Three Lions Finish Top 10 at St. John’s Invitational

Monday, April 10

Hastings-on-Hudson, N.Y.

Columbia University

St. John's Invitational

Christine Shao led the field in par-4 scoring (-1).

Photo by: Columbia University Athletics/Mike McLaughlin

Three Lions Finish Top 10 at St. John’s Invitational

4/11/2023 4:08:00 PM | Women's Golf

Team Results Individual Results

Columbia takes third in final tune-up for Ivy Championships

HASTINGS-ON-HUDSON, N.Y. — Columbia first-year Yoko Tai, junior Allison Paik and senior Christine Shao all earned top-10 finishes at the St. John's Invitational. The two-day, 36-hole women's golf tournament wrapped up Tuesday at Saint Andrew's Golf Club.

The Lions (+28) finished third in a tightly contested team event, three shots behind tournament champion Seton Hall's winning score of 25-over-par 593. St. John's was second at 27 over par. Eleven teams competed in total.

Tai was Columbia's top finisher, placing in a two-way tie for third at 3-over-par 145 for the tournament. She destroyed the par-5s, leading the field at a combined 5-under through the tournament. The rookie's performance also included a collegiate-best 2-under 69 on Monday. She battled through a tougher Tuesday that saw the field average about a stroke more than the first round. Tai took advantage of the par-5s with birdies at the ninth, 12th and 17th. Her third-place finish and 3-over tournament score were each the best of her collegiate career.

"This was really a huge step for Yoko in this tournament," head coach Amy Weeks said. "The experience of competing for medalist honors is invaluable and will only serve to help her grow as a competitor. Yoko does everything right, from the way she handles herself as a student, at practice and in these tournaments. I'm so proud of how far she's come this year and know we have a bright future with her."

Allison Paik (+5) earned solo sixth. After carding a 72 on Monday, Paik was 5-over on her round through just seven holes on Tuesday. However, the team leader in stroke average went on to play the final 11 holes 1-under-par, birdieing the par-4 11th, par-3 13th and par-5 17th for a closing 75. The top-10 finish was her second of the season.

Christine Shao (+6) led the tournament in par-4 scoring (-1) and was part of a four-way tie for seventh to earn her first top-10 of the year. After an opening-round 73 on Monday, she started at the second hole on Tuesday and got to 1-under with a birdie at par-4 fourth. Shao didn't have another birdie in her card the rest of the day but managed to make no worse than bogey on the remaining holes. She closed with pars at 18 and the first for a final-round 75.

Paige Harrison (+15) earned a top-25 in the 66-player field. She improved by five strokes from Monday with a final-round 5-over 76. Like Shao, she posted no worse than bogey all day, parring 13 of the 18 holes.

Competing as an individual, Annie Sun also improved by five shots from Monday to Tuesday with a final-round 77. She finished just outside the top 25.

Columbia will now prepare for the 2023 Ivy League Championship, which takes place next weekend, April 21-23, at Century Country Club in Purchase, New York.