Cupcho "I'm the 3-win champ"... Kang Hyeji 'Joint 4th Place Success'

‘2-Person Team Match’ Salas and Win Collaborate at DGLBI, Choi Hye-jin and An Na-rin Tied for 6th, Koda Sisters Tied for 8th

Jennifer Kupcho (left) and Lizette Salas are celebrating after making a birdie on the 5th hole during the final day of the DGLBI '2-player team match'. Midland, USA = Getty Images/Multivitz Photo by Getty Images

[Asia Economy Reporter No Woo-rae] Jennifer Kupcho (USA), ranked 9th in the world, became the first '3-win champion.'

On the 17th (Korean time), at the Midland Golf Course in Michigan, USA (par 70, 6,256 yards), in the final day of the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational (DGLBI, total prize money $2.5 million), the only '2-player team event' on the LPGA Tour, Kupcho teamed up with Lizette Salas (USA) in the four-ball format (each player plays their own ball and the better score is counted) to shoot 9 under par, securing a dominant 5-stroke victory (26 under par 254).

The tournament determined the champion through foursomes (two players alternate shots with one ball) in rounds 1 and 3, and four-ball in rounds 2 and 4. Kupcho earned her third career win following her first major Chevron Championship victory in April and last month's Meijer Classic win, leading the multiple wins category. Salas claimed her second career victory after an 8-year gap since the 2014 Kingsmill Championship. The prize money to be shared by the two players is $607,620 (approximately 800 million KRW).

Kupcho and Salas started with a 4-stroke lead and collected nine birdies. They reduced four strokes in the front nine with 'stepping stone birdies' on holes 3 and 5 and consecutive birdies on holes 7 and 8, distancing themselves from their competitors. Matilda Castren (Finland) and Kelly Tan (Malaysia) finished second (21 under par 259), Stacy Lewis (USA) and Maria Fassi (Mexico) third (20 under par 260), and sisters Nelly and Jessica Korda (USA) tied for eighth (17 under par 263).

Annika Sorenstam is making an approach shot on the 5th hole of the final day of the DGLBI. Midland, USA = Getty Images / Multibits

‘Former golf queens’ Annika Sorenstam and Madelene Saxstrom (both Sweden) tied for 28th place (11 under par 269). Korea’s veteran Kang Hye-ji (32), paired with Tiffany Chan (Hong Kong), performed well, finishing tied for 4th (19 under par 261). Rookies Choi Hye-jin (23) and An Na-rin (26) tied for 6th (18 under par 262). Kim A-rim (27) and No Ye-rim (USA) tied for 10th (16 under par 264), while Hong Ye-eun (20) and Angel Yin (USA) ended the tournament tied for 32nd (10 under par 270).

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.