“The Starter” recaps the week gone by in golf. PGA professional Brendon Elliott, a three-decade industry veteran, provides his insights for RG. This week, Elliott breaks down Ryan Fox’s dramatic playoff victory at the RBC Canadian Open and Jennifer Kupcho’s emotional breakthrough at the ShopRite LPGA Classic.
PGA Tour: Fox Survives Marathon Playoff for Second Title in Four Starts
Ryan Fox stood over a fairway wood from 200 yards out, water guarding the entire front of the green, knowing that four previous attempts at the 18th hole had failed to produce a winner. The New Zealand native had already watched Sam Burns miss a six-foot birdie putt in the first playoff hole, then shockingly left his own 11-foot birdie attempt nearly a foot short in the second extra frame — a moment that left CBS announcer Trevor Immelman in complete disbelief.
“How on Earth can you leave that a foot short?” Immelman had said, capturing what everyone watching was thinking.
But in the fourth playoff hole at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley, Fox finally found the magic that had eluded both players through what Jim Nantz memorably dubbed a “pillow fight” of a playoff. Instead of laying up as he had done three times before, Fox went for broke, sending his fairway wood soaring over the water hazard and settling just over five feet from the pin.
The aggressive play proved to be the difference. While Burns, now forced to match Fox’s boldness, pulled his approach shot well left and three-putted from 40 feet, Fox calmly two-putted for birdie to claim his second PGA Tour victory and second win in just four starts.
“It turned out to be his best decision of the day,” Fox would later reflect on the shot that ended one of the most grueling playoffs in recent memory.
Burns’ Brilliant Charge Falls Just Short
The playoff itself was the culmination of a remarkable final-round performance from Burns, who entered Sunday in 16th place, four shots off the lead shared by Fox and Italy’s Matteo Manassero. What followed was the lowest final round of Burns’ PGA Tour career — a scorching 8-under 62 that saw him blitz the back nine in just 29 strokes.
Burns’ charge was so impressive that he found himself sitting in the clubhouse with what appeared to be a commanding two-shot lead, forcing him to wait over an hour as the final groups completed their rounds. Players like Cameron Young, Kevin Yu and Matt McCarty all had opportunities to catch or surpass Burns’ 18-under total, but none could match his Sunday heroics.
That is, until Fox stepped up to the 72nd hole needing a birdie to force extra holes. The 38-year-old Kiwi, who had played steady, bogey-free golf all day with his 4-under 66, drained a clutch 15-foot birdie putt to send the tournament into overtime.
The victory marks a remarkable transformation for Fox, who captured his first PGA Tour title just last month at the OneFlight Myrtle Beach Classic. That breakthrough came via a chip-in birdie on the first playoff hole, making Fox something of a playoff specialist in his recent success.
For Burns, the runner-up finish was bittersweet, but his brilliant final-round 62 served as a powerful reminder that the five-time Tour winner remains a formidable force when his game reaches its peak.
LPGA Tour: Kupcho Ends Three-Year Drought With Clutch Finish
While Fox was battling through his marathon playoff in Canada, Jennifer Kupcho was staging her own dramatic comeback story at the ShopRite LPGA Classic in New Jersey. The 28-year-old Colorado native closed with an 8-foot birdie putt in light rain to hold off Ilhee Lee, ending a winless drought that stretched back nearly three years.
The victory was particularly meaningful for Kupcho, who had completely lost her swing just two months earlier and was struggling both technically and mentally.
“I struggled a lot at the beginning of the year. I completely lost my swing back in L.A., pretty much,” Kupcho admitted after her triumph.
“Going into Chevron, I didn’t know where the ball was going. To be able to say I won now, only a few weeks later, is kind of insane.”
A Tale of Two Comebacks
Kupcho’s path to victory required nerves of steel down the stretch. She had built a three-shot lead early in the final round by birdieing three of her first five holes, but that advantage evaporated quickly on a rain-soaked Bay Course at Seaview Hotel. The conditions were so severe that the par-3 17th hole was moved up to play just 76 yards — the shortest hole on the LPGA Tour this season.
The pivotal moment came when Lee, playing in the final group, rolled in a birdie putt on the 18th hole to reach 14 under par, putting maximum pressure on Kupcho, who was still on the course. Rather than fold under the pressure, Kupcho responded with birdies on three of her final five holes, including the crucial 8-foot putt on 18 that sealed her fourth LPGA Tour title.
Lee’s story was equally compelling, though it ended in heartbreak. The 36-year-old South Korean was playing in just her second tournament in three years, having spent time working for Financial Forum and teaching golf part time while battling injuries. Ranked 1,426th in the world, Lee got into the field only as a past tournament winner — her lone LPGA victory came 12 years ago in the Bahamas.
“I worked for Financial Forum for 100 days and then got out,” Lee explained. “Then I realized, ‘Oh, I’m good at golf.’ So I got to teach golf. I started teaching a little bit, not full time, but I was teaching a little bit, and I loved it.”
Parity Continues on LPGA Tour
Kupcho’s victory continued a remarkable trend of parity on the LPGA Tour this season. She became the 14th different winner in as many events, with no player capturing multiple titles — a stark contrast to last season, when world No. 1 Nelly Korda dominated with seven victories.
The win also provided validation for Kupcho’s decision to work with a mental coach and return to fundamentals after losing her swing at the JM Eagle LA Championship. Her ability to remain composed under pressure, particularly with Lee applying maximum pressure by birdieing the final hole, demonstrated the mental fortitude that separated her from the field.
Looking Forward
As both tours prepare for their next challenges, Fox and Kupcho enter the coming weeks with renewed confidence and momentum. Fox’s playoff prowess has established him as one of the tour’s most clutch performers, while Kupcho’s breakthrough suggests she may be ready to build on her impressive 2022 season that included three victories and a major championship.
The week served as a reminder that golf’s capacity for drama and redemption remains unmatched, whether it comes in the form of a marathon playoff battle or a player rediscovering the swing that once made her a champion.
