PRINCETON, N.J. - Auburn graduate student Ami Gianchandani won her second career New Jersey Women's Amateur Championship hosted by the New Jersey State Golf Association, as she defeated Emma Shen 1-up in the championship match on Thursday.
"The field is so strong and there's so many talented golfers here, it's really an honor to win it again," Gianchandani said after the victory. "The key is knowing that you've got that many rounds in front of you at the beginning and just taking it one shot at a time. You can't get ahead of yourself, especially out here. If you lose focus, you could miss a green or miss a putt that that counts."
The Watchung, N.J. native's 6-under 138 placed her in a tie for second after the two rounds of stroke play qualifying to make the 16-player cut prior to match play. She claimed the lowest 18-hole round in the field with a 65 (-7) during a bogey-free opening round.
In match play on Wednesday, Gianchandani defeated Olivia Pak 2&1 in the round of 16 then took down Sammie Dolce in a tight 1-up quarterfinal match that was decided by a Gianchandani win on the 18th hole. On Thursday, the Auburn graduate student defeated defending champion Claire Lu 2&1 in the semifinal round to advance to the finals.
The back-and-forth championship match was tied going to the 17th hole, when Gianchandani knocked her approach inside five feet to make birdie and win the hole. She would preserve the 1-up lead with a tie on the 18th hole to claim the title. She is now a two-time champion, as she also won the event in 2021.
"I'm psyched," said Gianchandani. "This was my first win of the summer, so it felt really great to win it and hopefully I can continue this momentum going into Auburn."
Gianchandani graduated from Yale in May with a degree in Statistics and Data Science and will join the Auburn golf team for the fall 2023 season and pursue a certificate in Business Analytics.
While at Yale, Gianchandani recorded five victories in collegiate tournaments in her including at the Boston College Invitational, the Yale Women's Fall Intercollegiate, and the Pinehurst Invitational. She was also awarded the 2023 Dinah Shore Trophy by the LPGA Foundations and the Friends of Golf Organization in June.