Kupcho takes 6-shot lead
American looking for 1st LPGA win shoots 64 to reach record 16-under
Jennifer Kupcho started fast and kept on going Saturday in The Chevron Championship to take a six-stroke lead into the last round ever at Mission Hills in the major championship.
Kupcho shot an 8-under 64 on anther hot and sunny afternoon in the Coachella Valley for a tournament-record 16-under 200 total. Defending champion Patty Tavatanakit, playing alongside Kupcho in the second-to-last group, was second after a 70.
Kupcho moved into position to win for the first time on the LPGA Tour and take the last victory leap in Poppie’s Pond, three years after passing up a spot in the event to play and win that week in the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur. The tournament that started in 1972 and became a major in 1983 is moving to Houston after failing to attract a sponsor willing to keep it at Mission Hills.
Kupcho birdied eight of the first 12 holes in mostly calm conditions. After an opening par, the 24-year-old former Wake Forest star from Colorado birdied the next four. She added a birdie on No. 8 and opened the back nine with three straight birdies.
Tavatanakit appeared to be in position to cut into the lead on the par-5 11th when she hit her 256-yard second to 6 feet, with Kupcho in the left greenside bunker in two. But Tavatanakit missed the eagle putt and Kupcho got up-and-down for birdie, holing a 6-foot. Both players bogeyed the par-4 13th, and Kupcho stretched the lead to seven on the par-3 17th when she made a 10-foot birdie putt. Tavatanakit got one back on the par-5 18th.
Kupcho broke the 54-hole record of 14 under set by Pernilla Lindberg in 2018 and matched by Tavatanakit last year. Dottie Pepper set the 72-hole mark of 19-under 269 in 1999.
PGA: Brandt Snedeker and Beau Hossler each shot rounds of 5-under 67 to join J.J. Spaun and Dylan Frittelli atop the leaderboard after the third round of the Valero Texas Open. Both Spaun, who shot 69, and Frittelli (70) finished with a share of the lead at 10-under 206. A final-hole bogey kept Scott Stallings out of the lead. He also shot 65 and was a shot back at 9-under. Matt Kuchar’s bogey at 18 dropped him to 8-under after an even-par round.
Champions: Steven Alker shot a tournament-record 10-under 62 on Saturday to take a one-stroke lead over Bob Estes after the second round of the Rapiscan Systems Classic. Alker had an 11-under 133 total at Grand Bear Golf Club, the first-year venue for the event.
Women’s Amateur: Anna Davis didn’t know many of the players when the 16-year-old arrived for her first Augusta National Women’s Amateur. They all know who she is now. Davis got into the mix with two birdies around Amen Corner, closed with a 3-under 69 and took the title Saturday when Latanna Stone collapsed over the final two holes at Augusta National.