Jennifer Kupcho is taking quite a liking to USGA championship qualifiers, particularly if they’re held at CommonGround Golf Course in Aurora.
On Friday, the 16-year-old from Westminster earned a berth in her third USGA championship of the year — and second through a qualifying tournament held at CommonGround.
Kupcho made an eagle and five birdies Friday in a round of 4-under-par 69 to claim medalist honors in U.S. Women’s Amateur qualifying at CommonGround.
That means the junior-to-be at Jefferson Academy High School will end up competing this summer at the U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links, the U.S. Girls’ Junior and the U.S. Women’s Amateur. Not bad for someone who hadn’t had the pleasure of a USGA championship before this year.
“I wanted to qualify for all three that I could, so I’m pretty excited to get to go,” Kupcho said.
All in all, it was a great day for Jennifers Friday at CommonGround, where a field of 40 was competing. Also punching their tickets to the national Women’s Amateur — set for Aug. 5-11 in Charleston, S.C. — were University of Colorado golfer Jennifer Coleman (a bogey-free 71), Korea’s Jennifer Yang (sister of University of Denver golfer Andy Yang, 71) and Hannah Wood of Centennial (72). Yang also qualified in Colorado for the 2012 U.S. Women’s Amateur.
Wood, a member of the Hale Irwin Elite Player Program at CommonGround, prevailed in a one-hole playoff over 2013 CWGA Junior Match Play champion Sydney Merchant of Morrison to claim the fourth and final national berth. Ironically, Wood lost in a one-hole playoff at CommonGround for the last spot in U.S. Girls’ Junior qualifying. On Friday, Wood birdied three of the last four holes of regulation to force the playoff, while Merchant played her last eight holes in 5 under par.
As for Kupcho, in the last two months, she’s finished third in U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links qualifying at Ute Creek, second in U.S. Girls’ Junior qualifying at CommonGround, and now first at U.S. Women’s Amateur qualifying at CommonGround.
“Me and my brother (2012 CGA Player of the Year Steven Kupcho) are kind of having competitions, so when I’m qualifying for stuff it’s pretty exciting,” Jennifer said. “I wanted to qualify, then I let him see what he can do. It’s more of a bragging kind of thing, then we get to go to USGA events.”
Jennifer Kupcho said she’s had trouble with CommonGround in previous years, but she seems to be over that in 2013. On Friday, she rolled in a 45-foot birdie putt on No. 10 and generally excelled with the flat stick in her hand.
“My putting was really, really good,” Kupcho said. “I made basically everything I looked at. I probably made five putts over 10 or 15 feet. … I had a few putting struggles (earlier) but I got it in gear last night and played well today.”
U.S. Women’s Amateur Qualifying
At Par-73 CommonGround GC in Aurora
x-won one-hole playoff
QUALIFIED FOR U.S. WOMEN’S AMATEUR
Jennifer Kupcho, Westminster, Colo. 35-34–69
Jennifer Yang, Republic of Korea 36-35–71
Jennifer Coleman, Rolling Hills Estate, Calif. 35-36–71
x-Hannah Wood, Centennial, Colo. 39-33–72
ALTERNATES (In Order)
Sydney Merchant, Morrison, Colo. 39-33–72
Gigi Stoll, Beaverton, Ore. 38-35–73
FAILED TO QUALIFY
Melissa Martin, Grand Junction, Colo. 39-34–73
Dominique Galloway, Rio Rancho, N.M. 39-35–74
Lou Danienlla Uy, Phillipines 40-34–74
Shinwoo Lee, Aurora, Colo. 39-36–75
Mariah Montoya, Lubbock, Texas 37-38–75
Lauren Falley, Topeka, Kan. 39-37–76
Calli Ringsby, Cherry Hills Village, Colo. 38-39–77
Kristen Coleman, Rolling Hills Estate, Calif. 38-39–77
Samantha Barker, Highlands Ranch, Colo. 39-39–78
Patricia Lee, Commerce City, Colo. 38-41–79
Megan McCambridge, Boulder, Colo. 39-40–79
Anna Young, Canada 41-38–79
Tori Glenn, Castle Rock, Colo. 40-39–79
Marilyn Hardy, Houston, Texas 40-39–79
Mackenzie Cohen, Centennial, Colo. 43-37–80
Jisoo Keel, Canada 39-41–80
Darian Zachek, Deming, N.M. 41-39–80
Sarah Jo Pravacek, Omaha, Neb. 38-42–80
Janet Moore, Cherry Hills Village, Colo. 41-40–81
Amy Hodgkinson, Longmont, Colo. 40-41–81
Bryce Schroeder, Pueblo, Colo. 42-39–81
Samantha Stancato, Colorado Springs, Colo. 40-41–81
Kelly Moran, Boulder, Colo. 42-39–81
Devin Dougherty, Woodland, Calif. 43-38–81
Alexandria Trask, Denver, Colo. 43-39–82
Kristen Cline, Socorro, N.M. 42-40–82
Kathleen Kershisnik, Highlands Ranch, Colo. 40-44–84
Callie Hodgkinson, Longmont, Colo. 41-45–86
Mikayla Tatman, Longmont, Colo. 41-46–87
Taylor Dorans, Erie, Colo. 46-43–89
Emily Fuchs, Cameron, Texas 49-40–89
Jessica Heard, Clinton, Okla. 45-47–92
Shannon Lubar, Littleton, Colo. WD
Anna Laura Gomez Moreno, Mexico WD
