GALLOWAY, N.J. — Jennifer Kupcho closed with an 8-foot birdie putt in light rain to hold off Ilhee Lee on Sunday in the ShopRite LPGA Classic, ending a drought of nearly three years without winning.
Kupcho, whose four LPGA Tour titles include a major at the Chevron Championship, birdied three of the last five holes for a 5-under 66. She took the lead with a 20-foot birdie putt from just off the green on the 14th, and avoided a playoff with the putt on 18.
Lee was the 36-hole leader going into the final round on a rain-soaked Bay Course at Seaview Hotel, so drenched that the par-3 17th was moved up to play only 76 yards. She had two early bogeys and shot 39 on the front to fall back.
But the South Korean finished strong, with five birdies on the back, including the last two holes, for a 68. It wasn’t enough to catch Kupcho, who was in her own world.
Kupcho finished at 15-under 198 in one of only two LPGA events contested over 54 holes.
“I really just wasn’t thinking about anything else,” Kupcho said. “I think in my mind I had set on 14 under, so I was really just trying to get to that number. Obviously did a little better. Yeah, just feels really nice. Just kind of stayed in my zone the whole time.”
