Shao wins 17th Women's Pub-Links Championship
August 12, 2020 - Christine Shao of Neshanic Valley carded a five-over-par 78 to win the 17th NJSGA Women’s Public Links Championship, and etched her name on a trophy for a third time in her young career on Wednesday at the par-73, 5,705-yard Ash Brook Golf Course in Scotch Plains.
Shao, whose championships include the 2017 NJSGA Junior Girls and 2017 Women’s Four-Ball (with Ami Gianchandani), edged runner-up Annika Johnson of Knoll Country Club by a single stroke. Lisa Coe of Ballyowen took third place with an 80 followed by Kelly Platt of Mercer Oaks and Sun Hwang of Overpeck, who both shot 82. Marge Zietchick of Women’s Golf Association of New Jersey won the net competition.
“I hope to put my name on more trophies… like the Women’s Amateur,” said Shao, 19, who lost this year in the Women’s Amateur quarterfinals to eventual champion Eunice Kim. “Yes, I’m excited about winning this. I just need to continue the dedication and practice and do what I’m doing. My game is there. I feel like I can do well in future Women’s Amateurs. I just have to keep at it.”
Of her three titles, this was the most difficult. In winning the Junior Girls title, the Green Brook resident shot a course-record tying 66 at Royce Brook (West) and she and Gianchandani won the Four-Ball at New Jersey National by two strokes.
Two weeks ago, Shao had a practice round at Ash Brook and noted: “Course management, placement of the ball and a long game is very important here; also, knowing how to navigate the course with the creeks and the doglegs. I did a good job with that on the front nine.”
Shao, a rising sophomore on the Columbia University women’s golf team played in the event for the first time. She started with a one-under-par 36 on her front nine, giving her a three-shot cushion at the turn over Hwang, who recently transferred to Rutgers from Florida Southern.
Following a par on the par-4 10th hole, Shao then strung together four straight bogeys on holes 11 through 14. She added two more bogeys on the 16th and 18th holes to barely hang on to her lead. Johnson, a Fairfield University golfer, shot two-over-par 38 on the back nine. She nearly chipped in on 18 to force a playoff.
“On the back nine, my full swing just wasn’t clicking like it did on the front nine, including my driver and my irons. I tried to overcome it by simplifying, and playing the shot I had,” Shao said.
“I didn’t know the score coming into 18, but I felt I was in danger. I knew I had to finish strong,” said Shao, whose approach on 18 found the back of the green. She three-putted from 35 feet but it was just enough to win the title.
Shao is a three-time qualifier for the U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship.
“Being a New Jersey resident, competing with people from my state, and winning, it shows my game is in a competitive state,” she started.
