Tag: Upper Montclair Country Club

Jin Young Ko outlasts Minjee Lee in playoff for 15th LPGA title and third Founders Cup victory

Ko now has 20 of the 27 points needed to qualify for the LPGA Hall of Fame.

Jin Young Ko battled through fatigue at the Cognizant Founders Cup to outlast Minjee Lee in a sudden-death playoff for her 15th LPGA title. Ko birdied the 18th hole all four rounds, with that last birdie in regulation pushing her to a 5-under 67 and a 13-under total at Upper Montclair Country Club. Ko’s 67 was the lowest round of the day by two shots.

Lee, who won this event in 2022, held a two-shot lead with three to play but couldn’t hold on for the outright victory, carding a 71 to finish knotted with Ko at 13 under.

In the playoff, the Aussie appeared to have the advantage until she misjudged her speed significantly on the birdie attempt, which flew past the hole. The ensuing three-putt handed the victory to Ko, who won the Founders Cup for a third time on a third different course. Ko’s caddie, David Brooker, was on the bag for two of Lorena Ochoa’s victories at Upper Montclair at the Sybase Classic.

As the final group came up the 18th fairway at Upper Montclair, a group of junior girls walked hand-in-hand behind the players, wearing vintage-looking attire in honor of the LPGA’s 13 founders. Since former LPGA commissioner Mike Whan started this event in 2011, it’s been a catalyst of growth for LPGA-USGA Girls Golf.

“It’s a great honor,” said Ko of winning what has become one of the LPGA’s premiere events. “I thank all the past founders today, so I really thank to everybody to make that amazing tour.”

Australia’s Lee, who actually played more golf than Ko last week at the Hanwha Lifeplus International Crown, was surprised to learn that she’d only made five LPGA starts this year outside of the Crown.

“It’s still pretty early I guess in my season,” said Lee, “and I have a lot more events coming up. So I feel like I could take a lot of positives into, you know, the next couple majors coming up and obviously Mizuho is my next event.

“I think I’m going to train hard the next two weeks and be ready for Mizuho.”

Ko began Sunday four strokes behind but heard before she started her round that Sungjae Im had come from five back to win on the Korean PGA earlier that day.

“So that was inspir(ing) me,” said Ko, “and if I like play really well, I could chance for win.”

Ko said her swing coach, Si Woo Lee, will come to Texas next Saturday to begin working with her in the lead-up to the next two majors. She’ll skip the LPGA match-play event in Las Vegas as well as the Meijer LPGA Classic in Michigan. They will mostly focus on her ball striking.

Ko now has 20 of the 27 points needed to qualify for the LPGA Hall of Fame, which she said has been a goal since around age 10.

“I will do my best in my future, and I will practice hard, harder than this,” she said. “We’ll see.”

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2023 Cognizant Founders Cup prize money payouts for each LPGA player

Check out the prize money payouts at the 2023 Cognizant Founders Cup.

The roots of the Cognizant Founders Cup date back to 2011, the result of a dream former LPGA commissioner and current USGA CEO Mike Whan scribbled down on a hotel bar napkin to celebrate the tour’s 13 founders. The event has been critical to the growth of LPGA-USGA Girls Golf and a bridge between the current generation and those who, 70-plus years ago, laid the foundation.

It has elevated from players playing purely for charity, to one of the largest non-major purses on tour at $3 million thanks to Cognizant.

Jin Young Ko beat Minjee Lee in a playoff to win this event for a third time, taking home $450,000. The first time Ko won the Founders Cup in 2019, she earned $225,000.

Ko, a two-time winner in 2023, has now earned $970,692 this season and $11,334,148 in her LPGA career. She now has 15 titles on the LPGA, including two majors.

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Check out the prize money payouts at the 2023 Cognizant Founder Cup.

Position Player Score Earnings
1 Jin Young Ko 13 under $450,000
2 Minjee Lee 13 under $282,165
3 Ashleigh Buhai 10 under $204,690
4 Hae Ran Ryu 8 under $158,344
T-5 Aditi Ashok 7 under $106,336
T-5 Atthaya Thitikul 7 under $106,336
T-5 Angel Yin 7 under $106,336
8 Nasa Hataoka 6 under $76,470
9 Cheyenne Knight 5 under $68,746
T-10 Madelene Sagstrom 4 under $58,188
T-10 Grace Kim 4 under $58,188
T-10 Georgia Hall 4 under $58,188
T-13 Ariya Jutanugarn 3 under $46,344
T-13 Sarah Kemp 3 under $46,344
T-13 Anna Nordqvist 3 under $46,344
T-13 Hye-Jin Choi 3 under $46,344
T-17 Albane Valenzuela 2 under $37,694
T-17 Morgane Metraux 2 under $37,694
T-17 Celine Borge 2 under $37,694
T-17 Min Lee 2 under $37,694
T-21 Jennifer Kupcho 1 under $32,442
T-21 Narin An 1 under $32,442
T-21 Stacy Lewis 1 under $32,442
T-21 Sei Young Kim 1 under $32,442
T-25 Lauren Coughlin Even $26,829
T-25 A Lim Kim Even $26,829
T-25 Wei-Ling Hsu Even $26,829
T-25 Ryann O’Toole Even $26,829
T-25 Mel Reid Even $26,829
T-25 Lizette Salas Even $26,829
T-31 Karis Davidson 1 over $20,276
T-31 Pajaree Anannarukarn 1 over $20,276
T-31 Ruoning Yin 1 over $20,276
T-31 Stephanie Kyriacou 1 over $20,276
T-31 Yuna Nishimura 1 over $20,276
T-31 Lexi Thompson 1 over $20,276
T-31 Alison Lee 1 over $20,276
T-31 Celine Boutier 1 over $20,276
T-39 Samantha Wagner 2 over $16,066
T-39 Gemma Dryburgh 2 over $16,066
T-39 Frida Kinhult 2 over $16,066
T-42 Maria Fassi 3 over $12,498
T-42 Luna Sobron Galmes 3 over $12,498
T-42 Sofia Garcia 3 over $12,498
T-42 Lydia Ko 3 over $12,498
T-42 Jenny Shin 3 over $12,498
T-42 Mariajo Uribe 3 over $12,498
T-42 Perrine Delacour 3 over $12,498
T-42 Peiyun Chien 3 over $12,498
T-42 Emma Talley 3 over $12,498
T-42 Maddie Szeryk 3 over $12,498
T-52 Yu Liu 4 over $9,269
T-52 Brittany Lincicome 4 over $9,269
T-52 Megan Khang 4 over $9,269
T-52 Bronte Law 4 over $9,269
T-52 Pavarisa Yoktuan 4 over $9,269
T-52 Lucy Li 4 over $9,269
T-52 Bailey Tardy 4 over $9,269
T-59 Yealimi Noh 5 over $7,879
T-59 Azahara Munoz 5 over $7,879
61 Ally Ewing 6 over $7,571
62 Yu-Sang Hou 7 over $7,414
T-63 Lauren Stephenson 8 over $7,184
T-63 Annie Park 8 over $7,184
65 Allisen Corpuz 9 over $6,951
66 Pauline Roussin 10 over $6,797

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Nelly Korda will have Joe LaCava on the bag for the LPGA’s Cognizant Founders Cup

LaCava definitely knows how to pick them.

Joe LaCava is having a busy few weeks.

He caddied for Steve Stricker at the Zurich Classic but was told that is was a one-time thing. Then Tiger Woods had ankle fusion surgery, a procedure that will keep the 15-time major champion on the sidelines for the foreseeable future.

With his boss on the couch, LaCava had a clear schedule and decided to pick up Patrick Cantlay’s bag at the Wells Fargo Championship, but this isn’t a one-off. He’ll be Cantlay’s full-time looper.

But not this week.

With the world No. 4 at home preparing for next week’s PGA Championship at Oak Hill in Rochester, New York, LaCava is in Clifton, New Jersey, to caddie for Nelly Korda at the LPGA’s Cognizant Founders Cup at Upper Montclair Country Club.

Woods, Cantlay, Korda. There are definitely worse players to caddie for.

Jason McDede, Korda’s full-time caddie, and his wife, LPGA player Caroline Masson, recently had a baby.

After her memorable interaction with Woods at the 2021 PNC Championship, it must be pretty cool for Korda to have the legend’s caddie on her bag this week.

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Augusta National champ Anna Davis plays the weekend for a second time on the LPGA, gears up for major debut

Amateur Anna Davis is now 2-for-2 in playing the weekend on the LPGA.

Anna Davis’ victory at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur last month opened up a number of doors for the 16-year-old Californian, including her first starts on the LPGA. The amateur Davis is now 2-for-2 in playing the weekend on the LPGA, having made the cut in her debut at the Hugel-Air Premia LA Open and on the opposite coast this week at the Cognizant Founders Cup.

“I guess it’s pretty awesome,” said Davis. “I don’t know how to describe it. I think two weeks ago I kind of knew what I was getting into, and now I kind of know what’s going to happen on the weekend or kind of know what to expect.”

Davis tied for 50th at Upper Montclair Country Club in Clifton, New Jersey. On Saturday, she was paired with inaugural ANWA winner Jennifer Kupcho, who won the first major of the year. When asked if they talked about their Augusta connection, Davis said she doesn’t talk much when she competes but thought it was cool.

“I think it kind of gives me a lot of confidence that I know that she won (ANWA) three years ago,” said Davis, “and I don’t know how long she’s been on tour, but I think two years maybe. That definitely gives me hope for the future for sure.”

Kupcho noted that Davis is quiet but quick, and that she bombs it off the tee.

“I tried to talk to her,” said Kupcho. “It’s hard to get stuff out of her. She’s obviously really shy, but it was fun.”

2022 Cognizant Founders CupAnna Davis hits their shot on the 2nd tee during the third round of the 2022 Cognizant Founders Cup at Upper Montclair Country Club in Clifton, New Jersey. (Photo: Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

Davis, known for her bucket hats, wore a special rubber duck bucket hat in the third round in honor of what would have been LPGA Founder Shirley Spork’s 95th birthday. Spork died on April 12.

Davis had the opportunity to meet Spork last year when she competed on the Junior Solheim Cup team.

Davis’ next professional start will be her biggest to date: She’ll compete in her first LPGA major at the 77th U.S. Women’s Open at Pine Needles.

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Minjee Lee prevails in back-nine battle with Lexi Thompson at LPGA Cognizant Founders Cup

Minjee Lee got her breakthrough. Lexi Thompson will have to continue searching for hers.

CLIFTON, N.J. — Upper Montclair Country Club boasts a list of champions that includes some of the best women and men to ever play the game.

So it should not have been a surprise Sunday afternoon when the final group arrived at the 10th hole with two of the best players on the LPGA locked in a battle for the Cognizant Founders Cup.

Minjee Lee got her breakthrough. Lexi Thompson will have to continue searching for hers.

Lee won for the first time in nearly 10 months, shooting a gutsy 2-under-par 70 to finish at 19-under par, edging Thompson by two shots after her 3-under 69. It wasn’t an easy day for Lee. But it was enough.

“I wasn’t really that nervous, but obviously I wasn’t really striking it as well as I wanted to. I still drove it and putted it really well, so I’m going to take the positives. … Even though I didn’t hit it that well today, i’m still really, really happy.”

It was Lee’s first win since July, when she broke through for her first career major at the Evian Championship in France. But she has been on the verge seemingly ever since. She missed the cut in the Scottish Open last August — her first event after the big win — but in the next 11 events before arriving in Jersey she didn’t finish worse than a tie for 25th and gave herself plenty of chances to win with five top-five finishes.

Sunday, it finally happened. But it took a lot more effort than it looked like it might earlier in the week.

Lee, who surged to a three-shot 36-hole lead after a 9-under 63 on Friday. But the lead was down to one shot to start Sunday’s final round, which was delayed an hour by fog. And Lee did not get off to a good start. She missed a two-foot birdie putt at the fourth hole and was 1-over after a bad lie above a green-side bunker at No. 8 led to her first bogey of the day.

Thompson was looking for her first win in nearly three years, and looking to continue her success in the Garden State: that last win came down the Parkway at the 2019 ShopRite LPGA Classic. And it looked like it might be her day after she hit a brilliant approach at No. 10, and made the tricky downhill birdie putt, to pull even with Lee at 16-under. They both took advantage of the reachable par-5 12th hole, hitting the green in two and making easy birdies to tie for the lead at 17-under.

But Thompson struggled with her driver the entire back nine, missing the fairway left on the 11th and 13th holes and pushing her drive into a bunker right on the par-5 14th. Thompson had to settle for making a tricky five-footer for par, while Lee, who split the fairway with her drive and nearly reached the green in two, made an easy birdie to pull ahead for good.

Thompson had a chance to put pressure on Lee with mid-range putts on the par-3 17th and short par-4 18th, but couldn’t get them to drop. And Lee, who lipped out a birdie putt that would have sealed the win on the 17th, drained her short birdie putt on 18 to secure the two-shot win.

The 27-year-old Thompson has won 11 LPGA titles, including a major. But the drought continues.

Lee, 25, won for the seventh time on the LPGA Tour and takes home $450,000 for the victory — the largest prize in women’s golf outside of the majors and season-ending events.

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Minjee Lee stays atop the Cognizant Founders Cup leaderboard, but Solheim Cupper Madelene Sagstrom is just one shot back

It all comes down to a three-horse race on Sunday in New Jersey.

After a blazing 63 on Friday, the leader in Clifton, New Jersey, slowed down a bit Saturday. Minjee Lee, who entered the week with three straight top 20s, was able to stay atop the Cognizant Founders Cup leaderboard despite losing some ground to her chasers.

Lee started her day with a par before trading a birdie for a bogey on Nos. 2 and 3 at Upper Montclair Country Club. She bounced back with a circle on 5 and made the turn with a 1-under 35.

After making a bogey on 11, Lee canned an eagle on the par-5 12th to regain the lead. Another birdie on 13 and five closing pars totaled a third-round 3-under 69.

Lee’s last win on tour came at The Amundi Evian Championship, her first major win and sixth LPGA victory overall.

The 18-hole leader, Madelene Sagstrom, followed her up and down 2-under 70 on Friday with a bogey-free 5-under 67 to inch toward the lead. She’s just one back.

The Swede played her first four holes Saturday at 3 under then parred her way out to turn with a 3-under 33. Birdies on Nos. 12 and 14 would be the only color on her back-nine card, as she completed her day mistake free.

Madelene Sagstrom of Sweden lines up their shot on the 1st green during the third round of the Cognizant Founders Cup at Upper Montclair Country Club on May 14, 2022 in Clifton, New Jersey. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

Sagstrom entered the week in great form, as she grabbed a T-9 in her last start and a T-3 a week before that.

The Solheim Cupper’s last win came at the 2020 Gainbridge LPGA at Boca Rio.

Two shots behind Sagstrom is Lexi Thompson, who so far this week has fired rounds of 67, 66, and 69. On Saturday, she signed for four birdies and a bogey, which came at the par-5 9th. She’s three back of Lee entering the final round.

Angel Yin (11 under) is fourth while Paula Reto, Megan Khang, and Ally Ewing (9 under) are tied for fifth.

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