The 2026 US Women's Open kicked off with a spectacular first round on June 4 at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles. Jennifer Kupcho seized the early lead with a commanding 5-under 66, reminding the world why 2026 US Women's Open at Riviera is one of the most anticipated majors of the year. With a record purse of $12.5 million on the line, the drama of the 2026 US Women's Open Round 1 is just getting started — here's everything you need to know.

2026 US Women's Open Round 1: Kupcho Leads at Riviera — Full Highlights & Leaderboard Results

Tournament Overview 🏆

Tournament	81st U.S. Women's Open Presented by Ally
Dates	June 4–7, 2026
Venue	Riviera Country Club, Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles, CA
Course	Par 71 — 6,699 yards
Total Purse	$12.5 Million (Record High)
Winner's Share	$2,500,000
Defending Champion	Maja Stark (2025)
Cut Line (Projected)	+2 (after Round 1)
TV (USA)	USA Network / NBC / Peacock
Organizer	USGA

🎯 Round 1 Top Story: Kupcho Fires 5-Under 66

In the opening round of the 81st U.S. Women's Open, Jennifer Kupcho (USA) delivered one of the round's most impressive performances, carding a 5-under par 66 to take a one-shot lead over South Korea's Sei Young Kim. The 29-year-old four-time LPGA Tour winner arrived at Riviera well-prepared after scouting the course two months earlier when the LPGA Tour played just 13 miles away in Tarzana.

Kupcho made seven birdies on the unforgiving Riviera layout, gaining an outstanding 4.27 strokes on approach shots — the best figure in the field on Day 1. Her signature shot of the round came on the par-4 2nd hole, where she stuck a gorgeous 133-yard approach to inside a foot for a tap-in birdie.

"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," Kupcho said after her round.

Notably, Kupcho had missed the cut in her three previous U.S. Women's Open appearances. This first-round 66 marks a dramatic turnaround at the national championship stage. She holds her only major title — the 2022 Chevron Championship — and is now hunting her second.

📊 Round 1 Full Leaderboard — 2026 US Women's Open

🥇 Top 10 Leaderboard

POS	PLAYER	CTRY	R1	TOT
1	Jennifer Kupcho	🇺🇸 USA	66	-5
2	Sei Young Kim	🇰🇷 KOR	67	-4
T3	Gaby Lopez	🇲🇽 MEX	68	-3
T3	Ina Yoon	🇰🇷 KOR	68	-3
T3	Hyunjo Yoo	🇰🇷 KOR	68	-3
T3	Minji Kang	🇰🇷 KOR	68	-3
T3	Hinako Shibuno	🇯🇵 JPN	68	-3
T8	Ruoning Yin	🇨🇳 CHN	69	-2
T8	Nasa Hataoka	🇯🇵 JPN	69	-2
T8	Minjee Lee	🇦🇺 AUS	69	-2
T8	Karis Davidson	🇦🇺 AUS	69	-2
T8	Patty Tavatanakit	🇹🇭 THA	69	-2
T8	Jiyai Shin	🇰🇷 KOR	69	-2

📌 Notable Scores — Key Players

POS	PLAYER	CTRY	R1	TOT	NOTE
T14	Rose Zhang	🇺🇸 USA	70	-1	Still in contention
T14	Hannah Green	🇦🇺 AUS	70	-1	CME Rank #4
T56	Nelly Korda	🇺🇸 USA	73	+2	World No. 1 — on projected cut line
T56	Jeeno Thitikul	🇹🇭 THA	73	+2	World No. 3 — on projected cut line
T56	Amy Yang	🇰🇷 KOR	73	+2	On the bubble
T56	Lottie Woad	🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 ENG	73	+2	CME Rank #9
T104	Jin Young Ko	🇰🇷 KOR	75	+4	Needs recovery in R2
T85	Hyo Joo Kim	🇰🇷 KOR	74	+3	CME Rank #2

🔍 Live Leaderboard

🔍 Round 1 Key Storylines & Highlights

⛳ Kupcho's Ball-Striking Masterclass

Jennifer Kupcho's 66 was built on elite ball-striking precision. Her 4.27 strokes gained on approach shots was the best mark in the Round 1 field. She fired three consecutive birdies in her afternoon stretch before adding back-to-back birdies after the turn. Her meticulous pre-tournament course study — a scouting trip to Riviera two months prior — paid dividends on every hole. "When I showed up this week, it was just like I knew where everything was," she said. "Parents are always right, right?"

🇰🇷 Korean Players Dominate the Top 10

South Korean players turned in a remarkable collective performance in Round 1. Sei Young Kim (67, -4) sits alone in 2nd place, while Ina Yoon, Hyunjo Yoo, Minji Kang, and Jiyai Shin all feature in the top 13. In total, Korean players occupied five of the top 13 positions after Round 1, underlining the strength of KLPGA-developed talent on the global major stage. Veteran In Gee Chun and A Lim Kim are safely inside the cut line at even par (71).

⚠️ Nelly Korda Struggles at Riviera

World No. 1 Nelly Korda endured an unusual day at Riviera. The reigning Chevron champion opened with a bogey-free par, then birdie on the par-5 11th — but bogeys on holes 12 and 13 put her on the back foot early. In an entertaining subplot, Korda started the round wearing gifted shoes from NBA superstar LeBron James, but found them too loose and swapped back to her regular pair mid-round at hole 16. Despite missing birdie opportunities on Nos. 14–17 by inches, she carded a 2-over 73, sitting on the projected cut line at +2. Jeeno Thitikul, World No. 3, also sits at +2 and faces pressure heading into Round 2.

💡 Riviera's Difficulty on Full Display

The Riviera Country Club course lived up to its reputation as one of the most demanding layouts in championship golf. Par 71 at 6,699 yards, the course played true to the USGA's preview billing as "incredibly tough, not unbeatable." The projected cut sits at +2 — meaning the course average on Day 1 was well above par for most of the 156-player field. The iconic bunker-heavy design demanded precise iron play throughout, rewarding ball-strikers and punishing those who missed fairways and greens.

🌸 Hinako Shibuno Returns to Form

Japan's Hinako Shibuno, the beloved "Smiling Cinderella," posted a 3-under 68 to join the T3 cluster. The 2019 AIG Women's British Open champion has shown flashes of her major-winning brilliance at Riviera and is one of the most exciting players to watch as the tournament progresses.

📋 Full Round 1 Leaderboard (All Groups) 📋

🏅 T14 Group — Score: -1 (Round 70)

Yue Zhang (CHN)
Shiho Kuwaki (JPN)
Paula Francisco (a) (ESP)
Yuri Yoshida (JPN)
Ana Belac (SLO)
Ayaka Furue (JPN)
Maria Jose Marin (a) (COL)
Stephanie Kyriacou (AUS)
Hannah Green (AUS)
Alison Lee (USA)
Bianca Pagdanganan (PHI)
Hye-Jin Choi (KOR)
Casandra Alexander (RSA)
Aphrodite Deng (a) (CAN)
Rose Zhang (USA)

🏅 T29 Group — Score: E (Round 71)

Da Yeon Lee (KOR)
Chiara Tamburlini (SUI)
Shuri Sakuma (JPN)
Lindy Duncan (USA)
Sayaka Takahashi (JPN)
Maja Stark (SWE)
Lucy Li (USA)
Asterisk Talley (a) (USA)
Kaleiya Romero (USA)
Somi Lee (KOR)
In Gee Chun (KOR)
Allisen Corpuz (USA)
A Lim Kim (KOR)

⚠️ Projected Cut Line: +2 (Round 72) — T42 Group

Nelly Korda (USA)
Jeeno Thitikul (THA)
Amy Yang (KOR)
Ingrid Lindblad (SWE)
Lottie Woad (ENG)
Nanna Koerstz Madsen (DEN)
Lauren Coughlin (USA)
Yealimi Noh (USA)
Miyu Yamashita (JPN)
Jeongeun Lee6 (KOR)
Ariya Jutanugarn (THA)
Charley Hull (ENG)

❌ Below Cut Line: +3 and Above (T85+)

Hyo Joo Kim +3 (KOR)
Lydia Ko +3 (NZL)
Celine Boutier +3 (FRA)
Jin Hee Im +3 (KOR)
Jin Young Ko +4 (KOR)
Danielle Kang +9 (USA)

🔍 LPGA Schedule

💰 2026 US Women's Open Prize Money Details

The 2026 US Women's Open features a record-breaking total purse of $12.5 million — an increase of $500,000 from the 2025 edition. The winner's share is set at $2,500,000 (20% of total purse, as per the USGA's updated distribution policy introduced in 2024).

💡 Prize Money Key Facts:

Total Purse: $12,500,000 (record high in women's golf)
Winner's Share: $2,500,000
Cut: Top 60 players and ties after 36 holes
All 4-round finishers receive prize money
Detailed payout breakdown released Saturday after cut
CME Race to Globe Points (winner): 650 points
Just 5 years ago (2021), the purse was $5.5 million — it has more than doubled

Recent US Women's Open Purse History
Year	Winner	Purse	Winner's Share
2022	Minjee Lee (AUS)	$10,000,000	$1,800,000
2023	Allisen Corpuz (USA)	$11,000,000	$2,000,000
2024	Yuka Saso (JPN)	$12,000,000	$2,400,000
2025	Maja Stark (SWE)	$12,000,000	$2,400,000
2026	TBD — In Progress	$12,500,000	$2,500,000

⚡ Round 2 Outlook — What to Watch

With the projected cut sitting at +2, Round 2 will be decisive for several marquee names. Here's what to look for on Friday at Riviera:

Nelly Korda's survival bid: The world No. 1 at +2 must card a under-par round to safely advance. Any further slippage means a historic missed cut at the US Women's Open.
Kupcho vs. Sei Young Kim: The leader is Kupcho by one shot. Sei Young Kim knows Riviera well after her near-miss at the JM Eagle LA Championship this season — she led by eight at one point in that event before a final-round collapse. She'll be hungry to convert.
The Korean wave: With five Koreans in the top 13, the battle within the Korean contingent is fascinating. Ina Yoon, Hyunjo Yoo, and Minji Kang will each push for the top position.
Hinako Shibuno's charge: Japan's "Smiling Cinderella" is primed for another major run at -3 and will be one of the most watched players on Friday.
Rose Zhang's moment: The 2022 NCAA champion and LPGA rookie sensation sits at -1, comfortably inside the cut and within striking distance of the lead.

🎯 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1. Who is leading after Round 1 of the 2026 US Women's Open?

Jennifer Kupcho (USA) leads after Round 1 with a 5-under par 66, one shot ahead of South Korea's Sei Young Kim (67, -4). Kupcho posted seven birdies and gained 4.27 strokes on approach shots to lead the field at Riviera Country Club.

Q2. What is the total prize money for the 2026 US Women's Open?

The 2026 US Women's Open features a record purse of $12.5 million, with the winner taking home $2,500,000. The USGA confirmed the increase — up $500,000 from 2025 — in a press conference at Riviera Country Club on June 4, 2026.

Q3. Where is the 2026 US Women's Open being played?

The 81st US Women's Open is being played at the iconic Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles, California. The course plays as a Par 71 at 6,699 yards. It marks the first time the US Women's Open has been held at Riviera.

Q4. How did Nelly Korda perform in Round 1?

World No. 1 Nelly Korda had a difficult opening round, carding a 2-over 73. She sits at T56 on the projected cut line. Korda struggled with missed birdie putts on Nos. 14–17 and notably started the round wearing Nike shoes gifted by LeBron James — but switched back to her regular pair mid-round after finding them too loose.

Q5. What is the projected cut line for the 2026 US Women's Open?

After Round 1, the projected cut line sits at +2 (Round Score 72). Players at T85 (+3) and higher are currently below the cut. The official cut will be made after 36 holes, with the top 60 players and ties advancing to the weekend rounds.

✅ Round 1 Quick Summary Checklist

✅ Leader: Jennifer Kupcho (USA) — 66, -5
✅ 2nd Place: Sei Young Kim (KOR) — 67, -4
✅ T3: Gaby Lopez / Ina Yoon / Hyunjo Yoo / Minji Kang / Hinako Shibuno — 68, -3
✅ Notable Korean players safely inside cut: Sei Young Kim, Ina Yoon, Hyunjo Yoo, Minji Kang, Jiyai Shin, In Gee Chun, A Lim Kim
✅ World No. 1 Nelly Korda: +2 (73) — On projected cut line
✅ Projected Cut Line: +2 after Round 1
✅ Record Prize Purse: $12.5 million total / $2.5 million to winner
✅ Venue: Riviera Country Club (Par 71, 6,699 yards) — first time hosting the event
✅ Defending Champion: Maja Stark (SWE) — currently T29 at even par
✅ Round 2: Friday, June 5, 2026

📅 Data Source: USGA Official / AP / Golf Channel / Golf Digest | Last Updated: June 5, 2026

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