Jin, Bae, Kim Share Lead At Junior Girls Championship With 69s
A year ago, Madeline Jin of Royce Brook fired a 4-under-par 68 to grab a four-shot lead after the first round of the36-hole NJSGA Junior Girls Championship at Bella Vista.
She nearly repeated her first-round excellence this year and while she is at the top of the leaderboard heading into the final round of the 2016 NJSGA Junior Girls at the 4,987-yard Colts Neck Golf Club, she isn’t alone.
Jin was one of three who shot 2-under-par 69 to share the lead by one shot over two others who shot 70.
Jin, 15, was tied with two golfers from Edgewood Country Club, 12-year-old Sophia Bae and 14-year-old Yoona Kim.
In at 70 in the field of 32 were Jacquelyn Cai of Mercer Oaks and Anina Ku of New Jersey National.
ROUND 2 PARIINGS & STARTING TIMES
Just 12 months ago, Jin, a 15-year-old from Belle Mead and a rising freshman sophomore at Montgomery High School, was the only golfer to shoot below par in the first round of the Junior Girls. Her 68 opened a four-shot lead over eventual champion Ami Gianchandani of Rock Spring.
But things changed on the second day when Jin shot 75 and Gianchandani 71. Both finished at 143, but Gianchandani won with a birdie on the first playoff hole.
Gianchandani is not playing this year due to a conflict.
“I’d like to win this year. I finally got my driver going again. I’ve been babying it. I think I was hitting it to avoid the rough. Now, I’m swinging without fear and trusting it,” said Jin, who won the Somerset County high school championship this spring.
Her round included an eagle on the par-5 No. 15 hole when she hit a fairway wood from 200 yards to 20 feet. She added three birdies, but her round did include a double bogey on the par-3 No. 4 hole when she overshot the green, and another bogey.
Last year, she won the Scotty Robertson Memorial in Roanoke, Va., for 14-year-olds.
Bae tied her career best set this spring in an IMG event at Charleston Springs.
“I had a practice round here on Friday and I hit it good,” the eighth-grader said. “I’ve really improved on my course management and I’m hitting it longer and steadier this year.
Her round included four birdies and two bogey. The highlight was a 27-foot birdie putt on the par-4 first hole.
Cai, 15, who won the Mercer County Tournament out of West Windsor North H.S., took the lead through the first nine holes by going 3-unde-par. She nearly finished there but bogeyed the par-3 No. 18 hole when her tee shot was short of the green.
All players return for Thursday’s final round with tee times beginning at 10 a.m.
