Amy Rogers is an award winning multimedia journalist and freelance writer who has covered professional golf since 2007. She is a contributor to LPGA.com in addition to the Golf Channel and BBC’s coverage of the LPGA Tour.
BELMONT, Mich. – Fan’s obnoxious calls for mashed potatoes and for the ball to get in the hole on the tee at par fives won’t garner much reaction from professionals inside the ropes. However, a gentle reminder from a fan on Thursday at the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give was very much heard by Jennifer Kupcho. In fact, it would prove to be the turnaround that she needed after a challenging start on day one with three bogeys in her first five holes. The fan simply reminded the 2022 winner of the Meijer LPGA Classic that she knew Blythefield Country Club and that she still had the time and the ability to turn her day around. Upon hearing those words, Kupcho rallied with an eagle at her eighth hole on the day and went on to shoot an opening round of 68.
“I heard a fan yell or say like, ‘hey, you know this course. Like you got it. You can flip it.’ I think that was like, okay, like everybody here loves seeing me and I love being here, so kind of just reminded me of why I like being here,” Kupcho said about her change in mindset on Thursday.
“They don’t really care how I play. They just want to see me out there smiling and having fun. Kind of gave me a little bit of a relief.”
Friday, Kupcho continued to ride the momentum she found midway through Thursday’s round when she tee off again on Friday morning, going out in 33 en route to posting a round of 70 to remain in the hunt heading into the weekend.
“I started out really strong. Obviously, played the first nine holes really well,” said Kupcho, who would ultimately need 31 putts on the day as her putter cooled on the back nine. “Really just wasn’t making anything on the back. It was the same. I just wasn’t dropping any putts.”
Kupcho’s solid start through 36 holes in Michigan is just the latest in a series of strong performances from the major champion, who was also in the hunt two weeks ago at the U.S. Women’s Open at Riviera Country Club where she ultimately faded on the weekend into a tie for eighth. But with the consistency that Kupcho has shown at this midpoint of the season with top 10s in two of her last three starts, it feels like a question of not if but when Kupcho will capture win No. 5 on the LPGA Tour.
“It’s a bit of a take-your-medicine type course,” Kupcho said Thursday about the challenge Blythefield presents. “ome holes are a little bit tougher, but most of them, like you can birdie a lot holes out here. I think, yeah, it’s just taking your medicine on the few if you get out of position and then bouncing back.”
The Michigan fans helped Kupcho bounce back on Thursday, and have shown through their words of encouragement that they are already very much in Kupcho’s corner. She’ll no doubt be listening for their ongoing support and, hopefully their cheers, come Sunday as she seeks to hoist the trophy for the second time in front of the Michigan crowds at the Meijer LPGA Classic.
“Obviously, I enjoy playing this golf course, enjoy being out here, enjoy being in front of the fans. Feel like the fans love me out here,” Kupcho said about the reactions she’s received this week in Michigan. “It’s exciting. I’ll just go out there and play my best and we’ll see what happens this weekend.”
