Chen And Herring Win Women's Four-ball Championship
Alice Chen of Neshanic Valley is one of the most prolific female golfers in the history of the NJSGA. On Wednesday, July 22, she added yet another championship to her burgeoning portfolio, teaming with former Montgomery High School teammate Allison Herring of TPC Jasna Polana to win the Third NJSGA Women’s Four-Ball Championship at Copper Hill Country Club in Ringoes.
Chen and Herring combined for a gross 34-32-66 to defeat the team of Yeji Shin of Valley Brook and Allyson Wentworth of Architects (33-35-68) by two shots. Fran Gacos of Copper Hill and Adrienne McLean of Somerset Hills combined for 37-37-74 for third place.
Defending champions Sherry Herman of Colts Neck and Helen Bernstein of WGA of N.J. shot 37-39-76.
In the net division, Kathy Villagio and Jane McGee of Galloping Hill won on a match of cards with 82-21-61 over Anna Turner and Jodi Cirignano, both of WGA of N.J., who shot 72-11-61. Third place went to the team of Debbie Cummins and Barbara Gross of Trump National-Bedminster (83-18-65).
As high school teammates, Chen and Herring enjoyed success in the years 2012-14, winning state sectional, county and Skyland Conference championships. Chen won the NJSIAA Tournament of Champions individual title as a senior with a record 65 at Cherry Valley C.C.
Chen has also won two NJSGA Public Links, two NJSGA Junior and one NJSGA Women’s Amateur Championships. As a freshman this past year at Furman University in South Carolina, she won conference Freshman of the Year and women’s Rookie of the Year at Furman.
“We had a lot of fun out there keeping each other’s spirits up,” said Herring, a rising freshman who will play golf at the University of Tennessee. “Coming into Montgomery as a freshman, I hadn’t played a lot of golf. I had injured my rotator cuff pitching in softball. Alice was a big influence on me on golf. I give a lot of credit to her making me into the player I am today.”
“I saw how passionate Allison was on the golf course. It was the only sport she wasn’t injured in,” Chen said. “I’ve never played Four-Ball before, but it was easier in a sense than individual golf. There’s less pressure. You have more freedom knowing there’s someone there you can count on.”
The duo combined for eight birdies against one bogey and birdied four of the par-5s on the par-73, 5,511-yard course. Chin accounted for five of the birdies.
Chen recently qualified for the U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship the second week of August at the Portland Golf Club in Oregon. She shot a 74 to earn a qualifying spot at the Walnut Grove course in Dayton, Ohio.
“I’m very excited about going to the Amateur because I tried to qualify for it multiple times. I’ve learned so much golfing at Furman. I’m prepared to handle that type of field. I’m excited to compete,” said Chen, 19.
Herring will be heading for the AJGA Scott Stallings Tournament in Oak Ridge, Tenn., and also compete in the NJSGA Women’s Amateur at Bedens Brook in two weeks.
McGee, 51, lives in Wharton and works as a fiduciary administrator. Villagio, who lives in Garwood, works for the Union County golf courses.
