Alice Chen Wins Junior Girls' Championship For Second Time

Alice Chen of Neshanic Valley has worn a yellow golf shirt for the final round of the Junior Girls' Championship two years running. It is her answer to Tiger Woods wearing a red shirt on Sunday.

And for the second straight year, it brought her a championship.

Chen, a senior-to-be at Montgomery High School – the 2013 New Jersey Interscholastic Athletic Association girls champion – fired a 1-under-par 73 for the second straight day for a 2-under-par 146 total, to win the 59th NJSGA Junior Girls' Championship on Tuesday, July 9, at Rumson Country Club.

VIEW PHOTO GALLERY FINAL SCORING

Chen’s round included an outstanding back nine of 4-under-par 32 that included five birdies against a bogey. Sarah Kokotajlo of Mountain View, the Mercer County scholastic champion, was runner-up at 80-76-156 while Christina Parsells of Baltusrol was third at 77-80-157.

Tied for fourth were Abby Lim of Overpeck at 81-77-158 and Carley Hopton of Fiddler’s Elbow at 78-80-158.

“It feels like a really big honor to win this two years in a row. The key for me was staying patient. I tried to enjoy the round,” said Chen.

Chen bogeyed three holes on the front side, the par-4 first hole, the par-5 fourth hole and the par-4 ninth to go three over.

“I knew I had to strike the ball better on the back. I only hit three greens on the front,” Chen stated. “I had to stay patient. On Monday, my back nine was all pars and one birdie so I knew my patience would get me through.

“I was much more comfortable playing holes 10 through 18. I made some silly mistakes on the front nine and missed some easy putts, lipping out a few times. I knew I had the potential to make birdies on the back nine.”

It turned out to be the best back nine of her career. She counted birdies on the par-4 11th hole, the par-4 13th, the par-3 14th, the par-5 15th and the par-4 18th. She did incur a bogey on the par-3 17th hole.

“I don’t just play in the same event just to win. They can be a benchmark of how your game is progressing. I’m really happy with my mental game,” Chen added.

This summer, she will play in the USGA Girls Junior July 22-27 at Sycamore Hills Golf Club in Fort Wayne, Ind., the NJSGA Women’s Amateur at Brooklake C.C. in Florham Park, July 29-August 1, and the Big "I" National Championship at Pinehurst, August 5 -8.

Kokotajlo, a senior-to-be at Ewing high School, shot 74 to win the MCT this spring at Mountain View, her home course.

“I was very happy to shoot 76 today, not knowing this course,” she said. “I made a lot of putts today. I couldn’t have played any better.”