Women's golf to host Princeton Invitational

On Saturday and Sunday, the women’s golf team will host the 17th edition of the Princeton Invitational Tournament at Springdale Golf Club. The tournament is the first and only event of the fall to take place at Springdale, Princeton’s home course.

Even after losing two-time Ivy League Player of the Year Kelly Shon ’14 to graduation, the women’s team has compiled strong performances in the first two tournaments of the 2014-15 campaign. Facing some of the nation’s toughest teams, the Tigers finished 13th out of 15th at the Vanderbilt-hosted Mason Rudolph Invitational to initiate the fall season. The 13th place finish was an improvement on last year’s last-place performance. The golfers also submitted a strong effort at Penn State’s Nittany Lion Invitational, finishing 5th overall.

The Tigers have been buoyed by some strong individual performances. Most notably, sophomore Hana Ku and junior Alex Wong have submitted some stellar rounds of play. Ku posted a team-low 71 during the Nittany Lion Invitational en route to a strong 11-over-par finish. Ku also finished 11-over at Vanderbilt, proving to be a steady and reliable asset for the Tigers. Meanwhile, Wong has enjoyed what could be deemed a breakout performance this fall, submitting team-low overall scores in both tournaments this fall. Wong has credited new head coach Erika DeSanty with helping her reach a new level in her game, saying, “I think honestly my freshman and sophomore year I underperformed to my abilities. I think that Coach DeSanty coming in brought out the best in me.”

After leading the Williams College women’s golf team to NCAA Division IIItop 10finishes in all five years as the head coach, DeSanty entered Princeton accustomed to success. The two-time regional National Golf Coaches Association Coach of the Year has seamlessly adjusted to Princeton and the Division Ilevel. “The transition has been far easier than I imagined,” she said, “and that is without question because of the people that make up Princeton and specifically our women’s golf team. The student athletes have really embraced and welcomed my coaching style, and they’ve actually made the transition thrilling for me.”

DeSanty brings a goal-oriented approach to the team. Wong explained that, “she has provided us with really clear leadership and a vision, providing us guidance in terms of our team goals and how we can meet them.” DeSanty emphasized that she has prioritized the team’s performance in accordance with these goals more so than with the scores at the end of tournaments.

DeSanty did, however, acknowledge a specific numerical goal, saying, “our focus needs to change to scoring every day and consistently looking to break 300 [strokes]. If we want to compete against the best teams in the Ivy League, that’s where we need to be. Truth be told, we’re fully capable of doing that. But we have to be at our very, very best every day.” So far, the Tigers have broken the 300 stroke threshold in one round of the six that they have played this fall.

Both DeSanty and Wong expressed excitement about the Princeton Invitational this weekend. As the first home event of the season, it marks the first time that all eight women on the roster will compete. The lineup for the overall team competition will feature Ku, Wong, junior Sydney Kersten, sophomore Jordan Lippetz and freshman Caroline Araskog. FreshmanTenley Shield, seniorMary Funk and sophomore Christine Kong will also compete in individual play. The home-turf also provides a significant advantage, according to Wong. “In golf more than any other sport, it’s so important,” she stressed, “just because we know how the greens are going to break [and] where you want to leave yourself for the next shot. It’s very strategic.”

With Coach DeSanty at the helm, the Tigers are prepared to compete against a strong field this weekend — one that includes Ivy League foes Dartmouth, Brown, Penn, Columbia and Yale. At home and with the entire roster competing, the team is excited. “It’s our time to shine,” Wong said, “and we all feel that and are embracing that pressure.”