Jennifer Kupcho closed with an eight-foot birdie putt in gentle rain to carry off Ilhee Lee on Sunday within the ShopRite LPGA Traditional, ending a drought of practically three years with out profitable.
Kupcho, whose 4 LPGA Tour titles embody a serious on the Chevron Championship, birdied three of the final 5 holes for a 5-under 66. She took the lead with a 20-foot birdie putt from simply off the inexperienced on the 14th, and averted a playoff with the putt on 18.
Lee was the 36-hole chief going into the ultimate spherical on a rain-soaked Bay Course at Seaview Resort, so drenched that the par-3 seventeenth was moved as much as play solely 76 yards. She had two early bogeys and shot 39 on the entrance to fall again.
However the South Korean completed sturdy, with 5 birdies on the again, together with the final two holes, for a 68. It wasn’t sufficient to catch Kupcho, who was in her personal world.
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Kupcho completed at 15-under 198 in certainly one of solely two LPGA occasions contested over 54 holes.
“I actually simply wasn’t serious about the rest,” Kupcho stated. “I feel in my thoughts I had set on 14 underneath, so I used to be actually simply making an attempt to get to that quantity. Clearly did a bit of higher. Yeah, simply feels very nice. Simply type of stayed in my zone the entire time.”
The 36-year-old Lee received her solely LPGA title 12 years in the past within the Bahamas on a course shortened to 12 holes due to historic rain. However she had performed solely 18 occasions within the final seven years, ending off her faculty diploma and dealing briefly for Monetary Discussion board. These days, she has been a part-time golf instructor.
Lee received into the sphere as a previous event winner, at No. 1,426 within the ladies’s world rating.
“I labored for Monetary Discussion board for 100 days after which received out,” Lee stated. “Then I understand, ‘Oh, I’m good at golf.’ So I received to show golf. I began educating a bit of bit, not full time, however I used to be educating a bit of bit and I beloved it. I completely beloved it.
“So since then I used to be educating a bit of bit and enjoying on the identical time and rehabbing, extra remedy on my shoulder and again and ankle. I nonetheless have few college students ready for me in LA so I get to see them subsequent week.”
Kupcho will get a much-needed win after going and not using a trophy after her three-win 2022 season.
“It simply feels wonderful,” Kupcho stated. “I feel I struggled quite a bit early within the yr and had a whole lot of powerful weeks, a whole lot of onerous conversations, and it feels good.”
She stated she carried some momentum from final week within the U.S. Ladies’s Open, although she missed the cup.
“Me and the U.S. Open typically simply don’t get alongside. I feel I simply carried my ball putting into this week,” Kupcho stated. “Hit the ball very well final week, hit it nicely this week, and simply sunk some putts.”