The top two-ranked women’s amateurs in the world, No. 2 Jennifer Kupcho of Westminster and No. 1 Lilia Vu, teamed up Saturday afternoon to win a four-ball match, capping a 1-1 day for Kupcho at the Arnold Palmer Cup in Evian-les-Bains, France.
Saturday’s two matches left Kupcho 2-1 so far in the Palmer Cup, which features the best college players from the U.S. and elsewhere in the world competing against one another in a Ryder Cup-style event.
With just Sunday’s singles matches remaining, the U.S. leads the International squad 20.5 points to 15.5.
Kupcho, the NCAA individual champion from Wake Forest, and Vu, who plays for UCLA, defeated Chloe Ryan and Jiwon Jeon 2 and 1 in their four-ball matchup. The Americans never trailed, but 13 of the 17 holes were halved, with the U.S. losing just one hole, No. 15, where the International side made eagle.
Kupcho and Vu finished 6 under par for 17 holes.
In the morning, Kupcho played in mixed foursomes with Matthew Wolff, with whom she won a mixed four-ball match on Friday. But the result was different in foursomes with Jovan Rebula and Albane Valenzuela defeating the Americans 4 and 2.
Kupcho and Wolff made five bogeys in the alternate shot, but they trailed just 1 down through 13. However, the Internationals won the next three holes — going par, birdie, birdie — to close out the match. The Americans were 2 over par for 16 holes.
This marks the first year females have been included in the Arnold Palmer Cup. The Americans lead the all-time series in the event, 11-9-1.
For all the Palmer Cup results from Friday, CLICK HERE.
