Jennifer Kupcho and Minjee Lee share lead in last major at Mission Hills

Jennifer Kupcho shared the lead Thursday in the Chevron Championship in her second – and last – start at Mission Hills, the tree-lined layout she has quickly fallen in love with.

“Honestly, I think it’s just being comfortable on this golf course,” Kupcho said. “I get here and I just, I feel comfortable. I love this place.”

Kupcho shot a six-under 66 in sunny and calm morning conditions to join fellow early starter Minjee Lee atop the leaderboard after the first round of the final edition of the major championship at Mission Hills.

“I really like the layout of this golf course, the beautiful shape that it’s in every year,” Kupcho said. “It always is so fun to be here, so just taking advantage of how much I like the course and the atmosphere.”

Unable to find a sponsor willing to remain at Mission Hills, the tournament that started in 1972 as the Colgate-Dinah Shore Winner’s Circle and became a major in 1983 is shifting to Houston next year under a deal with Chevron.

“Definitely sad,” Carolina Masson said after a 68. “I understand why we’re doing it, but I’m just trying to soak in every second being out here. The golf course is playing as good as ever.”

Defending champion Patty Tavatanakit was a stroke back, finishing late in the afternoon in gusting wind.

“Really proud,” Tavatanakit said. “I feel like I really got my momentum going, was really present today.”

Kupcho birdied Nos 11 through 14 to get to eight under, then bogeyed the next two holes. She birdied four of the first five and finished with nine birdies and three bogeys.

“You really need to hit fairways on a major golf course, so that was like my biggest thing today, to hit a bunch of fairways,” Kupcho said. “That really set me up for all my birdies.”

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