Jennifer Kupcho's One Top-10 Finish This Year? That Makes Her U.S. Open Lead Unbelievable

Alright, Emerald City, listen up, because the U.S. Women's Open just dropped a bombshell that nobody, and I mean *nobody*, saw coming! Jennifer Kupcho, a player who's been quieter than T-Mobile Park after a tough loss, absolutely exploded in the first round at Riviera Country Club. She fired off a jaw-dropping 5-under-par 66 and is sitting pretty with a one-shot lead heading into Friday. What in the world is happening?!

From Struggling to Stardom?

Seriously, if you had this on your bingo card, you're either a prophet or you're lying. Kupcho has not exactly been setting the world on fire this year. She missed the cut just last week at the ShopRite LPGA, and get this, she's only got *one* top-10 finish, a tie for eighth, in ELEVEN tournaments! That's right, one measly top-10. So, to see her come out like this at a major, it's wild! But she wasn't messing around on Thursday. She started her round with three straight birdies, then mixed in four more birdies and just two bogeys. Talk about a heater! Kupcho herself sounds like she's still trying to process it all, telling reporters, "Honestly, I kind of just felt at home. I feel like I really like the golf course. It kind of just flies by. I don't know, I feel like I just really, really like the golf course. It's kind of a ball-striker's paradise, just hit it down the fairway, hit it on the green, and make the putts." And leading her national open? "To be out here competing, be at the top is pretty cool. Obviously something I've never been able to say even after one round. So pretty cool to be able to say that." You love to see it, especially when the chips have been down. Her only major title was way back at the 2022 Chevron Championship, so this is a huge moment for her!

Kim's Hot Start and Korda's Shocking Showing

Of course, it's not a runaway, not yet. South Korea's Sei Young Kim is right on her heels, just one shot back. Kim's no stranger to the big stage either, with her own major crown from the 2020 Women's PGA Championship. She had a fantastic start to her back nine, rattling off back-to-back birdies, only had one bogey all day, and finished her round with a ridiculous birdie-birdie-birdie-par run. That's how you close! Kim knows the course is tough, saying, "The course is not easy. Like every hole is putting me to the test. Yeah, I played it quite solid today, so I'm very happy with that. But we have three more days, and I look forward to the rest of the (tournament)." She's ready to go. And speaking of players we expected to see near the top, where is the World No. 1, Nelly Korda? The superstar with three wins and three runner-up finishes in her seven events this year? She's tied for 57th, sitting at 2 over par! What?! Thai sensation and World No. 2, Jeeno Thitikul, is right there with her at 2 over par. That's a huge shocker for the top players in the game! So, can Kupcho hold onto this incredible momentum? With Kim breathing down her neck and three more days of brutal golf ahead, anything can happen. We're in for a wild ride, Seattle! Get ready for some more drama from Los Angeles.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.