That’s the story for Westminster resident Jennifer Kupcho over the last month in representing the U.S. in the Curtis Cup and the Arnold Palmer Cup.

The Americans won both competitions, including 38.5-21.5 over an International squad Sunday in the Arnold Palmer Cup, which features many of the top college players squaring off in a Ryder Cup-like event. The U.S. now leads the all-time series in the Palmer Cup, 12-9-1.

As for Kupcho, she capped her performance on Sunday in Evian-les-Bains, France with a forfeit victory. Kupcho, the NCAA individual champion from Wake Forest, defeated 2016 NCAA runner-up Dewi Weber from the University of Miami and The Netherlands, who forfeited due to sickness.

That gave Kupcho, the world’s No. 2-ranked women’s amateur, a 3-1 record for the week. Overall, the U.S. went 17-5-2 in Sunday’s singles matches in becoming the first visiting team since 2010 to win the Palmer Cup.

Previously, Kupcho won a mixed four-ball and a same-gender four-ball match, and lost in foursomes. (Kupcho is pictured at right in photo holding the Arnold Palmer Cup with Wake Forest teammate Emilia Migliaccio, who also played for the U.S. Photo courtesy of the Kupcho family.)

This year’s Arnold Palmer Cup was the first that included a female contingent of competitors. The event was held at the Evian Resort Golf Club, which annually hosts the Evian Championship on the LPGA Tour.

In the Curtis Cup last month in New York, Kupcho went 3-1-1 as the U.S. routed Great Britain & Ireland 17-3 in a matchup of the top amateurs from each country/area.

This coming week, Kupcho will continue competing in big events as she’s in the field for the LPGA Tour’s Marathon Classic in Sylvania, Ohio. The 21-year-old earned a spot in the field by virtue of her NCAA victory. It will be her first appearance in an LPGA Tour event other than the U.S. Womem’s Open, in which she’s competed twice.

For all the Palmer Cup results, CLICK HERE.
 

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.
 

A month after going 3-1-1 in the Americans’ Curtis Cup rout of Great Britain & Ireland, Kupcho teamed up with Matthew Wolff to defeat Olivia Mehaffey and Viktor Hovland of the International squad, 4 and 2 in Friday’s mixed four-ball of the Arnold Palmer Cup in Evian-les-Bains, France. The Palmer Cup features the top players in college golf competing in a Ryder Cup-like competition.

In the first Palmer Cup to include female competitors, Kupcho, the NCAA individual champion from Wake Forest, helped the U.S. build an 8-4 lead with two days remaining in the event.

Kupcho and Wolff, who plays for NCAA team champion Oklahoma State, never trailed on Friday, but were all square with Mehaffey and Hovland through eight holes. But the Americans won four consecutive holes starting on No. 9 to take control. During that stretch, Kupcho and Wolff went eagle, birdie, birdie, birdie.

Overall on Friday, after parring each of their first three holes,
Kupcho and Wolff played their final 13 holes in 10 under par and their final eight holes in 8 under. They earned the first point for the U.S. team.

Saturday will feature mixed foursomes in the morning and a four-ball in the afternoon. And Sunday will be singles matches.

The event is being held at the Evian Resort Golf Club, which annually hosts the Evian Championship on the LPGA Tour.

Kupcho, who’s ranked No. 2 in the world in women’s amateur golf, is the third player who’s grown up in Colorado to have competed in the Palmer Cup, following Steve Ziegler (2009) and Wyndham Clark (2014). Cherry Hills Country Club hosted the matches in 2009, with Palmer himself in attendance. Palmer, of course, played golf at the same university as Kupcho does — Wake Forest. The King passed away in 2016.

The Americans lead the all-time series, 11-9-1. This is the first year an international squad is facing the U.S., rather than one strictly limited to European players.

For all the Palmer Cup results from Friday, CLICK HERE.
 

On Wednesday evening, the Westminster resident was named to the team that will represent the U.S. in the 2018 Arnold Palmer Cup, which for the first time is including a women’s contingent of players.

“It is a great honor to be on the first team that includes women,” Kupcho (pictured) said by email on Thursday morning. “I can’t wait to play overseas and get to know more men’s college golfers as well as play with my teammate from Wake Forest, Emilia (Migliaccio). I can’t wait to represent the USA!”

Kupcho is a junior at Wake Forest in North Carolina, where Palmer played his college golf. The King passed away in September 2016 at age 87.

The Palmer Cup features the best college golfers from the U.S. squaring off against an International squad in a Ryder Cup-style match-play format. This will be the first year that an International team will be competing instead of one just representing Europe.

The 2018 Palmer Cup is set for July 6-8 at Evian Resort Golf Club in Evian-les-Bains, France. The club annually hosts the Evian Championship on the LPGA Tour.

Each squad will feature 24 players — a dozen men and a dozen women. On the U.S. women’s end of things, 11 of those golfers were announced on Wednesday, appropriately at Bay Hill in Orlando, Fla., site of this week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational on the PGA Tour.

There were six automatic picks for the American women and five committee selections. A coach’s pick will be added on May 4.

Kupcho was among the committee selections. As Kupcho noted, also on the U.S. squad — as an automatic pick — is Wake Forest teammate Migliaccio.

Kupcho, currently No. 3 in the Women’s World Amateur Golf Rankings, was the women’s NCAA individual runner-up last year after leading by two strokes with two holes remaining. In the national individual women’s college rankings this season, Kupcho sits No. 12 according to Golfweek and No. 15 according to Golfstat. So far this season individually, Kupcho has collected a victory, a runner-up and a sixth-place finish among her six tournaments.

The 20-year-old has been a dominant force in Colorado women’s golf for several years and has been making a mark nationally and internationally recently.

Besides finishing second in the Women’s NCAA Championships in 2017, Kupcho qualified for her second straight U.S. Women’s Open, and she went on to finish 21st overall — and second among amateurs — in arguably the most presigious women’s golf tournament in the world.

Kupcho also claimed her first national title as she won the Canadian Women’s Amateur by five strokes. At the U.S. Women’s Amateur, she made the match play round of 64. Collegiately, in the 2017 calendar year Kupcho won two individual titles, including at an NCAA Regional, and she was a finalist for women’s college player of the year.

The Jefferson Academy graduate earned the CWGA highest’s honor — the President’s Award — in 2017 after being named the CWGA Player of the Year for an unprecented three consecutive years (2014-16). She was inducted into the Sportswomen of Colorado’s Hall of Fame last year after being named the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame’s Golf Person of the Year in 2016.

Additionally in 2017, Kupcho won her third consecutive CWGA Stroke Play, this one with a 13-shot victory margin. And at the CoBank Colorado Women’s Open, she placed second for the second time while competing against a field that included many professionals.

The USGA announced in November that Kupcho was one of a dozen American players invited to a December practice session leading up to the 2018 Curtis Cup, a biennial competition between the top women’s amateurs from the U.S. and Great Britain & Ireland. Kupcho isn’t guaranteed a spot on the eight-person U.S. Curtis Cup squad, but has a leg up toward earning a berth in the matches, which will be played June 8-10 in Scarsdale, N.Y.

Also among the women competing in the 2018 Arnold Palmer Cup — but on the International squad — will be Maria Fassi of Mexico and the University of Arkansas, who has qualified several times in Colorado for USGA championships.

The Arnold Palmer Cup was first contested in 1997. It was held at Cherry Hills Country Club south of Denver in 2009, with Coloradan Steve Ziegler competing for the U.S. team.

The Americans lead the all-time series in the Palmer Cup 11-9-1.

Among past Palmer Cup contestants are Dustin Johnson, Justin Thomas, Rickie Fowler, Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, Billy Horschel and Matt Kuchar.

Here are the 2018 Arnold Palmer Cup teams:

UNITED STATES
Men
Shintaro Ban, UNLVӬ
Zach Bauchou, Oklahoma State
Brad Dalke, Oklahoma
S.M. Lee, Dalton State
Collin Morikawa, CaliforniaӬ
Chandler Phillips, Texas A&M
Davis Riley, AlabamaӬ
Justin Suh, Southern CaliforniaӬ
Sahith Theegala, Pepperdine
Braden Thornberry, Ole Miss
Matthew Wolff, Oklahoma StateӬ
Coach’s Pick
ҬAnnounced May 4

Women
Jamie Freedman, Nova Southeastern
Mariel Galdiano, UCLA
Kristen Gillman, AlabamaӬ
Dylan Kim, Arkansas
Jennifer Kupcho, Wake Forest
Andrea Lee, Stanford
ҬEmilia Migliaccio, Wake Forest
Sophia Schubert, TexasӬ
Lauren Stephenson, Alabama
Alana Uriell, Arkansas
Lilia Vu, UCLAӬ
Coach’s Pick
ҬAnnounced May 4

Coaches 
“¨Head Coach — Therese Hession, Ohio State”¨
Head Coach — Ryan Hybl, Oklahoma
“¨Assistant Coach — Ryan Blagg, Baylor”¨
Assistant Coach — Susan Rosenstiel, Alabama

INTERNATIONAL
Men
Harry Hall, UNLV — England
Viktor Hovland, Oklahoma State — Norway”¨
K.K. Limbhasut, Cal — Thailand
Hurly Long, Texas Tech — Germany
Stefano Mazzoli, TCU — Italy”¨
Fredrik Nilehn, Texas Tech — Sweden
“¨Alvaro Ortiz, Arkanasas — Mexico”¨
Jovan Rebula, Auburn — South Africa
“¨Lorenzo Scalise, Tennessee — Italy
Andy Zhang, Florida — China
The R&A Foundation Scholars Tournament Champion
ҬContested April 2-3
Coach’s Pick
ҬAnnounced May 4

Women
Jaravee Boonchant, Duke — Thailand
Maria Fassi, Arkansas — Mexico”¨
Jiwon Jeon, Daytona State — South Korea
Olivia Mehaffey, Arizona State — Northern Ireland”¨
Ainhoa Olarra, South Carolina — Spain”¨
Pimnipa Panthong, Kent State — Thailand
Maddie Szeryk, Texas A&M — Canada
Patty Tavatanakit, UCLA — Thailand”¨
Albane Valenzuela, Stanford — Switzerland
Dewi Weber, Miami — Netherlands”¨
Coach’s Pick
Announced May 4
The R&A Foundation Scholars Tournament ChampionӬ
Contested April 2-3

Coaches
Head Coach — Herb Page, Kent State — Canada”¨
Head Coach — Anne Walker, Stanford — Scotland”¨
Assistant Coach — Jan Dowling, Michigan — Canada”¨
Assistant Coach — Adrien Mork, TCU — France
 

The fast-approaching spring portion of the college golf season is shaping up to be one of the most interesting in decades from a Colorado perspective.

The spring schedule starts next week for some teams — including the University of Denver men’s squad — and over the next 4 1/2 months we’ll get our answers to the following questions, each of which has a direct link to Colorado:

— Can Westminster resident Jennifer Kupcho remain No. 1 in the nation in women’s college golf?

It’s not very often that a Colorado golfer ranks No. 1 in the nation, but this is one of those times. Kupcho, a sophomore at Wake Forest, will go into the spring schedule No. 1 in women’s golf — at least according to Golfstat’s head-to-head player standings; she’s No. 4 according to Golfweek.

Kupcho, the CWGA Player of the Year the last three seasons, owned a stellar 69.25 stroke average in her four fall tournaments. After finishing eighth and fourth in her first two tourneys of the season, she won her last two fall events of the year.

Of course, arguably the most important thing is where Kupcho finishes in the NCAA Finals in May. Last year, she placed sixth there individually as a freshman.

Kupcho (left) currently sits 15th in the Women’s World Amateur Golf Rankings.

By the way, Kupcho is just one of four “local” players who is ranked among the top 60 women’s college golfers in the nation heading into the spring. Also on that list are Hannah Wood of Highlands Ranch and the University of Oklahoma (26th according to Golfstat); and University of Colorado senior Esther Lee (31st according to Golfweek) and her freshman teammate Kirsty Hodgkins (53rd according to Golfweek).

Lee set the women’s NCAA record for low round in relation to par when she shot a season-opening 11-under-par 61 in September at the University of New Mexico’s Championship Course.

— Can Highlands Ranch resident Wyndham Clark (pictured above) remain No. 1 in the nation in men’s college golf?

If that question looks a lot like the previous one, it’s no misprint. While one Colorado resident is ranked No. 1 in women’s college golf (Kupcho), another is No. 1 in men’s (Clark). At least that’s where Golfstat’s head-to-head player standings puts the University of Oregon’s fifth-year senior, who is in the midst of his only season in Eugene after transferring from Oklahoma State. Clark, a former Big 12 Player of the Year, is No. 2 in the nation according to Golfweek.

The former CGA Amateur champion didn’t win an individual title in the fall — in fact, he has yet to claim an individual championship in his career as a college player, though he’s finished second five times. And, for the record, he was third in an October event in his home state, at the Paintbrush Invitational at Colorado Golf Club.

Overall, Clark went second, third and sixth individually in his three fall college tournaments.

— Will the 2017 NCAA champions pass through Boulder?

As we’ve noted several times in recent years, the men’s Pac-12 Conference Championships will be contested April 28-30 at Boulder Country Club, marking the first time the CU men have hosted a conference tournament since 1972.

Not only will the event feature the defending NCAA champions (Oregon), but seven of Golfweek’s top 20 players in the country figure to be on hand: Maverick McNealy of Stanford (No. 1), Clark of Oregon (No. 2), Sean Crocker of USC (No. 6), Brandon Wu of Stanford (No. 16), Rico Hoey of USC (No. 18), Jonah Texeira of USC (No. 19) and Colin Morikawa of Cal (No. 20).

Joining Clark in the top 75 of the Golfweek men’s rankings is CU junior Yannik Paul, who checks in at No. 75.

— Will any locals play in the 2017 Arnold Palmer Cup?

The Arnold Palmer Cup is the college equivalent of the Ryder Cup, with the top men’s college players from the U.S. and Europe squaring off in individual and two-man team match play competition. This year’s Palmer Cup will be held June 9-11 at Atlanta Athletic Cup. The 2009 version of the Palmer Cup was contested at Cherry Hills Country Club in suburban Denver.

Clark, who competed in the 2014 Palmer Cup, sits No. 1 in the Team USA standings. CU junior Yannik Paul, a German, is No. 10 for Team Europe.

The top six players from both the final U.S. and European standings will earn spots into the 2017 event, along with four captain’s picks for each squad.

— Will the CU men make the NCAA Finals as a team for first time since 2002?

The CU men’s golf program, host of the aforementioned Pac-12 Championships in Boulder, hasn’t advanced a full team to the NCAA Finals in 15 years, but may have the players to get over the hump this season.

The Buffs are currently ranked No. 24 in the nation, according to Golfweek. They have four players who have played at least 10 rounds this season who own stroke averages under 73: Yannik Paul (71.00), Ethan Freeman (71.75), Jeremy Paul (72.31) and Morten Toft Hansen (72.94). Senior Jeremy Paul, who owns the lowest career stroke average in CU history (71.77), advanced to the final stage of Web.com Tour Q-school and has conditional status on that circuit, but coach Roy Edwards said Thursday that Paul will compete for CU in the spring.

— Will the DU women extend their streak to 14?

The DU women don’t play in a particularly strong league by national standards, but whatever the case, winning 13 consecutive conference titles is quite a feat. Yet that’s exactly what the Pioneers have accomplished.

The run includes three Summit League championships, nine in the Sun Belt Conference and one in the WAC.

The opportunity for No. 14 in a row will come April 23-25 in Nebraska City.

Here’s a rundown of some key spring tidbits for the nine NCAA Division I teams based in Colorado:

Air Force Academy Men

National Rank — 153rd (Golfstat), 183rd (Golfweek).

Top Stroke Average at Midseason — Sunwoo Choi 72.87.

Spring Tournament Opener — Feb. 13-14, Pat Hicks Invitational, St. George, Utah.

Conference Championship — April 21-13, Mountain West, Tucson, Ariz.

CSU Men

National Rank — 60th (Golfweek), 69th (Golfstat).

Top Stroke Average at Midseason — Blake Cannon 71.53.

Spring Tournament Opener — Feb. 27-28, National Invitational Tournament, Tucson, Ariz.

Conference Championship — April 21-13, Mountain West, Tucson, Ariz.
 

CSU Women

National Rank — 103rd (Golfstat); 109th (Golfweek).

Top Stroke Average at Midseason — Ellen Secor 74.14.

Spring Tournament Opener — Feb. 27-28, The Gold Rush, Seal Beach, Calif.

Conference Championship — April 17-19, Mountain West, Rancho Mirage, Calif.
 

CU Men

National Rank — 24th (Golfweek), 28th (Golfstat).

Top Stroke Average at Midseason — Yannik Paul 71.0.

Spring Tournament Opener — Feb. 2-4, Amer Ari Intercollegiate, Waikoloa, Hawaii.

Conference Championship — April 28-30, Pac-12, Boulder CC.
 

CU Women

National Rank — 41st (Golfstat); 43rd (Golfweek).

Top Stroke Average at Midseason — Esther Lee 72.25.

Spring Tournament Opener — Feb. 11-12, Peg Barnard Invitational, Stanford, Calif.

Conference Championship — April 24-26, Pac-12, Tucson, Ariz.
 

DU Men

National Rank — 129th (Golfweek), 151st (Golfstat).

Top Stroke Average at Midseason — Chris Korte 73.25.

Spring Tournament Opener — Jan. 23-24, Arizona Intercollegiate, Tucson, Ariz.

Conference Championship — April 28-30, Summit, Newton, Kan.
 

DU Women

National Rank — 49th (Golfstat); 50th (Golfweek).

Top Stroke Average at Midseason — Jessica Carty 73.58.

Spring Tournament Opener — Feb. 19-21, Allstate Sugar Bowl Intercollegiate, New Orleans, La.

Conference Championship — April 23-25, Summit League, Nebraska City, Neb.
 

UNC Men

National Rank — 133rd (Golfstat), 139th (Golfweek).

Top Stroke Average at Midseason — Coby Welch 72.71.

Spring Tournament Opener — Feb. 15-17, John Burns Invitational, Lihue, Hawaii.

Conference Championship — April 28-30, Big Sky, Boulder City, Nev.
 

UNC Women

National Rank — 163rd (Golfstat); 163rd (Golfweek).

Top Stroke Average at Midseason — Janet Yeo 75.0.

Spring Tournament Opener — Feb. 13-14, Battle at Boulder Creek, Boulder City, Nev.

Conference Championship — April 21-23, Big Sky, Boulder City, Nev.