Women's Golf Gets Dose of Linsanity

Freshman Christine Lin’s final putt on the 18th hole gave her a one-under par 71 to secure the Crimson the Ivy team title by one stroke at Trump National Golf Course in Bedminster, N.J., on Sunday. The shot also forced a one-hole playoff for the individual Ivy title.

Harvard has now won the Ivy League Championships in back-to-back years, as it finished the tournament 45-over par to edge Princeton by a single stroke. Lin finished as the runner-up for the individual title after losing the playoff to Tigers junior Kelly Shon. The freshman also earned Rookie of the Year honors for her play this weekend.

Lin was the only golfer to shoot under par in the final round Sunday. Down two strokes to Shon coming into the final round, Lin birdied holes two, three, 12, and 13 on her way to a one-under-par round.

With both girls entering the final hole as the last group, the Crimson had a one-stroke lead over Princeton. However, because team scores consist of the lowest four scores added together for a team total, the golfers had no way of knowing the narrow advantage Harvard took into the final hole.

“Coming in as part of the last group, I had no idea where we stood as a team,” Lin said. “At the same time, I always play with the mentality that one shot can be the difference, so I was just making sure that I did my part and took my time.”

At the final hole, Lin and Shon would both bogey—securing the team victory for the Crimson and forcing the one-hole playoff between the two golfers. Shon, who earned Ivy League Player of the Year honors, and Lin played the par-4 18th hole one final time to determine the individual title, with Shon winning by a stroke.

Lin started the weekend strong with a one-over par 73 to pace Harvard in Friday’s first round. Lin garnered birdies on the par-three sixth hole and on the par-four 17th hole. Her 73 also tied her for second overall going into Saturday’s round two.

“Our coaches told us that we are going to have bad breaks,” the freshman said. “They just wanted us to believe in our game and commit to our shots. I was able to stay pretty calm throughout the rounds, and I just tried to stick to my game and what I have been working on.”

Though Lin’s second round 74 (+2) was her worst of the weekend, it still was the third-best score out of all golfers on Saturday and left her only two strokes off the lead. Lin birdied the par-three second hole, the par-five 11th hole, and par-four 13th on the day. The freshman’s consistent play through the first two rounds gave her a chance to fight for the team title and the individual title in the final round on Sunday.

This past weekend marks the first time Lin has been the top golfer for the Crimson at an event all season, and the freshman’s success could not have come at a better time for the team. With the Ivy League win, Harvard earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Regional Championships. In addition to her Rookie of the Year honors, Lin was named to the All-Ivy League first team.

“I’m pretty happy that it all came together for me at this tournament,” Lin said. “I was struggling a little bit at the beginning of the semester, and I was worried I wasn’t going to play my best at the end of the season. I wasn’t expecting to end my freshman year playing so well, but I am really happy I did.”

For a freshman golfing in her first Ivy League Championship, Lin seemed unaffected by the pressure of Sunday’s final round with so much at stake. Lin shot her best round of golf on Sunday, and, with the season hanging in the balance, the freshman calmly sank her winning shot.

“If I had to pick one girl that really stepped up and helped us win this weekend, that would obviously be Christine,” said Harvard captain Bonnie Hu, who is also a Crimson business editor. “It is always tough to come in as part of the last group and have all the teams watching you finish. I think she did a great job handling the pressure that comes with the weekend and it showed in her level of play.”