Kupcho ends LPGA title drought

Jennifer Kupcho rolled in a birdie putt at the final hole for a one-shot victory over Lee Il-hee at the Shoprite Classic, capturing her first LPGA title since 2022.

"It feels amazing," said Kupcho, a stellar amateur whose three LPGA titles in 2022 included a major at the Chevron Championship.

"I think I struggled a lot early in the year and had a lot of tough weeks, a lot of hard conversations, and it feels good," added the American, who birdied three of the last five holes to seal the win with a five-under-par final round of 66.

Kupcho was one of four players to start the day one shot behind South Korea's Lee and she gained ground quickly with birdies at the second, third and fifth.

Bogeys at the sixth and 11th were sandwiched around a birdie at the ninth, and Kupcho came home strong with birdies at 14, 16 and 18 for a 15-under par total of 198 in the 54-hole event at the Seaview Hotel & Country Club in Galloway, New Jersey.

Lee's hopes of adding a second LPGA title to her 2013 triumph in the Bahamas took a big hit as she bogeyed the first, third and seventh holes.