Fifty thousand dollars in prize money will do that, especially when the next-biggest amount you’ve won as a professional is $2,000.

“I don’t think it’s set in yet,” the 25-year-old said on Friday at Green Valley Ranch Golf Club in northeast Denver. “Call me in about two hours and I’ll probably be passed out in the street somewhere.

“This is probably the most proud I’ve ever been. I mean, 50 grand, that changes my life. That doesn’t just change my year, that changes my career. It’s just hard to put into words just how much it means to have your eye on the prize and you accomplish it. And you have your two lowest rounds of the year (67-67 on Wednesday and Thursday), and this is my lowest total ever (for 54 holes) as a professional. Just stuff like that, when you start piecing it all together, it makes this week really, really, really special.”

On a windy, challenging day, Breed (left) shot a 1-over-par 73 on Friday to win by two with a 9-under 207 total.

Kupcho — the Westminster resident who’s ranked No. 3 in the world among female amateurs after winning the Canadian Women’s Amateur and finishing 21st in the U.S. Women’s Open — was nipping at Breed’s heels all day long on Friday, but could never catch her. The Wake Forest junior finished runner-up for the second straight time in this event, having also hit that mark in 2014, her last time playing here.

“Obviously I came out here to win,” the 20-year-old said. “Low am is one thing, but I came out to win the big thing. That’s a little disappointing.”

Kupcho (left) was within a stroke of the lead on several occasions on Friday, including after Breed made a bogey on the 15th hole. But the golfer from Pennsylvania birdied No. 16 from 12 feet, punctuating the putt with a fist pump. Both players bogeyed No. 17, leaving Kupcho two back going into the par-5 18th. The Coloradan certainly has the length to reach the green in two, but she pushed her tee shot into the environmentally sensitive area on the right, took a stroke penalty and ended up with a closing bogey. And even though Breed also bogeyed the final two holes, she won by two.

“I didn’t play my best,” Kupcho said after playing her last five holes in 3 over par to shoot a 73. “I left a lot of putts out there, and you’re not going to win a professional tournament if you’re not making putts. That’s pretty much what let me down today.

“I think I always had a good chance (coming down the stretch). When we got to the back nine I was one down. … I knew the three hardest holes on the golf course were coming up and anything can happen. Obviously I’ve been in that spot at (NCAA) nationals” where Kupcho led through 16 holes of the final round but finished second. “It was fun to be trailing. I was trying to grind out and see what I can do.”

While Kupcho came up short in trying to become just the second amateur to win the CWO, she enjoyed competing in front of family, friends and fans in her home state — and in going head-to-head with professionals.

“It’s exciting to play up with the pros,” she said. “I know I can do it. I know I can play well because of the U.S. Open and things like that. And it’s cool to do it in my home state.”

Andrea Wong of San Francisco, who held at least a share of the lead after the first two days, tied for third at 210 with Alexandra Kaui of Las Vegas. Wong closed with a 76 after going 5 over par in a three-hole stretch in the middle of her round. Kaui posted a 71.

Gabrielle Shipley of Hastings, Mich., who won the 2016 NCAA Division II women’s individual title at CommonGround Golf Course in Aurora, placed fifth at 211. Lauren Coughlin of Charlottesville, Va., the 2016 champion, was among those tied for sixth at 212.

Breed, a Symetra Tour regular who is exempt into stage II of the three-stage LPGA Tour qualifying process, won in her first time competing at the Colorado Women’s Open.

“This was my first time playing here, and I’m glad I came,” she said with a big smile.

The CWO marks Breed’s second victory as a professional, as she captured the title in the Kentucky Women’s Open in 2015. But with the $50,000 check that she received Friday, this one goes in another class.

“The more I think about it, the more elated I get,” she said.

Breed would have gotten the $50,000 even if Kupcho had won — given that the Coloradan is an amateur. But Breed did her best to keep that kind of thinking at bay.

“I wanted to win (and not just get the $50,000 for being low pro),” she said. “That was the mindset I had today. Obviously I knew I was playing for a ton of money. Instead of focusing on the money — if you think you’re playing for $50,000, you’re going to shoot 100 — I was just thinking of winning the event. It could have been worth $0 or $1 million, I just wanted to win the tournament. That was my only goal, and luckily I got it done.”

Kent Moore Receives Prestigious Honor: Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Kent Moore was presented with the Robert M. Kirchner Award by 2016 recipient Rich Langston after Friday’s final round of the CWO. The Kirchner Award is given to a person who has contributed greatly to amateur, professional and/or tournament golf in Colorado. Moore was the chairman of the Colorado Open Golf Foundation from its founding in 2003 through 2005, and Langston introduced him as “a gentleman.”

“Golf, at the end of the day, is really about community,” Moore said. “It has been for me. My life has so much of golf woven in, and it’s all been really, really good.”

As a competitor, Moore has won eight different CGA individual championships over the last 44 years: the 1973 Junior Match Play, the 1986 Amateur, the 1989 Match Play, the 1995 Mid-Amateur, the 2006 Senior Match Play, the 2014 Senior Stroke Play, the 2016 Super-Senior Stroke Play and the 2017 Super-Senior Match Play.

(Moore, right, and Langston are pictured at left.)

Notable: Kupcho ended up claiming low amateur honors on Friday by 11 strokes. University of Denver golfer Jessica Dreesbeimdieke, the 2016 low-am, and Colorado State University golfer Ellen Secor tied for second among amateurs at 4-over-par 220. … Karlin Beck of Montgomery, Ala., and Molly Greenblatt of Denver teamed up to win the pro-am competition by four strokes with a 27-under-par 189 total, which established a scoring record for the event.

For scores and payouts from the Colorado Women’s Open, CLICK HERE.

It’s ironic that in the same year the prize money for the top professional finisher in the CoBank Colorado Women’s Open has more than quadrupled, there’s a decent chance that the overall champion will be an amateur.

Such is the scenario when you have the No. 3-ranked women’s amateur in the world in the field.

Jennifer Kupcho of Westminster, competing in the Colorado Women’s Open for the first time since finishing runner-up in 2014, has put herself in contention to be just the second amateur ever to claim the overall title.

The Wake Forest junior shot a bogey-free 5-under-par 67 on Thursday at Green Valley Ranch Golf Club to jump into third place going into Friday’s final round.

Two players competing in their first Colorado Women’s Open are the only ones ahead of Kupcho after 36 holes.

First-round leader Andrea Wong of San Francisco and Liz Breed of Waynesboro, Pa., will share the top spot going into the last round. Wong, a former Cal-Davis golfer, birdied her first five holes on Thursday, a day after starting with three straight birds. Wong, who is exempt on the Ladies European Tour this year, made a 9-foot birdie on her final hole to shoot a 4-under 68, leaving her at 10-under 134.

Also at that figure is Breed, a former University of Kentucky golfer who shot her second consecutive 67. The 2015 Kentucky Women’s Open champion chalked up six birdies on Thursday.

Should Kupcho (pictured above with mom/caddie Janet Kupcho) end up winning on Friday, the $50,000 first prize will simply go to the low professional. And the 2017 Canadian Women’s Amateur champion would make do with joining 2006 champion Paige Mackenzie as the only amateur champions in the 23-year history of the Colorado Women’s Open.

“I don’t really think about that,” Kupcho said when asked about that possibility. “I come out and play my game and do whatever I need to do to play the best I can.”

If Kupcho were to claim the overall trophy, she’d also join a select group of Colorado residents who have won the CWO in the 21st century. In the tournament record book, only one champion since 2000 has listed a Colorado hometown — Becca Huffer in 2013. (Note: 2005 winner Erin Houtsma was a former University of Colorado golfer and has lived in Colorado plenty over the years, though her hometown at the time was Phoenix.)

“It would be cool to compete and play up to that and (possibly) get my name on there with the rest of (the Colorado champions),” Kupcho said. “That would be super cool.

“It will be fun (on Friday). I’m excited to compete and play here. It’s nice to have people come out to watch me.”

Kupcho’s runner-up finish 2014 was the highest by an amateur at the Colorado Women’s Open since Huffer was also second in 2008.

Winning the CWO as an amateur would be a fitting addition to what has been a stellar 2017 for Kupcho. So far this year, she’s:

— Won an Women’s NCAA Regional and finished runner-up individually in the NCAA Finals. She was one of three finalists for the women’s college golfer of the year honor.

— She finished 21st in the U.S. Women’s Open after qualifying for that championship for the second straight year.

— Won the Canadian Women’s Amateur.

— Won the CWGA Stroke Play for the third straight year.

Meanwhile, this week Breed is visiting Colorado for the first time in her life, and she’s hoping it produces her second professional victory.

“The thing I’m looking forward to the most (on Friday) is being in the hunt,” the 25-year-old Symetra Tour regular said. “This is the reason I play golf every single day of my life. This is why I practice. When you can start to see the results that you work for, it just makes it that much sweeter and more satisfying. Money is great, but this tournament could be worth $0 and it still would be great to win. I mean, you’re the best that week. That’s what you want to do.”

As for Wong (left), she’s continued her strong play after finishing 25th out of 361 players on Sunday at stage I of LPGA Tour Q-school. Her strong starts both Wednesday and Thursday have added to her confidence.

“I was feeling pretty good” after being 5 under through 5 holes on Thursday. “I was like, ‘Maybe I can shoot the course record.'”

Should Wong win on Friday, it would mark her first victory as a pro.

In fourth place going into the final round is Gabrielle Shipley of Hastings, Mich., who won the Women’s NCAA Division II national title last year at CommonGround Golf Course in Aurora. Despite a triple bogey in Thursday’s round of 71, Shipley stands at 138.

Notable: The championship field was cut after Thursday’s second round to the top 42 players and ties, with those at 5 over par and better after 36 holes advancing to the final round in the individual competition. Barely making the cut was former champion Erin Houtsma. Sisters Ashley Tait (147) and Jaylee Tait (149) both survived the cut. … Kupcho is tops among the amateurs by eight strokes after two rounds. In second place, at even-par 144, is 2016 low amateur Jessica Dreesbeimke, a University of Denver golfer. … Two teams share the lead in the pro-am after 36 holes — at 18 under par: Karlin Beck and Molly Greenblatt, and Casey Danielson and Jim Bender. … Wong, Breed and Kupcho will tee off for Friday’s final round at 9:15 a.m.

For scores from the Colorado Women’s Open, CLICK HERE.
 

The timing of the CoBank Colorado Women’s Open isn’t ideal for a college golfer like Jennifer Kupcho, which is why the Westminster resident hasn’t competed in the tournament the last couple of years after placing second in 2014.

It hasn’t been easy, but she’s shoe-horning the event into her schedule this week, much to the delight of tournament organizers. After all, it’s nice to have a player in your field who finished 21st in the U.S. Women’s Open, won the Canadian Women’s Amateur, qualified for last week’s LPGA Tour stop at the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open (though she elected not to play) and finished second in the Women’s NCAA Championship Finals. And she’s the winner of the last three CWGA Stroke Play Championships to boot.

To make playing in the Colorado Women’s Open a reality this week, Kupcho (left) had to fly back to Colorado on Tuesday evening after starting school at Wake Forest in North Carolina on Monday. In fact, during a mid-round lightning delay on Wednesday afternoon at Green Valley Ranch Golf Club, the No. 3-ranked women’s amateur in the world was working on some homework that’s due on Thursday morning before her second-round tee time.

“I have an assignment due for an education class before my tee time tomorrow,” she noted. “It’s due before that class — there it’s 9:30, so 7:30 our time. I was thinking, ‘I could either do it now or I could do it later tonight when I want to sleep. So just do it now.'”

Then a day after things wrap up in the Women’s Open, Kupcho will fly to Charleston, S.C., where she’ll play at Kiawah Island in Wake Forest’s season opener Monday and Tuesday.

But Kupcho isn’t here just to make an appearance. She has a good chance to become just the second amateur to win the Colorado Women’s Open — joining Paige Mackenzie (2006) — and nothing changed in that regard in Wednesday’s opening round.

Despite playing in windy conditions in the afternoon, the 20-year-old shot a 3-under-par 69 despite three-putting for par on her final hole. That leaves her in a share of sixth place after the first day.

The back-and-forth in order to play at GVR “is a little crazy,” Kupcho admitted. “It’s kind of different not getting to spend a whole lot of time with my team since (a lot of players are newcomers). But it’s fine. I like traveling and playing different tournaments. And it’s good to be back home.

“I just chose I wanted to play in this. I hadn’t played in it in a couple of years. I thought it would be a lot of fun — and it is.”

On Wednesday, Kupcho finished with five birdies — including three straight starting on her 10th hole — and two bogeys.

“I played really well,” she said. “I was hitting the ball better than I thought I would. I’ve been slacking a little on practicing since going back to school.”

On the CWO leaderboard along with Kupcho are a couple of first-time Colorado Women’s Open participants who just advanced through the first stage of the LPGA Q-school process. Andrea Wong (left) of San Francisco shot a 6-under-par 66 to grab the first-round lead. And Gabrielle Shipley of Hastings, Mich., who won the Women’s NCAA Division II national title last year at CommonGround Golf Course in Aurora, opened with a 67 along with Liz Breed of Wayneboro, Pa., who played the back nine in 6-under 30. Tied for fourth at 4 under par are Wendy Doolan of Lakeland, Fla. (68) and Karlin Beck of Montgomery, Ala. (through 12 holes).

“Last time I was here (in Denver), I played great,” Shipley said, referring to her national collegiate title. “And coming off of Q-school, qualifying for stage II, it was just all good vibes going into this week. Coming back here to the area is happy altogether. So I’m excited.

“My approaches were on fire today. And these are the best-rolling greens I’ve played on all this year — and they’re the quickest I’ve played on. Usually, what you see is what you get, so you can trust it more because there’s not bumps everywhere.”

Wong, a winner of four college tournaments while at Cal-Davis — including an NCAA Regional last year — is exempt this year on the Ladies European Tour. On Wednesday, she started her round with three straight birdies and racked up seven overall, four of which came on the par-5s.

“I’ve always heard how the Colorado Open is one of the best state opens,” Wong said. “I have really good family friends that live nearby. And two of my good friends from college are road-tripping from the East Coast and happen to be in Denver so they came and watched my front nine which was really fun. It was just a good day.”

Because of an hour-long weather delay on Wednesday afternoon, round 1 wasn’t completed. It will resume on Thursday at 7:15 a.m. Second-round tee times won’t be affected.

Notable: CGA executive director Ed Mate was part of a threesome on Wednesday — and will be against Thursday — that included pro-am teammate Lauren Coughlin, the defending champion, and Kupcho. Coughlin and Mate lead the pro-am competition after posting a 10-under-par 62 net best-ball score on Wednesday. … In the competition for low-amateur, Kupcho leads by three over 2016 low-am Jessica Dreesbeimdieke of the University of Denver, Baylee Price of Broken Arrow, Okla., and Maggie Cowart of New Braunfels, Texas. … The championship field will be cut after Thursday’s second round to the top 42 players and ties. … A reminder: The purse for this week’s tournament is $150,000, with $50,000 going to the top professional finisher.

For scores from the Colorado Women’s Open, CLICK HERE.
 

Five years ago, Gabrielle Shipley capped off her high school golf career by winning a state title in Michigan.

On Saturday, she finished off her college golf career by claiming an individual national championship.

It was a nice bit of symmetry.

The Grand Valley State (Mich.) senior pulled off her college career dream by prevailing by one stroke in Saturday’s Women’s NCAA Division II Finals at CommonGround Golf Course in Aurora.

And she did it in style by making a 6-foot putt for birdie on her final hole as a collegian.

“I’m so excited,” she said after her one-shot victory over fellow senior Kasey Petty of Findlay (Ohio). “But I don’t know if it’s sunk in yet. I think everybody knew except me that I had to make that (final) birdie putt. I didn’t know what it was for — for my low score (ever in a college tournament) and to win it. When everyone cheered that was reassuring. I had yet to break 70 in a college tournament, so that was a goal. (Winning) was also a goal, since my freshman year. I’m so happy that I did it.”

Shipley, who has finished in the top five individually in every tournament but one this season, closed with a 3-under-par 69 to go 73-70-70-69 for a 6-under-par 282 total for the week. She made four birdies in a five-hole stretch on the front nine — draining a 50-foot double-breaker on No. 4 — then played her final four holes in 2 under par. The result was the top golf accomplishment of her young career.

“I just wanted to commit to every shot today, commit to no regrets and to just play my own game. And I did that,” she said.

But as far knowing how she stood relative to her competition, she had no interest in that.

“I had no idea where I was standing coming into the last day,” she said. “I haven’t looked at a scoreboard yet. I don’t like thinking numbers, I don’t like knowing anything because it’s just me playing the golf course. That’s all I want to focus on. I kind of knew my score, but the two bogeys (on 12 and 13) threw my brain off. I think that was kind of a blessing because I had no idea what that last birdie putt was for.”

The result was Shipley’s 11th individual victory over her college career.

Petty, who has five individual wins to her credit, bolted out to an early lead on Saturday thanks to two birdies and an eagle in her first six holes. But an eight-hole stretch in the middle of the round in which she was 3 over par cost her. A birdie on her 16th hole tied her with Shipley before the Grand Valley State golfer closed with the birdie. Petty posted a 70 and a 283 total.

Senior Isabel Jimenez Perea of Tarleton State was the only other golfer to finish under par for the week as she shot 72 Saturday and placed third at 285.

In the team competition, Rollins College (Fla.; left) earned its record sixth NCAA DII national championship in women’s golf, though the first since 2008. The Tars held or shared the lead from the end of the first round on and their 21-over-par 1,173 total was nine better than 2015 champion Indianapolis. Nova Southeastern was third at 1,183.

The title ended the careers of Rollins seniors Hally Leadbetter and Annie Dulman. They teamed with sophomores Lexi Toth and Madison Lellyo, and junior Paige Lyle. Individually, Toth placed fourth on Saturday, Dulman ninth, Leadbetter 15th, Lyle 20th and Lellyo 53rd.

Leadbetter, the daughter of world-renowned golf instructor David Leadbetter, led after 36 holes, but went 74-82 the last two days.

“The whole tournament was a team effort,” said Hally Leadbetter, who plans to go to Ladies European Tour Q-school next winter. “I was pleased I did my part the first two days. Today I obviously did my best but it wasn’t a great day (personally). That happens. But I’m so so happy that me and Annie, our other senior, could finish (with a title) because last year we lost to Indianapolis. This was now or nothing, so let’s get it done. That was really great.

“We gave it our shot with no regrets. You can’t have fear out there. We gave it our all. Thankfully it was enough.”

David Leadbetter followed his daughter all four rounds at CommonGround. (The Leadbetters are pictured at left.)

“It’s important to be out here for the last (college) tournament,” he said afterward.

The women’s tourney — and the men’s DII finals at Green Valley Ranch Golf Club — were part of the NCAA Division II National Championships Festival in which titles in six sports (M&W golf, M&W tennis, softball and women’s lacrosse) were decided.

For scores from the women’s tournament at CommonGround, CLICK HERE.
 

The three co-leaders going into the final round of the Women’s NCAA Division II Finals have a combined 27 individual college titles to their credit, but they’d probably trade them all for a victory Saturday at CommonGround Golf Course in Aurora.

The three seniors — Isabel Jimenez Perea of Tarleton State (Texas), Gabrielle Shipley (left) of Grand Valley State (Michigan) and Kasey Petty of Findlay (Ohio) — all will wrap up their college careers on Saturday and a DII national title will be on the line.

“It feels awesome,” said Petty, winner of five college events individually. “This is what I’ve been working for the last two or three years. I can’t believe it, but I’m just going to go out there tomorrow and do what I can. No pressure. It’s my last tournament ever. I’m just excited to be here and excited to be where I’m at right now.”

Perea, who’s claimed a dozen individual championships as a collegian, and Petty matched 3-under-par 69s on Friday to come in at 3-under 213 overall. Also at that figure is 10-time college winner Shipley, who carded a third-round 70.

The co-leaders are three of the five players who are under par through three days. Joining them are second-round leader Hally Leadbetter of Rollins College (Fla.) (215 after a 74 Friday) and Marisa Toivonen of Augustana (S.D.) (215 following a 72). Leadbetter’s dad, world-renowned golf instructor David Leadbetter (left), followed his daughter throughout Friday’s round.

Fifth-year senior Hally Leadbetter, like Perea a left-hander, is setting the pace for Rollins, which stands at 7-over-par 871 and leads the team competition by seven over defending champion Indianapolis. Rollins, last year’s runner-up, has won a record five national titles in women’s golf, but none since 2008.

The two sub-par team scores on Friday came from Grand Valley State (a school record 4-under 284) and Tarleton State (285), who are being led by Shipley and Perea, respectively. Tarleton stands in fourth place overall (886) and Grand Valley (890) is sixth.

“It’s been my goal since I came here freshman year (to win a national title) both individually and as a team,” said Shipley, a former Michigan state high school champion who has finished in the top five individually in every tournament but one this season. “Today was a really good day for us — we set a school record (for single-round scoring) and we were under par as a team. That was awesome.”

Perea (left), a Spaniard, is the No. 2-ranked Division II player in the nation (behind Dallas Baptist’s Ann Parmerter, who is in seventh place at 218). Perea chalked up five birdies on Friday and had eight “3s” on her card.

“It would be pretty awesome” to claim a national title on Saturday, she said.

The women’s tourney — and the men’s DII finals at Green Valley Ranch Golf Club — are part of the NCAA Division II National Championships Festival in which titles in six sports (M&W golf, M&W tennis, softball and women’s lacrosse) will be decided.

Tickets for the DII National Festival are $5 per person per day, or $15 for an all-session pass for the week. Tickets purchased at one site will be valid at all other competition sites.

For more information on the Spring Sports Festival, CLICK HERE.
 

For scores from the women’s tournament, CLICK HERE.