It’s ironic that in the same year the prize money for the top professional finisher in the CoBank Colorado Women’s Open has more than quadrupled, there’s a decent chance that the overall champion will be an amateur.
Such is the scenario when you have the No. 3-ranked women’s amateur in the world in the field.
Jennifer Kupcho of Westminster, competing in the Colorado Women’s Open for the first time since finishing runner-up in 2014, has put herself in contention to be just the second amateur ever to claim the overall title.
The Wake Forest junior shot a bogey-free 5-under-par 67 on Thursday at Green Valley Ranch Golf Club to jump into third place going into Friday’s final round.
Two players competing in their first Colorado Women’s Open are the only ones ahead of Kupcho after 36 holes.
First-round leader Andrea Wong of San Francisco and Liz Breed of Waynesboro, Pa., will share the top spot going into the last round. Wong, a former Cal-Davis golfer, birdied her first five holes on Thursday, a day after starting with three straight birds. Wong, who is exempt on the Ladies European Tour this year, made a 9-foot birdie on her final hole to shoot a 4-under 68, leaving her at 10-under 134.
Also at that figure is Breed, a former University of Kentucky golfer who shot her second consecutive 67. The 2015 Kentucky Women’s Open champion chalked up six birdies on Thursday.
Should Kupcho (pictured above with mom/caddie Janet Kupcho) end up winning on Friday, the $50,000 first prize will simply go to the low professional. And the 2017 Canadian Women’s Amateur champion would make do with joining 2006 champion Paige Mackenzie as the only amateur champions in the 23-year history of the Colorado Women’s Open.
“I don’t really think about that,” Kupcho said when asked about that possibility. “I come out and play my game and do whatever I need to do to play the best I can.”
If Kupcho were to claim the overall trophy, she’d also join a select group of Colorado residents who have won the CWO in the 21st century. In the tournament record book, only one champion since 2000 has listed a Colorado hometown — Becca Huffer in 2013. (Note: 2005 winner Erin Houtsma was a former University of Colorado golfer and has lived in Colorado plenty over the years, though her hometown at the time was Phoenix.)
“It would be cool to compete and play up to that and (possibly) get my name on there with the rest of (the Colorado champions),” Kupcho said. “That would be super cool.
“It will be fun (on Friday). I’m excited to compete and play here. It’s nice to have people come out to watch me.”
Kupcho’s runner-up finish 2014 was the highest by an amateur at the Colorado Women’s Open since Huffer was also second in 2008.
Winning the CWO as an amateur would be a fitting addition to what has been a stellar 2017 for Kupcho. So far this year, she’s:
— Won an Women’s NCAA Regional and finished runner-up individually in the NCAA Finals. She was one of three finalists for the women’s college golfer of the year honor.
— She finished 21st in the U.S. Women’s Open after qualifying for that championship for the second straight year.
— Won the Canadian Women’s Amateur.
— Won the CWGA Stroke Play for the third straight year.
Meanwhile, this week Breed is visiting Colorado for the first time in her life, and she’s hoping it produces her second professional victory.
“The thing I’m looking forward to the most (on Friday) is being in the hunt,” the 25-year-old Symetra Tour regular said. “This is the reason I play golf every single day of my life. This is why I practice. When you can start to see the results that you work for, it just makes it that much sweeter and more satisfying. Money is great, but this tournament could be worth $0 and it still would be great to win. I mean, you’re the best that week. That’s what you want to do.”
As for Wong (left), she’s continued her strong play after finishing 25th out of 361 players on Sunday at stage I of LPGA Tour Q-school. Her strong starts both Wednesday and Thursday have added to her confidence.
“I was feeling pretty good” after being 5 under through 5 holes on Thursday. “I was like, ‘Maybe I can shoot the course record.'”
Should Wong win on Friday, it would mark her first victory as a pro.
In fourth place going into the final round is Gabrielle Shipley of Hastings, Mich., who won the Women’s NCAA Division II national title last year at CommonGround Golf Course in Aurora. Despite a triple bogey in Thursday’s round of 71, Shipley stands at 138.
Notable: The championship field was cut after Thursday’s second round to the top 42 players and ties, with those at 5 over par and better after 36 holes advancing to the final round in the individual competition. Barely making the cut was former champion Erin Houtsma. Sisters Ashley Tait (147) and Jaylee Tait (149) both survived the cut. … Kupcho is tops among the amateurs by eight strokes after two rounds. In second place, at even-par 144, is 2016 low amateur Jessica Dreesbeimke, a University of Denver golfer. … Two teams share the lead in the pro-am after 36 holes — at 18 under par: Karlin Beck and Molly Greenblatt, and Casey Danielson and Jim Bender. … Wong, Breed and Kupcho will tee off for Friday’s final round at 9:15 a.m.
For scores from the Colorado Women’s Open, CLICK HERE.
