{"id":629060,"date":"2026-04-25T02:00:14","date_gmt":"2026-04-25T02:00:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/629060\/"},"modified":"2026-04-25T02:00:14","modified_gmt":"2026-04-25T02:00:14","slug":"three-lions-in-the-top-5-at-ivy-league-womens-golf-championship","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/629060\/","title":{"rendered":"Three Lions in the Top 5 at Ivy League Women\u2019s Golf Championship"},"content":{"rendered":"

SPRINGFIELD, N.J. \u2014 Columbia sophomore Sarah Shao<\/a>, first year Kristina Xu<\/a> and first year Camille Thai<\/a> are all in the top five after the opening round of the Ivy League Women’s Golf Championship. The three-day event began on Friday from Baltusrol Golf Club.
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\nColumbia (+11) led for most of the day and is just three shots back of 18-hole leader Princeton (+8). Harvard (+10) is second. The three teams will play together in Saturday’s second round.
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\nShao carded a team-best round of 1-over-par 73 at the Lower Course’s 6,085-yard layout. She took advantage of the par 5s, birdieing the first, the seventh and the 17th to play them 3-under on the day and tie for the lowest par-5 scoring average. Her 1-over round is three shots behind individual leader Thanana Kotchasanmanee of Princeton.
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\nThai and Xu are tied for fourth after opening rounds of 2-over 74. Both first years also birdied the first. Thai added another at the par-4 13th, while Xu made a round-leading 14 pars. As a team, the Lions totaled a tournament-leading 71 pars, seven better than the next team (Dartmouth), and led the field in par-4 scoring (4.22).
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\nFirst year Bridget Chantharath<\/a> and sophomore Christine Chang<\/a> shot opening rounds of 78 and are tied for 20th. Emily Zeng<\/a> (+8) is in 28th.<\/p>\n

Due to expected inclement weather, tee times for both the men’s and women’s golf championships will begin at 8 a.m. Saturday. The women will begin on hole No. 1. The Lions are slated to tee off in threesomes with Princeton and Harvard, beginning at 9 a.m.<\/p>\n

FOLLOW THE LIONS:

\nFor the latest on Columbia women’s golf, follow @CULionsWGolf on\u00a0Facebook<\/a>,\u00a0Twitter<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Instagram<\/a>, and on the web at\u00a0GoColumbiaLions.com<\/a>.

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