First Day Complete as Quarterfinal Field Takes Shape at 101st Women’s Amateur Championship
ESSEX FELLS, N.J. – The first day of the 101st New Jersey Women's Amateur Championship featured a full slate of golf at Essex Fells Country Club, beginning with an 18-hole stroke-play qualifying round before the championship shifted to match play as the Round of 16 battled for a place in Tuesday's quarterfinals.
Grace Lu carried her momentum from the morning into the afternoon, earning medalist honors with a bogey-free 7-under-par 66, her career best, before advancing comfortably through her Round of 16 match.
The Rutgers University standout secured the No. 1 seed after carding seven birdies in the opening round.
“I think my gameplan going into today was very simple, just hit the fairway and hit the green,” Lu said. “If I had a birdie chance I would try to make use of it, but if it didn’t go in I wasn’t too upset about it.”
She continued her strong play in the afternoon, opening her match against Taylor Sieg with birdies on the first two holes before adding another win with a par on the fifth to seize control early. Sieg fired back, winning holes 11 and 14 to extend the match. Lu won No. 15 with a birdie to close out the match and move on to the quarterfinals.
“Match play was really a grind after hole 11,” Lu said. “I know it’s a match against someone else but I was focused on keeping it straight and in the fairways, especially with having some timing off.”
Awaiting Lu in Tuesday morning's quarterfinals will be 2024 Amateur champion Katie Li.
Li survived one of the day's most competitive matches after a slow start against Olivia Gaglione. Gaglione held a 1-up advantage through six holes before Li squared the match on the seventh. From there, the Duke standout found another gear, winning five consecutive holes from Nos. 7 through 12 to build a commanding 4-up lead. Gaglione mounted a late rally before Li ultimately closed out the victory on hole 16.
“I had a pretty positive attitude coming into the afternoon,” Li said. “I figured out some things with my swing and then my round turned around.”
The field featured just one former champion in Li, who won the 2023 New Jersey Women's Amateur Championship at Watchung Valley Golf Club.
“I’ve definitely grown through my three years at Duke. I won this two years ago but I think I’m a completely different player now, in a great way,” Li remarked. “I’m feeling pretty sure of myself but anything could happen, this is golf.”
Incoming Princeton University freshman Ysabel Liu also advanced in impressive fashion, defeating Brooke Oberparleiter, 6 and 4. Liu made five birdies during the match and will meet Anushka Sawant in the quarterfinals.
Angelina Tolentino, an incoming junior at Vanderbilt University, knocked off 2024 semifinalist Alyssa Roland, 4 and 3. Tolentino carded four birdies in a steady performance that earned her a spot in the final eight.
After an evenly contested front nine, Taylor Oberparleiter took control on the back side against reigning New Jersey Women's Open champion Vaidehi Shah. Oberparleiter won holes 10, 11 and 14 before closing out a 3-and-2 victory.
Incoming Northwestern University junior Megan Meng advanced to the quarterfinals with a 6-and-5 victory over Bella Crespo. Meng carded three birdies in the match and moved one step closer to improving on last year's run, when she fell to eventual champion Sarah Shao. She will face Taylor Oberparleiter in Tuesday's quarterfinals.
Anushka Sawant secured her place in the quarterfinals with a 2-and-1 victory over Savannah Laverty. Sawant will face incoming Princeton University freshman Ysabel Liu on Tuesday morning after Liu advanced with a 6-and-4 win over Brooke Oberparleiter.
Quarterfinal matches begin at 7:30 a.m. Tuesday at Essex Fells Country Club, followed by the semifinal matches later in the afternoon as the field is narrowed to the championship finalists.
Round of 16 Results
Samantha Galantini def. Jessica Danckwerth, 5 and 4
Grace Lu def. Taylor Sieg, 4 and 3
Katie Li def. Olivia Gaglione, 3 and 2
Angelina Tolentino def. Alyssa Roland, 4 and 3
Megan Meng def. Bella Crespo, 6 and 5
Taylor Oberparleiter def. Vaidehi Shah, 3 and 2
Ysabel Liu def. Brooke Oberparleiter, 6 and 4
Anushka Sawant def. Savannah Laverty, 2 and 1
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