Kupcho storms to Augusta success

Jennifer Kupcho celebrates her victory at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur

Jennifer Kupcho produced a sensational finish at Augusta National to claim a four-shot victory in the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur.

After the first two rounds were played at nearby Champions Retreat on Wednesday and Thursday, the top 30 in the field teed off at Augusta National on Saturday, with world amateur No 1 Kupcho holding a one-shot lead over Mexico’s Maria Fassi.

The final round developed into a duel between the pair with Fassi taking command early on, but they saved the main drama for the back nine with American Kupcho playing some incredible golf at the home of The Masters.

Fassi held a two-shot lead after 12 holes but Kupcho made a brilliant eagle on the par-five 13th, after hitting her second shot to around 10 feet, to join her at the top of the leaderboard.

That was answered by a birdie from Fassi at the 14th as she holed a tricky downhill putt, but Kupcho hit back again with another superb second shot over the water at the par-five 15th to set up a birdie from the back of the green.

The American turned the pressure up another notch with a birdie at the par-three 16th thanks to a fine tee shot as Fassi three-putted for a bogey, her first since the opening hole, to hand Kupcho a two-shot advantage with two to play.

Kupcho is congratulated on her victory by Maria Fassi

After pars at 17, Kupcho closed her round in style by rolling in a long-range birdie putt at the last to seal the victory and card a five-under 67 which took her to 10-under 206.

Fassi’s bogey at the last left her with a two-under 70 and second place, four shots clear of Yuka Saso of the Philippines (69) and Yuka Yasuda of Japan (72).

American duo Zoe Campos (72) and Kaitlyn Papp (74) shared fifth place on one under.

Alice Hewson finished in a tie for 10th

England’s Alice Hewson carded a level-par 72 to finish in joint-10th place with American Sierra Brooks (76), while her fellow Curtis Cup star Olivia Mehaffey of Northern Ireland finished back in joint-23rd after a 76.