. Struggling with her tee shots and adjusting to new footwear, Korda expressed her frustration. “It wasn’t a great day,” she admitted. “I hit it really good Monday through Wednesday, so I have honestly no idea where this came from. So I’m going to go to the range.”
Aphrodite Deng, a promising 16-year-old amateur, also made headlines, initially competing for the lead before finishing with a score of 70 after a tough two-hole stretch at 3 over. Born in Canada to Chinese parents and raised in New Jersey, Deng transitioned from figure skating to golf just seven years ago and won the U.S. Girls’ Junior championship last year.
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