SALT LAKE CITY – No. 4 Stanford won its third consecutive Pac-12 Conference men’s golf title and placed three student-athletes in the top-10 of the individual standings Sunday at The Country Club. Stanford (352-336-348-366) posted an 18-under score for the 72-hole event, 29 shots clear of second-place Cal.
Stanford held a 12-stroke lead over the Golden Bears heading into the final round. Despite strong winds that managed to push scores higher, the Cardinal lead was never threatened.
“It was the toughest day we’ve had so far,” said Stanford head coach Conrad Ray. “I was proud of our guys and they really hung in there. We actually had a slow start, the wind was blowing and it was chilly. We weathered the storm, so to speak. They hit solid shots and tried to mitigate big numbers.
“It was a good battle with Cal and USC they’re awesome teams. This league is as strong as you will find in college golf, so to come out on top this week is a really big deal for us.”
David Boote (68-66-70-73) tied for third in his Pac-12 finale, contributing brilliant play in unfavorable conditions throughout the event. Boote was joined in the top-10 by fifth-place Franklin Huang (66-72-68-73) and sixth-place Maverick McNealy (69-71-69-72).
Jeffrey Swegle (76-64-71-73) tied for 11th, four spots ahead of Viraat Badhwar (74-68-70-75). Brandon Wu’s Pac-12 debut saw the freshman post scores of 75-67-75-75 for 28th.
In crediting his team’s performance, Ray added, “You could go down the list. Franklin Huang just put in his second top 10 in a row, third top 15. He played great. David Boote, our senior captain, led us all week. Maverick McNealy made a few birdies there at the end to finish top 10. He’s been our horse all year and one of the top players in college golf, if not, the top player. All around, a huge team effort and really happy the way it came together.”
McNealy, the defending medalist, passed the league’s top honor to Jon Rahm of Arizona State. Rohm’s 12-under provided a four-shot cushion for the individual win.
Stanford clinched the inaugural Pac-12 title in 1960 and has since won nine championships.
The win was the second in as many events on the season for the Cardinal after its golden scorecard at last month’s Western Intercollegiate. The Cardinal will take its momentum into the postseason, beginning with the NCAA Regional Championships (May 16-18).