Within a week, Jennifer Kupcho will have said yes to her long-time boyfriend Jay Monahan’s proposal and hit her maiden shot in a Solheim Cup. A pair of life-changing moments, the latest nervy experiences, which Kupcho does not shy away from.
“We actually went and picked out the ring together, so I knew it was coming,” said Kupcho. “He wanted to make sure I really loved it. It was cool to do it together.
“He took me to a really fancy, nice restaurant [in Scottsdale called The Capital Grille]. The ring came out on the plate with dessert and on the plate it said, ‘Will you marry me?’ It was really cute. We first met at Superstition Mountain [Golf and Country Club] in Arizona. He worked there. I was a member. We have been together for a year and a half.”
Even though you know it’s coming, as Kupcho did when she helped her boyfriend select an engagement ring, nothing prepares you for the moment when he pops the question. And even though you know it’s coming, just as Kupcho did when she qualified for Team USA last month, nothing prepares you for the enormity of the first shot you will strike as a rookie in the Solheim Cup.
Her finishes on the LPGA Tour may help Kupcho settle in after the initial jitters, but the environment will be a unique shock to the weekly stroke-play grind she has become accustomed to.
“I'm really excited, definitely overwhelmed. The entire experience has been really special,” Kupcho said. “These girls have made me feel very comfortable, as well as [Assistant Captain] Angela [Stanford], just to get me comfortable and ready for what's about to come. I know it's going to get more overwhelming, so just need to keep reminding myself to slow down and relax.”
Her pod with Austin Ernst, Danielle Kang and Lizette Salas, led by Stanford, has provided a boost to the Wake Forest University alumna. It has also showcased her potential of how she can contribute to Team USA now and for years to come.
“I think Jennifer has played on the big stage, playing at Augusta National and winning that [Women’s Amateur] event,” said Stanford. “This is the biggest, but she is very focused. Her demeanor gives the feel like she’s not a rookie, so I think she’ll be great.
“She’s very organized, focused on what she wants to do. A lot of times you don’t see that in rookies. A lot of times, rookies are looking around and checking things out, but she has been very good about focus. I have to remind myself that she is a rookie because she hasn’t acted like one.”
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