RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. — Jennifer Kupcho took the final victory leap into Poppie’s Pond late Sunday afternoon within the California desert, ending the match greatest often called the Dinah Shore’s half-century run at Mission Hills.
Six strokes forward getting into the day, Kupcho shot a 2-over 74 for a 2-stroke victory over Jessica Korda within the Chevron Championship.
“I think it’s surreal,” Kupcho mentioned. “To be a major winner is really special and to be the last person here at Mission Hills to jump into Poppie’s Pond, it’s all really special.”
The 24-year-old from Colorado completed at 14-under 274. She’s the seventh participant to win her first LPGA Tour title within the occasion that began in 1972 and have become a significant in 1983. The match is shifting to Houston subsequent 12 months after failing to draw a sponsor to maintain it within the desert.
Kupcho took the standard plunge into the pond subsequent to the 18th inexperienced with husband Jay Monahan and caddie David Eller.
“To just be able to [win] quickly after my wedding and be able to celebrate with my husband and have him here, it’s really special,” Kupcho mentioned. “I didn’t see him coming across the bridge. He picked me up. I don’t think he’s ever picked me up, so that was pretty cool.”
Seven strokes forward of Korda and defending champion Patty Tavatanakit at 18 below after holing birdie putts over 30 toes on the par-4 fourth and par-3 fifth, Kupcho performed the ultimate 13 holes in 4 over.
“Honestly, I came out just trying to shoot a couple under,” Kupcho mentioned. “I mean, I had a 6-stroke lead and I shot 8 under yesterday, so I figured if someone can do that, then they deserve to be in a playoff. That was my mentality and what I was fighting for all day. Obviously, didn’t get there, but still pulled it out.”
Korda shot a 69. Combating a again drawback, she holed her strategy for eagle on the par-4 third and pulled inside 4 with birdies on Nos. 11 and 12.
Korda was solely 2 strokes again after Kupcho bogeyed 13 and 14, however she fell three behind with a bogey of her personal on 15 and parred the final three.
“Second place is not bad after being 3 over through seven [Thursday], so pretty proud of myself,” Korda mentioned after her greatest main end. “I really wanted to win this one because I love this event. Pretty bummed that we’re leaving, but I understand why.”
Kupcho pushed the benefit to 4 with a 3-foot birdie putt on the fifteenth, and Korda missed a 12-foot birdie attempt quickly after on 16. Kupcho bogeyed the ultimate two holes, three-putting the par-5 18th.
Kupcho received three years after passing up a spot within the occasion to play and win that week within the inaugural Augusta Nationwide Girls’s Newbie.
“I mean, it’s surreal to be able to say that I was the last person here and first person at Augusta,” Kupcho mentioned. “Hopefully, that isn’t a continuing pattern, because we aren’t stopping in a lot of places soon.”
The 2018 NCAA champion at Wake Forest, Kupcho broke via in her sixty fifth begin on the LPGA Tour.
“I think I’ve matured a lot in the last year and even since I’ve been out here,” Kupcho mentioned. “But I think my putting has got a lot better. I’ve been able to calm myself down a lot better. Obviously, I still have my spurts of anger, but I think that’s how I get it out quickly and then move on. I think my whole mental game has gotten stronger.”
The primary U.S. winner since Brittany Lincicome in 2015, Kupcho opened Thursday with a 66 for a share of the lead. She had a 70 on Friday and had the 64 on Saturday to interrupt the match 54-hole report at 16 below. She missed an opportunity to interrupt the 72-hole mark of 19 below set by Dottie Pepper in 1999.
Pia Babnik of Slovenia closed with a 66 to complete third at 11 below.
Tavatanakit, enjoying alongside Kupcho the previous two days, birdied the 18th for a 72 to tie for fourth at 10 below with 2014 winner Lexi Thompson (68), second-round chief Hinako Shibuno (66) and Celine Boutier (67).
“Such amazing memories here,” Thompson mentioned.
DIVOTS: Chella Choi earned a BMW iX with a hole-in-one on the par-3 seventeenth. She used a 4-hybrid on the 181-yard gap. Choi shot a 71 to tie for 53rd at even par. Pernilla Lindberg aced the 166-yard fifth with a 7-iron. The 2018 winner additionally shot 71 to complete at even par. … Brooke Seay, the Stanford junior who turned down a spot at Augusta to play the ultimate occasion at Mission Hills, was the one one of many 4 amateurs to make the minimize. She completed with a 73 to tie for sixty fifth at 2 over.
