MIDDLEBURY, Vt. – First-year Jessica Huang made it back-to-back individual victories for the No. 15 Amherst College women's golf team as the Auckland, New Zealand native won a playoff to take gold and lead the Mammoths to second place overall at the annual George Phinney Classic at the Ralph Myhre Golf Course, hosted by Middlebury College.

Last weekend at Hamilton College, Gihoe Seo '25 captured individual medalist honors to pace Amherst in a strong season-opening outing (2nd place, 623). Taking the top spot this weekend after finishing in a tie for fifth at Hamilton, Huang carded a 73-79-152 (+10) and won the playoff hole to clinch first in the 67-goler field. As a team, the Mammoths combined to shoot a 313-319-632 to take second in the 12-team meet.

Deadlocked with New York University's Nalinda Wanikpun (77-75-152) after 36 holes, Huang was clutch under pressure in the playoff as she drained the winning putt to spark a celebratory rush of the green by her teammates. In addition to the first-place trophy, Huang carded the best round of the tournament by two-strokes on day one with a 73 (+2). The standout performances of Seo and Huang in the first two weeks of the season will look to set the tone for the Mammoths as they ready of the 2021 NESCAC Qualifier on October 9-10.

Next on the scoresheet for Amherst were first-year Seo and 2020-2021 First Team All-NESCAC selection Jenny Hua '24. Both finishing eight shots behind Huang to land in a tie for 13th overall, Seo and Hua each carded identical 79-82-161 (+19) at the Classic in a strong showing for the Mammoths.

Priya Bakshi '24 also returned to the lineup for Amherst after a 25th place finish at Hamilton, with the 2020-2021 Second Team All-NESCAC honoree posting rounds of 82 and 80 to finish in a tie for 16th (162, +20).

Making her season debut and competing in her first tournament for the Purple & White since Fall 2019, Janelle Jin '23 fired a team-leading 78 (+7) on Sunday to finish in a tie for 22nd with a card of 86-78-164 (+22).

Contesting as an individual, sophomore Mehr Luthra tied for a 37th place finish, posting rounds of 82 and 89 for a 171 (+29).

The Mammoths will look to build off back-to-back team second place finishes and individual titles next weekend as they travel south to Middletown, Connecticut and the Lyman Orchards Golf Club for the Wesleyan Invitational on September 25-26.