The name Jennifer Kupcho will forever be etched in the history of Augusta National Golf Club.
By making a long birdie putt on the final hole to get to 10-under for the tournament, Kupcho, a senior at Wake Forest and the world No. 1 women’s amateur, won the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur on Saturday, besting playing partner Maria Fassi (-6) in the final round at golf’s most sacred setting.
After starting her day with a bogey, Fassi caught fire on the front nine with four birdies and four pars through the next eight holes. Birdies on Nos. 7 and 8 allowed her to take a two-stroke lead to the back nine. Kupcho, the leader after each of the first two rounds at Champions Retreat, made eight pars and just one birdie before making a charge on the back nine.
Leaderboard: Augusta National Women’s Amateur
Kupcho took an aggressive line on the par-5 13th hole, culminating with an eagle to temporarily reclaim a share of the lead.
The two went back-and-forth on the next three holes, with Kupcho holding the advantage. Consecutive birdies on Nos. 15 and 16 – and a Fassi bogey on No. 16 – gave Kupcho a two-stroke lead with two to play and she never looked back.
