‘Chevron Champion’ Cupcho wins LPGA Meyer Classic… 2nd win of the season

Jennifer Cupcho (USA), who won the Chevron Championship, a major event on the LPGA Tour in April, lifted the trophy for the second time in two months.

Cupcho was held on the 20th (Korean time) at the Blyderfield Country Club (par 72, 6,638 yards) in Belmont, Michigan, in the final 4 rounds of the LPGA Tour Myer Classic ($2.5 million total prize money), 1 Eagle and 3 Birdies, He hit a 1-under 71 with two bogeys and one double bogey.

Cupcho, who recorded a final 18-under 270 shot, went into overtime by hitting even par with third-round leader Nelly Corda (USA) and Leona Maguire (Ireland), who cut seven strokes only in the fourth round.

In the first leg of overtime on the 18th hole (par 4), Koda failed to putt a birdie, so Cupcho and Maguire, who scored a birdie, advanced to the second leg of overtime.

In the second game of overtime at the same hole, Maguire unfortunately failed to putt the birdie as the ball returned from the hole, while Cupcho lightly caught a birdie to secure the championship.

Cupcho, who won the Chevron Championship in April, never finished in the top 10 in six competitions after that, but this time he took his second win of the season.

Koda, who returned after undergoing surgery for thrombosis in March, maintained the lead until the third round and expected to win the tournament for the second time in a row, but had to be satisfied with the runner-up.

Maguire, who finished the third round in a tie for ninth, drove a 7-under par on the last day to finish runners-up for the second year in a row.

Lydia Ko (New Zealand), who was tied for 5th in the 3rd round, recorded 4 birdies without bogey that day, finishing the tournament in 4th with a final total of 17-under 271 strokes.

Next, Lexi Thompson, Jessica Coda (USA), Carlotta Chiganda (Spain) and Ataya Titikun (Thailand) tied for fifth place with a 16-under 272 shot.

Among Korean players, Choi Na-yeon (35) and Choi Woon-jeong (32) achieved the best performance by finishing jointly in 18th with an 11-under 277 stroke.

Anna Lin (26), who hit 10-under 278, was tied for 24th, and Choi Hye-jin (23), who leads the Rookie of the Year points, tied for 40th with Kim Hyo-joo (27) with 8-under 280.

[사진 출처 : AFP=연합뉴스·게티이미지]