Los Angeles: Jennifer Kupcho made a hot start in 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 on Thursday.
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. “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.
