At 144 holes — eight rounds — the new LPGA Q-Series is most definitely not a sprint, but rather a marathon.
The Q-Series, which in essence serves as the final stage of LPGA Q-school, began Wednesday in Pinehurst, N.C., with four players with strong Colorado ties competing in the 102-golfer field.
Jennifer Kupcho (left) of Westminster, the No. 1-ranked women’s amateur in the world, opened with a 1-over-par 73, which leaves her tied for 19th place at the Pinehurst Resort, which is less than 100 miles from her university, Wake Forest, where she’s a senior. Kupcho, the reigning women’s NCAA Division I individual champion, made a birdie and two bogeys on Wednesday.
The Q-Series features two 72-hole stroke-play tournaments held on consecutive weeks — Wednesday through Saturday and Oct. 31-Nov. 3, both at Pinehurst Resort. Scores are cumulative over the two weeks, with the top 45 finishers and ties earning LPGA cards. A $150,000 purse will be on the line.
Amateurs — such as Kupcho — who go on to earn their LPGA Tour cards can defer their acceptance of membership until July 1, 2019. That means they could complete their college seasons before joining the LPGA Tour should they qualify.
Former University of Colorado golfer Jenny Coleman, who had conditional status on the LPGA Tour in 2017, shot a 75 on Wednesday, which leaves her in 40th place. Becca Huffer of Denver opened with a 77 (74th place) and CU golfer Robyn Choi a 79 (91st place).
This week’s four rounds are taking place at Pinehurst No. 6 and next week’s at Pinehurst No. 7.
Here are the round-by-round scores in Stage 2 for the players with strong Colorado connections:
19. Jennifer Kupcho of Westminster 73
40. Former CU golfer Jenny Coleman 75
74. Becca Huffer of Denver 77
91. CU golfer Robyn Choi 79
For complete results, CLICK HERE.
