PRINCETON, N.J. — On the strength of shooting even par over the second round of the Princeton Invitational, Dartmouth junior Samantha Yao carded the low score of the day for the Big Green with a 5-over 147 at Springdale Golf Club on Saturday. As a team, the Big Green wrapped up the day in 12th place with a cumulative 610 (+34), one stroke ahead of fellow Ivy member Penn.

The host Tigers opened a 15-stroke lead over Seton Hall with one round still to play on the 6,134-yard, par-72 course, shooting 8-under par (568) as a group. Three Princeton players will enter the final 18 holes among the top four on the leaderboard, led by Tiffany Kong with a 137 (-7) following a second-round 66. Yale and Columbia ended the day tied for third at 9-over par (585).

Yao, who tied for fifth at this event as a freshman in the fall of 2019, finished the day with a team-best 23 pars while also sinking four birdies, three coming during her second tour of the course. By shaving five strokes in the second round, Yao was able to climb 17 places in the standings into a tie for 27th in the 70-player field.

Each of the four other members of the Dartmouth squad made their collegiate debuts today, and sophomore Katherine Sung sank a team-best seven birdies while closing the day with a 75-76—151 (+7) to leave her tied for 35th. While Sung provided the most highlights for the Green, sophomore Penelope Tir had the best one, dropping an eagle on the 442-yard, par-5 third hole during her second round. Like Yao, she dropped five strokes from her first to her second 18, carding a 79-74—153 (+9) to tie her for 41st.

Freshman Claire Xu had nearly as many pars as Yao with 22, and added a birdie on 18 during her first round, completing the day in a tie for 59th at 13-over par (80-77—157). Also competing for Dartmouth was freshman Mari Caldwell.

The third and final round will tee of tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. The Big Green will be paired with Rollins College and Penn and will begin on holes 16-18 in the shotgun start.