Faith Low (photo courtesy NCGA)

Starting with a double-bogey and a bogey on her first two holes of the day, Low did not let that get her in a lull.

“I just started focusing on the scenery, just to calm myself down. I was extremely nervous,” Low told the Northern California Golf Association. “I just needed to settle down.”

Settling in, Low went on to birdie her fourth hole (No. 12) and made the turn to the championship nine at 2-over on the day, maintaining her two-stroke lead she brought into the day over equally struggling Duke redshirt junior Miranda Wang.

Wang, an accomplished player in her own right, was playing the best golf of her career before COVID-19 cut her season short. Wang finished tied for second at the Northrop Grumman Regional Challenge and three top-20s. In prior years, Wang saw starts on the LPGA Tour, making six of 10 cuts since 2017.

Unable to make up ground on Low, Wang carded a bogey on No. 12 and a double-bogey on No. 13 before closing her first nine with a birdie on No. 18 to go out in 38, matching Low.

“Coming in down the stretch, I was just trying to avoid any mistakes,” Low said.

Doing just that, Low kicked off the final nine holes with back-to-back birdies. Giving them right back on the following two holes, Low maintained her composure and rallied with two more birdies over the final four holes for a finishing 34. Wang also gained composure down the stretch but was unable to get to red numbers as she posted eight pars and a lone bogey to finish five-shots behind Low in solo second place.

“I’m very relieved and proud to have won,” said Low, a rising high school junior. “I’ve been working hard on my game. It’s nice to see results.”

Low has seen plenty of results over the past 12 months as she's racked up two wins and six top-10 finishes on the AJGA since July of last year.

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