AP

Kupcho shoots 63 at windy Blythefield to take LPGA Tour lead

Jun 16, 2022, 4:13 AM | Updated: 5:56 pm

BELMONT, Mich. (AP) — Jennifer Kupcho shot a 9-under 63 on Thursday at windy Blythefield Country Club for the lowest score of her LPGA Tour career and the first-round lead in the LPGA Meijer Classic.

With steady wind at 12-18 mph and gusts to 30 mph with the temperature in the mid-80s, Kupcho eagled the par-5 14th and had seven birdies in the bogey-free round.

“I hit a mistakenly really great shot on the first hole,” Kupcho said. “Honestly, thought I was going to miss the green but ended up great. Took advantage of that, and then sunk a longer putt on the second hole, and that really just boosted my confidence, especially in this wind.”

She won the major tournament at Mission Hills in the California desert in early April for her first LPGA Tour victory.

“I’ve been here the last couple of years and really been comfortable with this place,” Kupcho said. “Honestly, a lot of the holes are birdie holes, so I felt like I could go out and birdie every hole. I think that that was just the mindset starting every new hole, is doing that.”

Gerina Mendoza was second. She closed birdie-eagle.

“I haven’t really been posting many numbers as of late, so it just really gave me a big confidence boost and I kind of felt like my old self, just kind of plunking away and not thinking about the number or one more or calculating,” Mendoza said. “I just really stayed present in every shot.”

Lexi Thompson, the 2015 winner, was another stroke back at 65 with Swedes Anna Nordqvist and Madelene Sagstrom. Andrea Lee shot 66.

“I just kind of felt really relaxed the whole day,” Thompson said. “Coming into today I knew I’ve been hitting it well and I’ve been putting in the work, so just coming out here and believing in myself and just staying in the moment, in the present.”

Defending champion Nelly Korda opened with a 67. She’s making her second start since returning from a four-month break because of a blood clot in her left arm.

“It’s so nice to be back, just in the city of Grand Rapids, too,” Korda said. “It’s super nice. I really like it here. Everyone is so welcoming and the crowd really gets behind this entire event and the city gets behind this entire event.”

Korda also is the defending champion next week in the KPGA Women’s PGA Championship at Congressional.

Stacy Lewis also was at 67 with Na Rin An, Ruixin Liu, Bianca Pagdanganan, Megan Khang, Ryann O’Toole and Caroline Masson.

U.S. Women’s Open champion Minjee Lee of Australia opened with a 68.

Canadian Brooke Henderson, the ShopRite LPGA Classic winner Sunday in New Jersey, also shot 68. Henderson won at Blythefield in 2017 and 2019.

Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

AP

Associated Press

Ex-Packer Guion gets 1 year for domestic violence assault

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Former Green Bay Packers defensive tackle Letroy Guion was sentenced to one year in jail after pleading no contest in a domestic violence assault at his home last fall. Brown County Circuit Court Judge Thomas Walsh also ordered Guion on Tuesday to serve three years’ probation and complete a domestic […]

1 year ago

Joe Jarzynka...

Associated Press

Durant eager for Suns debut vs. Hornets after knee injury

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Kevin Durant has been through quite a bit during his 15-year NBA career — but joining a new team midway through the season is a new one for the 13-time All-Star. The 34-year-old Durant doesn’t seem all that worried. Durant makes his highly anticipated Phoenix Suns debut on Wednesday night against […]

1 year ago

FILE - Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores stands on the sideline during the second half of an N...

Associated Press

Judge: NFL coach can press discrimination claims in court

NEW YORK (AP) — NFL Coach Brian Flores can pursue some of his discrimination claims against the league and its teams in court rather than through arbitration, a judge ruled Wednesday. The written decision by Judge Valerie Caproni in Manhattan was issued months after lawyers for the league tried to get the lawsuit moved to […]

1 year ago

Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Alex Stalock cools off in the first period during an NHL hockey game ...

Associated Press

Kane trade reinforces hard reality of Blackhawks rebuild

CHICAGO (AP) — After days of speculation, the harsh reality of the Chicago Blackhawks’ situation was reinforced by one move in a flurry of transactions ahead of the NHL trade deadline. Showtime is over, at least in Chicago, and a seemingly bright future is, well, way off in the distance. The reverberations of Chicago’s decision […]

1 year ago

FILE -  Yves Jean-Bart, president of the Haitian Football Federation, wearing a protective face mas...

Associated Press

Disgraced ex-Haitian soccer president announces he’s back

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Haiti’s former soccer federation president whose lifetime ban from sport over sexual abuse allegations was overturned last month announced Wednesday that he is reclaiming his position. Yves Jean-Bart’s defiant announcement could lead to a standoff with FIFA, which already has appointed an emergency management committee to lead the Haitian Football Association […]

1 year ago

FILE - Green Bay Packers' Aaron Rodgers walks off the field after an NFL football game against the ...

Associated Press

Rodgers says decision on future will come ‘soon enough’

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Aaron Rodgers says he will make a decision on his future “soon enough” as the four-time MVP quarterback ponders whether to play next season and if his future remains with the Green Bay Packers. Rodgers, 39, discussed his future while speaking on an episode of the “Aubrey Marcus Podcast” that […]

1 year ago

Kupcho shoots 63 at windy Blythefield to take LPGA Tour lead