Prior to the last major on the LPGA Tour schedule Jennifer Kupcho made some big changes.
They’ve paid off in spades through two rounds at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.
Kupcho fired the low round of the Championship Friday. Her 5-under-par 65 moved her to 3-under for the championship and tied for the lead as the afternoon wave just got underway.
Right before the ANA Inspiration, where she finished T22, Kupcho said she changed irons and her caddie.
“Since then it's been really successful, and working on my swing, as well. It's been nice to be able to see success after working so hard,” she said.
Kupcho said she had talked with her parents who suggested she make the club switch. She realized she hadn’t played well with the new irons since they went in the bag, and she decided to go back to the set she used when she was in college.
“Obviously I picked up right where I left off with them,” she said.
As far as her caddie switch is concerned, Kupcho said they key for the duo is that they’ve been on the same page since the start.
“We've continued on the same page,” she said. “Like it's just different playing majors versus last week, obviously, was a shootout, so two different strategies going in, and we've been on it with both of them.”
Kupcho, who finished second last week at the ShopRite LPGA Classic presented by Acer, is looking for her first LPGA Tour title after a celebrated amateur and collegiate career.
Kupcho was also battling a back injury last week – something she fought through college as well. She’s been getting treatment from on-site physiotherapists and said she is fully recovered.
The 23-year-old made no bogeys at Aronimink Golf Club in the second round, and thanks to her clean scorecard she moved up more than 35 spots on the leaderboard.
Despite the runner-up result a week ago and the fine play through two rounds at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, Kupcho said she was feeling “completely unprepared” to play at Aronimink.
However, she said, that feeling actually makes her play better.
“I think not being prepared brings another challenge for me, and I think that's what helps me play well,” she said.
Kupcho has played the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship only once before, in 2019, where she missed the cut.
