Chalk up another accomplishment for “Team Kupance.”
That’s the name Jennifer Kupcho and Gillian Vance of CommonGround Golf Course call themselves when they join up to compete in golf.
They not only qualified for the inaugural U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball — held a year ago — but they advanced to the round of 32 before losing in 20 holes. Shortly thereafter, each of them won a 2015 state high school title, Vance in Class 5A and Kupcho her second straight in 4A.
And after a year of NCAA Division I golf for each of them — Kupcho at Wake Forest and Vance at the University of Colorado — they paired up again this week at the CWGA Mashie Championship. And, sure enough, they proved dominant while winning the Mashie in their first time competing in the tournament.
After prevailing in their previous matches in the four-ball match play event by 8-and-6 and 6-and-5 margins, the two clinched the title Wednesday by defeating two Colorado Golf Hall of Famers who have won six Mashie championships together.
Kupcho and Vance scored a 6-and-5 victory at the Club at Ravenna over Janet Moore and Christie Austin of Cherry Hills Country Club (pictured at left). The champions didn’t lose a hole Wednesday and were 4 under par through 13 holes.
“I started playing in the CWGA stuff probably when I was 10 or 12 — so about 40 years ago,” noted Moore, a five-time CWGA Stroke Play champion. “I’ve never seen anyone like (Kupcho). She’s in a different league altogether. She has great temperament, a world-class swing, she’s really powerful and she’s just a good kid, too. I think she’s going to do very well.
“It was a treat to play with both of them.”
Added Austin, a two-time CWGA Senior Player of the Year: “Jennifer is a special player, and it was obvious watching her today. The one hole she makes a mistake (the final one, where she hit the lip of a fairway bunker with her second shot), she finds a way to get up and down for a bogey. She is right up there with the best collegiate players in the country.”
For Kupcho, the CWGA Player of the Year in 2014 and ’15, the victory caps a month in which she’s qualified for the U.S. Women’s Open and finished sixth individually at the Women’s NCAA Finals while a freshman at Wake Forest. Wednesday marked her fifth CWGA title.
“I think we were just working together really well this week,” Kupcho, 19, said of her and Vance. “And today we ham and egged it really well.”
Vance (pictured at left and at top with Kupcho) collected her first CWGA championship on Wednesday.
“I’ve never played in this tournament before, so I thought it was really fun,” said the 18-year-old. “It was just a good idea after (the college season). It was much more fun than serious.
“But I didn’t realize it was my first CWGA title. That’s exciting.”
Kupcho made three birdies on Wednesday, including a 2-incher on the par-3 sixth hole, while Vance’s birdie came on the eighth hole, where she chipped in from about 50 feet.
Despite being underdogs, Moore and Austin were hoping the stars would align Wednesday and they could pull off the big upset. But they weren’t at their best, and Kupcho and Vance were on their game enough to continue to end matches early.
“We were optimistic that we would play great and they might struggle on a hole or two,” Austin said. “And if we could get 1 down or 2 down with three to go, funny things can happen in match play. Did we really think we could beat them? Probably 85 or 90 percent chance, no.
“But it was really, really fun to play them even though it was a tough loss.”
Said Moore: “We’re pleased with how we did. We would have liked to have played better today, but I’m not sure it would have made any difference — obviously. We just would like to have given them a little better match. It was a treat to watch them both.”
CWGA Mashie Finals
Wednesday at the Club at Ravenna in Littleton
Championship Flight
Championship — Jennifer Kupcho/Gillian Vance def. Janet Moore/Christie Austin, 6 and 5
Consolation — Shelly Edwards/Lisa Lee def. Lynn Zmistowski/Kim Sorkness, 2 and 1
First Flight
Championship — Sarah Hunt/Laura Stuto def. Vickie Brown/Sally Lawrence, 1 up
Consolation — Lynda McManus/Caitlyn Olson def. Karen Chase/Kim Wells, 1 up
Second Flight
Championship — LeAnna Rosenow/Patricia Swanson def. Meagan Arvidson/Laura Dunston, 2 up
Consolation — Kim Gosche/Leslie Keith def. Peggy Cox/Candace Meyers, 2 and 1
Third Flight
Championship — Sue Hartwell/Jean Miller def. Kate Connor/Melanie Lunsford, 6 and 4
Consolation — Pam Cortez/Sue Knutson def. Denise Garcia/Pam Thompson, 6 and 5
Fourth Flight
Championship — Wendy Atkinson/Patricia Sato def. Cathy Quesnell/Melinda Williamson, 1 up
Consolation — Paula Maes/Dana Smith def. Brenda Horn/Gwyn Wheeler, 19 holes
Fifth Flight
Championship — Rebecca Howard/Krista Overstreet def. Linda Loveland/Linda Powell, 1 up
Consolation — Sara Beinlich/Sylvia Reading def. Connie Brodt/Karen Leuschel, 3 and 2
Sixth Flight
Championship — Norma Bisdorf/Marla Straw def. Debbie Childs/Ellen Thomas, 3 and 2
Consolation — Darlene Evans/Beckie Harkey def. Doreen Tallman/Maria Erlinda Trujillo, 3 and 2
Seventh Flight
Championship — Janice Campbell/Claudia Gallegos def. Barbara DeGrand/Becky Hammer, 4 and 3
Consolation — Christy Tinsley/Kerri Williams def. Mari Johnson/Pamela Schmidt, 1 up
Eighth Flight
Championship — Claudia Svarstad/Rochelle Tisdale def. Cynthia Howard/Marsha Swoboda, 2 and 1
Consolation — Suzanne Elkins/Mary Smith def. Cheryl Berning/Janie Koontz, 3 and 2
Ninth Flight
Championship — Maree Albright/Joyce Craig def. Jan Place/Linda Schippers, 3 and 2
Consolation — Barbara Fagan/Connie Norkoli def. Susan Gaston/Pam Thompson, 4 and 3
Tenth Flight
Championship — Barbara Bender/Mary Graff def. Ann Motokane/Leigh Ann Post, 4 and 3
Consolation — Deanna Messerli/Sharon Thiel def. Harlene Bowman/Ronda Palsulich, 3 and 2
Eleventh Flight
Championship — Maureen Fujiki/Carol Iwata def. JoAnn Barbour/Kathy Berger, 4 and 2
Consolation — Thelma Benefiel/Jan Squires def. Kay Boyle/Barbara Goodfellow, 4 and 3
