The LPGA Tour may only be resuming in late July but some of its players have already swung back into action in events on the smaller US circuits.
Last week, France’s Celine Boutier won the Energy Producers, Inc. Texas Women’s Open while rising American star Jennifer Kupcho claimed victory in the CoBank Colorado Women’s Open. Both events were played with no on-site spectators.
Boutier carded rounds of 68, 64 and 67 at the Old American Golf Club near Dallas to finish on 14-under-par, three shots ahead of fellow LPGA player Cheyenne Knight. Other LPGA players in the field included Kristen Gillman, Yu Liu, Lindsey Weaver and Brittany Lang.
“I’m over the moon. I could not have expected the week to go better. I wasn’t really sure how the week was going to go because I haven’t played competitively in a while. I’m super excited with the way I handled all three rounds and the way I handled myself today with the nerves and everything,” said Boutier after pocketing a relatively modest cheque for US$10,000.
Alya Abdulghany (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Meanwhile, in the CoBank Colorado Women’s Open at Green Valley Ranch in Denver, Kupcho shot rounds of 67, 65 and 68 for a 16-under-par total and a three-shot victory over fellow LPGA player Carlota Ciganda of Spain. Kupcho’s first professional title earned her a cheque for US$50,000.
LPGA player Kim Kaufman tied for third on 11-under-par with Symetra Tour player Bailey Tardy, one shot ahead of LPGA rookie Jenny Coleman.
US-based Malaysian amateur Alyaa Abdulghany captured low amateur honours by finishing T15 on one-under-par after rounds of 71, 73 and 71.
