Jennifer Kupcho made a strong start to the US Women’s Open, taking a one-shot lead after the first round on Thursday.
The 29-year-old American carded a five-under-par 66 at Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles to move ahead of South Korea’s Kim Sei-young.
Kupcho, who won her only major title at the 2022 Chevron Championship, said the performance “took a little bit of a weight off my chest” after missing the cut in each of her last three appearances at the event.
She began brightly with three consecutive birdies and finished the round with seven in total, alongside two bogeys.
“It’s kind of a ball-striker’s paradise,” she said. “Just hit it down the fairway, hit the greens and make the putts. I was striking the ball well and rolling the putter nicely, which gave me confidence.”
A group of five players sit tied for third, two shots off the lead, including Mexico’s Gaby Lopez and Japan’s Hinako Shibuno.
World number one Nelly Korda, who won the season’s opening major in April, struggled to a three-over 73 and sits further back alongside world number two Atthaya Thitikul and a group of English players.
The tournament is being played at Riviera Country Club, which also hosts the PGA Tour’s Genesis Invitational and will stage golf events at the 2028 Olympics.
