In the Spotlight

Tale of 2 recent Colorado Golf Hall of Fame inductees: Wyndham Clark falls just short of 2 straight wins on PGA Tour, while Jennifer Kupcho posts her first top-10 at U.S. Women’s Open

By Gary Baines 

Eighteen months ago, Colorado natives Wyndham Clark and Jennifer Kupcho were inducted into the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2024.

On Sunday, the two had an opportunity to make a collective splash the way two golfers from Colorado have seldom done ever on the same day.

Kupcho was one stroke out of the lead going into the final round of the U.S. Women’s Open, arguably the most prestigious tournament in women’s golf, at one of golf’s top venues, Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, Calif.

And Clark, playing his first tournament since notching his fourth PGA Tour win at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson two weeks ago, rallied from a six-stroke deficit entering the final round to share the lead for most of the final hour or so of regulation on Sunday at the Memorial tournament. The Memorial is one of the top PGA Tour events outside the majors and it’s played at another of golf top venues, Muirfield Village Golf Club.

Alas, neither Colorado natives emerged with the victory on Sunday, though one (Clark) came very close.

Kupcho, who led the U.S. Women’s Open after a first-round 66, struggled somewhat on Sunday after three strong rounds (66-73-69). The winner of four LPGA Tour titles, including a major, was 4 over par for the day through 10 holes and shot a 3-over-par 74. The 29-year-old, who grew up in Westminster, finished tied for eighth at 2 under par, six back of champion Nelly Korda.

Kupcho made two birdies and five bogeys on Sunday, missing three par putts of 6 or 7 feet. She converted birdies of 22 feet on 11 and a 3-footer on 17.

Despite losing some ground on Sunday, Kupcho posted her best finish ever at the U.S. Women’s Open, the LPGA Tour event she’s played in more than any other — 11 times, dating back to 2016. The best previous showing in the event for the former NCAA and Colorado Women’s Open champion was a 21st place in 2017 as an amateur.

For her performance, Kupcho earned $319,831.

Also almost those tying for eighth place was Allisen Corpuz, whose caddie is Jay Monahan, Kupcho’s husband.

Kiara Romero, who won the 2023 U.S. Girls’ Junior at the Air Force Academy, not only finished low amateur on Sunday, but tied for sixth overall — an unusually showing by an am in the USWO.

For all the scores from the U.S. Women’s Open, CLICK HERE.

Meanwhile, at the Memorial, Clark shared the lead as he stood on the 18th tee Sunday at Muirfield Village. But Ryan Gerard sank a 37-foot birdie on No. 17 and J.T. Poston drained a 7-foot birdie on 18 and joined Gerard in a playoff, leaving Clark with a solo third place finish. (Poston beat Gerard in sudden death to claim the title.)

That means that Clark’s best two finishes in the last 25 months on the PGA Tour came in the last couple of weeks — his win at the Bryon Nelson and the third at the Memorial.

With those two performances alone, Clark has earned paychecks of $3,254,000 — $1.854 million for the Nelson and $1.4 million on Sunday.

“All in all, I felt really good,” the 2023 U.S. Open champion said on Sunday. “It was really fun to be in the moment coming down the back nine. I had a chance on 17 and 18 and just didn’t make them.

“If I could hit fairways, my iron play has been really, really good. So that’s what I (will try to) fix going into the U.S. Open. (I want to) be way more steady off the tee because I think I can play really good when I’m coming from the fairway.”

At the formidable Muirfield Village, Clark went 67-75-68-67 for an 11-under-par total.

For all the results from the Memorial, CLICK HERE.

About the Writer: Gary Baines has covered golf in Colorado continuously since 1983. He was a sports writer at the Daily Camera newspaper in Boulder, then the sports editor there, and has written regularly for ColoradoGolf.org since 2009. The University of Colorado Evans Scholar alum was inducted into the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame in 2022. He owns and operates ColoradoGolfJournal.com