U.S. Women’s Open qualifier Jennifer Kupcho of Westminster shot a bogey-free 7-under-par 65 Monday to earn medalist honors and the No. 1 seed in the 101st CWGA Match Play Championship at Aurora Hills Golf Course.
The 2014 and ’15 CWGA Player of the Year played her last eight holes in 5 under par to land the top spot in the 16-player championship bracket. Kupcho (pictured), the Wake Forest freshman who finished sixth last month in the Women’s NCAA Finals, won the CWGA Match Play in 2014.
No other player finished at par or better on Monday. Mackenzie Cohen, the former 5A state high school champion who placed third in this year’s Women’s NCAA Division III Finals, and Sydney Gillespie each carded a 73 to share second place in the stroke-play qualifier. The match-play portion of the event will begin on Tuesday and both the round of 16 and the quarterfinals will be contested on that day.
In the senior championship flight, Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Kim Eaton led the way Monday with a 2-over-par 74. Eaton, winner of the CWGA Match Play once and the Senior Match Play twice, overcame a triple-bogey on the 13th hole to earn senior medalist honors.
Next best in the senior flight Monday were two other Colorado Golf Hall of Famers, defending champion Lynn Zmistowski (77) and 2007 senior champ Christie Austin (79). CWGA board member Laurie Steenrod, a former winner in both the Match Play and Senior Match Play, earned the eighth and final spot in the senior championship bracket via a playoff with Suzy Leprino that lasted five holes. Steenrod will face Eaton in Tuesday’s quarterfinals.
While the 16-person championship flight and the eight-person senior championship flight will be played at scratch, there will also be three flights which compete while utlizing their handicaps.
The title matches in each division is scheduled for Thursday.
For the various match-play brackets, CLICK HERE.
Here are the scores from Monday’s stroke-play qualifying:
Championship Flight
Jennifer Kupcho, CommonGround WGC 34-31–65
Sydney Gillespie, Highlands Ranch Wga 38-35–73
Mackenzie Cohen, Inverness Lga 37-36–73
Kylee Sullivan, CC of Colorado WGA 38-36–74
Gillian Vance, CommonGround WGA 37-37–74
Klara Castillo, Kennedy Lga 38-38–76
Ashlyn Kirschner, West Woods Wgc 38-38–76
Janet Moore, Cherry Hills CC Wga 37-39–76
Calli Ringsby, Denver CC Lga 38-38–76
Calli Gallacher, Cherry Hills CC Wga 36-41–77
Jaylee Tait, Raccoon Creek WGA 40-37–77
Delaney Elliott, CommonGround WGA 41-37–78
Courtney Ewing, Desert Hawk Pueblo West Wga 41-38–79
Sarah Hankins, Thorncreek Wga 38-41–79
Anna Kennedy, Denver CC Lga 39-40–79
Taylor Dorans, Eagle Trace Lga 42-37–79
Megan Vernon, Applewood Wga 43-40–83
Michelle Romano, Colorado Golf Club Wga 41-44–85
Megan McCambridge, Boulder CC Wga 45-41–86
Mariah Ehrman, Heritage at Westmoor WGA 40-50–90
Joanna Ringsby, Denver CC Lga WD
Senior Championship Flight
Kim Eaton, Riverdale Wga 36-38–74
Lynn Zmistowski, Willis Case Wga 38-39–77
Christie Austin, Cherry Hills CC Wga 37-42–79
Jennifer Hocking, Colorado Springs CC Lga 39-41–80
Deb Hughes, Green Valley Ranch Wga 40-40–80
Louise Lyle, Patty Jewett Wgc 41-40–81
Kelly Martin, Fox Hollow Lgc 38-43–81
Laurie Steenrod, Saddle Rock Wga 42-40–82
Suzy Leprino, Lakewood CC Wga 42-40–82
Kathy Malpass, Hiwan Wga 45-38–83
Katty Rothberg, Cherry Creek CC Wga 44-43–87
