STANFORD, Calif. – After a strong fall campaign, the third-ranked Stanford women’s golf team returns to competition this weekend by hosting the 21st Peg Barnard Invitational at Stanford Golf Course. The defending NCAA champion Cardinal captured two of three stroke events last fall.
“We’re really excited to get going again,” said Anne Walker, the Mitch and Margot Director of Women’s Golf. “We gave ourselves an A+ in the fall and were really pleased with the way we played, with energy and focus.”
Although her full five-player starting lineup is back from last year’s title team, the first in program history, Walker knows there is room for improvement.
“Mostly around the greens,” she said. “We were streaky in the fall.”
Sophomore Shannon Aubert from Stuart, Florida, said the team is game to challenge for another national title.
“I think we all realize that last year was last year, and it was something amazing,” she said. “But in order to win it again, we don’t have to try to recreate what happened. We’d rather just focus on this year, work hard, give 100 percent, and hopefully it works out.”
Aubert finished a team-best third in the Stanford Intercollegiate in October. She missed last year’s Peg Barnard Invitational due to health reasons.
“The competitiveness that she has is fairly unmatched,” said Walker. “The kid does not want to lose. And when you have that sense of urgency about being your own personal best, it inspires you to dig a little deeper.”
There are 13 teams and five individuals competing on Saturday and Sunday. Also ranked in the top 25 are Washington (12), Cal (21) and Colorado (22).
“Washington is a hot team and has good senior leadership, so they’re going to be tough,” Walker said. “And Cal has been playing great.”
Esther Lee of Colorado is ranked No. 13 and Charlotte Thomas of Washington is ranked No. 28.
Stanford is an eight-time team winner of the event and has produced five medalists in Mariah Stackhouse (2013), Sally Watson (2010), Wendra Liang (2003), Stephanie Keever (1999) and Mhairi McKay (1995).
2013 • Mariah Stackhouse
As a freshman from Riverdale, Georgia, Stackhouse shot a Stanford Golf Course and NCAA women’s record 61 in the second round, fueled by a 9-under 26 on the front nine. Stackhouse finished with a tournament record score of 12-under 130 and won by 10 strokes.
2010 • Sally Watson
As a freshman from Earlsferry, Scotland, Watson posted rounds of 73-71 to share medalist honors and helped lift Stanford to a one-stroke team victory. A two-time All-American and three-time Academic All-America, she now plays professionally on the Ladies European Tour.
2003 • Wendra Liang
As a sophomore from San Francisco, California, Liang recorded a two-round score of 148. A human biology major, Liang was named the NGCA Scholar Athlete of the Year and was a three-time WGCA Academic All-American. She also played violin in the Stanford Symphony Orchestra.
1999 • Stephanie Keever
As a sophomore, the Las Vegas, Nevada native captured medalist honors with a 144 total. A four-time All-American, Keever finished 15th in the NCAA Championship and was named first-team All-Pac-10.
1995 • Mhairi McKay
The first international player to receive a Stanford women’s golf scholarship, McKay won inaugural Peg Barnard Invitational with a score of 142. A four-time All-American, McKay is the only Cardinal to win a Pac-10 Championship individual title (1997). She had a successful career on the LPGA Tour and secured three Top 10 finishes in the U.S. Women’s Open. She played on two European Solheim Cup teams and was inducted into the Stanford Athletics Hall of Fame in 2011.
This week’s Cardinal lineup will be comprised of senior All-Americans Stackhouse and Lauren Kim, Aubert, and juniors Quirine Eijkenboom and Casey Danielson. Kim is ranked No. 7 nationally, followed by Aubert at No. 18 and Stackhouse at No. 36.
“Our group has been really steady in our qualifying scores,” said Walker. “Nothing too flashy, but nothing bad. If I could choose where I want to be this time of year, we’re right there.”
The goal is to peak for the NCAA Regionals and NCAA Championships in May, the latter to be played at Eugene Country Club in Eugene, Oregon.
“For us right now, there’s not a lot of attention on the result,” Walker said. “We want to take what we learned in the fall, get better at it and be ready to perform in the spring quarter.”
Tee times on Saturday and Sunday begin at 8 a.m. PT on the first hole and 8:25 a.m. on the 10th hole. Admission is free.
The tournament is named after long-time Stanford Athletics supporter and fundraiser Peg Barnard.
“So it’s a real honor to host it in her name,” said Walker. “It’s also really neat to host the Northern California teams.”