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Celine Herbin putts on the 18th green during the second round of the ShopRite Classic on Saturday, June 9.

France's Herbin hopes this is her time

GALLOWAY _ Celine Herbin knew her decision to leave her job as a biochemical engineer at the age of 27 to pursue a career in golf would make people question her mental stability. Herbin was right. Everyone considered her... "Crazy," she recalled. "It was looking very much like a dream to be a professional golfer at 27 when I was not at all the top player in France." Still, Herbin, now 35, persisted, playing first on the European Tour before joining the LPGA. As of Saturday, June 9, Herbin, was in an enviable position - she had the clubhouse lead…
Laura Diaz, one of the first-round leaders at the 2018 ShopRite Classic, acknowledges the crowd at the completion of her round on Friday, June 8.

Diaz, with son by her side, among leaders at ShopRite

GALLOWAY _ Most kids aren't anxious to do chores. Mow the lawn? Maybe tomorrow. Take out the trash? Later. Carry your mom's golf bag? Absolutely. Toting a golf bag isn't a typical chore so 12-year-old Cooper Diaz was more than willing when his mother, Laura, needed a caddie for the 2018 ShopRite LPGA Classic. The younger Diaz not only shouldered clubs, he did it well, receiving a grade of 95 for his effort, and Laura Diaz, relaxed by his presence, fired a 66 at the Stockton Seaview Resort's Bay Course in first-round play which commenced on Friday, June 8. Anna…
Mary Cate McGlone of Villa Walsh claimed the 2018 Morris County Girls Golf Championship.

McGlone prevails at Morris Championship

FLANDERS _ Mary Cate McGlone texted her mother, Catherine, shortly after completing her nine-hole round at the Morris County Girls Golf Championship with a 12-foot putt for par. I shot a 44. I might win. It didn't take long for the elder McGlone, who was at work, to respond. Wowzer! You're a winner either way. Love you. McGlone's 44, as it turned out, put her atop the 41-player field competing on the blue course at Flanders Valley Golf Course. The title was the first for McGlone, a junior at Villa Walsh. She was extremely proud of her achievement, which was…
Hye-Jin Choi reacts after making a birdie putt on the 16th hole to gain a share of the lead during the third round of the 2017 U.S. Women's Open.

Feng retains lead; Alex falters, recovers

BEDMINSTER _ Shanshan Feng is not one bit concerned with leaderboards. Feng, of China, like all golfers competing in the U.S. Open over the last few days at Trump National Golf Course, has plenty of opportunities to peek at the standings as she moves from hole to hole. She doesn't, however. Feng, the leader at 207 - 9-under after three rounds -  just keeps driving, chipping and putting, oblivious to the posted scores.  “I just want to know about my score and I don’t care about the others,” she said. “I’m just competing with myself. I’ll focus on my own…
Marina Alex watches her approach shot at the eighth hole during the second round of the 2017 U.S. Women's Open at Trump National Golf Club on Friday, July 14.

Alex impresses at U.S. Open

BEDMINSTER _ It was an extremely hectic and challenging 16 hours for Marina Alex. Alex, a graduate of Wayne Hills High School, had completed 15 holes when first-round play at the U.S. Women's Open Championship was suspended at 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 13 because of darkness. She had to wait for her car and then make the short drive to where she was staying. After the 10-minute trip back, Alex ate and immediately went to bed. She awoke at 4:30 a.m. then headed back to Trump National Golf Course, where she was scheduled to finish three holes starting at…

Feng's 66 leads U.S. Open

BEDMINSTER _ Shanshan Feng's black and white cow print shorts, pants and outfits are representative of her personality and set her apart from the other golfers on the LPGA Tour. Feng, however, doesn't need to draw attention to herself with her unique choice of clothing. Her finely tuned golf skills make people take notice. Many eyes were on her during the first round of the U.S. Women's Open Championship, which commenced on Thursday, July 13 at Trump National Golf Club. Despite playing in a tournament in China last week and returning to the U.S. on Monday, Feng got off to…
Brittany Lang, the defending U.S. Women's Open champion, tees off on the eighth hole at Trump National Golf Club during a practice round prior to the 2017 Open.

Confident Lang hoping to repeat at U.S. Open

BEDMINSTER _ The fans would like nothing more than for Brittany Lang to be clutching the trophy once again when the 2017 U.S. Women's Open Championship concludes. With nearly every step Lang has taken on the Old Course at Trump National, someone wishes the defending champion well and mentions the prospect of a repeat. "I think on the first tee I will be a little bit nervous but it's been cool," said the 31-year-old Lang. "It's been special walking down the fairways and having people say 'Let's do it again, Brittany.' It's really special. The fans have made me feel…
In-Kyung Kim of South Korea claimed her fifth LPGA tournament win at the 2017 ShopRite Classic.

Kim edges out Nordqvist at ShopRite Classic

GALLOWAY _ It took a fall down the stairs for South Korea's In-Kyung Kim to rise to the top of the leaderboard and notch her fifth victory on the LPGA Tour. In the offseason, several months after winning the Reignwood Classic last September, Kim fell and bruised her tailbone. The injury caused her to sit out several months. She returned to the tour only two and a half months ago. On Sunday, June 4, Kim fired a 69 in the third and final round of the ShopRite Classic on the Bay Course at the Seaview Hotel and Golf Club and prevailed by two shots over…
Chung settling in on LPGA Tour

Chung settling in on LPGA Tour

GALLOWAY _ Karen Chung began her day with "a little tap," stringing together three shots for a birdie before 8 a.m. Chung, playing in her first ShopRite LPGA Classic, rose early for her tee time on Saturday, June 3 and quickly deposited her ball into the cup. The Livingston native's second shot on the 351-yard, par-4 first hole landed less than a foot from the flagstick, putting her in a perfect position for a birdie. It was certainly an encouraging, feel-good moment and Chung figured she'd ride it for the rest of her round. Steady for the remainder of the…
Kittatinny's Annika Johnson, left, poses with Morris Knolls' Christi Conroy. Johnson repeated as NJAC champion, shooting a 36, Conroy won the Morris County Girls Tournament title.

No fluke as Johnson repeats

LAFAYETTE _ A year ago, Kittatinny's Annika Johnson left Farmstead Golf Club stunned by what she had accomplished. Johnson was a freshman then and considered winning the Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference Girls Golf Tournament "a complete shocker." Now a 16-year-old sophomore, Johnson rose to the top again on Wednesday, May 31, shooting a 36 over nine holes on the Valley Course proving that she's clearly the best in the NJAC. Her round included six pars and a birdie and her score was four strokes less than the 2016 event. "Last year was unexpected so I wanted to do it a second time," Johnson…
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