U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN

June 4, 2026

Jennifer Kupcho

The Riviera Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Please welcome to the interview area Jennifer Kupcho, 5-under. Great round today. What was working?

JENNIFER KUPCHO: I was hitting the ball well today. Also rolling the ball really well with the putter. So seeing a lot of things fall definitely helped with the confidence with my putter.

Q. What were your takeaways with the course from your practice rounds?

JENNIFER KUPCHO: Honestly, I kind of just felt at home. I feel like I really like the golf course. It kind of just flies by. I don't know, I feel like I just really, really like the golf course.

It's kind of a ball striker's paradise, just hit it down the fairway, hit it on the green, and make the putts.

Q. You've had an opportunity to represent your country before. What does it mean to play in your national Open?

JENNIFER KUPCHO: Yeah, playing in the U.S. Open is obviously every girl's team. Yeah, to be out here competing, be at the top is pretty cool. Obviously something I've never been able to say even after one round. So pretty cool to be able to say that.

Q. With that in mind, how do you kind of put this behind you and move forward to the next round?

JENNIFER KUPCHO: I think for me it's -- it kind of takes a little bit of a weight off my chest. I've missed the last three U.S. Open cuts. So barring something crazy doesn't happen tomorrow, I'll be playing on the weekend.

I think it kind of just lets me relax and not have to worry about, okay, I just need to make the cut. Just go out there and play my best, take every shot as it is, and see what happens at the end of the day.

Q. You talked a little to Kay Cockerille last week at ShopRite about that athlete mentality. When you get to a property as big as Riv is, how do you lean on that mindset to go low today?

JENNIFER KUPCHO: I don't know, honestly, like it is a big golf course. I obviously have a lot of length off the tee, so that certainly helps me have shorter clubs on the fairway. 4.

And then if I do miss a fairway, shorter clubs off the rough definitely can help me control it a little better. That certainly helped today.

Q. What did your preparation look like for Riviera? Did you come out any other times and get in some rounds here?

JENNIFER KUPCHO: Yeah, I came out before El Cab. That tournament, JM Eagle that week before one time, and then otherwise, yeah, just this week.

Q. What's your setup here like this week? Obviously you said feels like home here on the course, but your setup outside, where you staying, and what's kind of your off-the-course prep?

JENNIFER KUPCHO: Yeah, I have a great host family, so I'm staying pretty close here to the course. They've been really great to take me and my husband in, cooking us meals. It helps they're great friends. I think it's been a really special week with that as well.

Q. What did they cook last night, and will it be the same dinner tonight?

JENNIFER KUPCHO: No, they're not around tonight unfortunately. They cooked some steak last night, so that was pretty good. I'll just be eating here at the course. Quick turnaround.

Q. When you assess the last few Opens, was there a theme there? Did you feel like you pressed too hard or anything that you could point to?

JENNIFER KUPCHO: Not necessarily. I think my parents have always pushed me like, hey, why don't you go try and see the golf course beforehand? I'm like, no, like I don't do that. I never do that for any other tournament. Why would I change that for the U.S. Open?

I wouldn't say I necessarily went out of my way since we were here in L.A. at El Cab, but it definitely made it super easy to come out and see it. Then when I showed up this week, it was just like I knew where everything was, I knew what I was doing. So I think it actually helped. Parents are always right, right?

Yeah, I think that certainly helped, but I think I just have a great setup. Like I really like this golf course. It kind of fits my eye. With the great host family, it just makes the whole week easier.

Q. You talked about your ball striking being key. Is there a swing thought that you're clinging to this week?

JENNIFER KUPCHO: Not really, no. I've just been kind of hitting it really well recently. Just kind of got it all together, and it's just flowing.

Q. On that one round scouting trip, were there certain things that you saw in that trip that you used today?

JENNIFER KUPCHO: No. My host family is a member here. So I came out with him. We didn't really talk that much about the golf course. It was kind of just having fun. But I think it helps me to be able to see the lines, kind of know where to go. Thank God I hit it well that day as well.

So I kind of didn't have to see the bad parts of the golf course. But I think that certainly helped, just kind of being comfortable coming out and having fun before you like are at a big stage.

Q. Have you found the kikuya to be difficult? Have you had a strategy or a secret from your member perhaps?

JENNIFER KUPCHO: No, we didn't really talk about it, but I think -- I don't know, I've kind of just like -- no. I really wouldn't say I have like a super good secret. I kind of just like figured it out.

It's funny because my caddie like, he was like, oh, you're not hitting as far on this stuff. Today I was hitting it further, and he was like, how did you figure it out? And I was like, I don't know, I just started hitting it better. That's it, I don't know. I literally have no idea why. It just started clicking.

Q. Will you text your parents and say, yeah, you were right, maybe coming out to the course before was a good deal?

JENNIFER KUPCHO: Yeah, the funny thing is they have never missed a U.S. Open either, and they're not here this week. So maybe there's a they were right and maybe don't come. I don't know (laughter). I don't know what the relation is. We'll see what happens.