STANFORD, Calif. - The Stanford men's golf team will play host to The Goodwin next spring at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco.
The Goodwin is a tribute to Wally Goodwin, Stanford's head golf coach from 1987-2000, and his devotion to Stanford Athletics. The men's golf program renamed the United States Intercollegiate as "The Goodwin" in 2014, the 20th anniversary of Stanford's 1994 NCAA Championship title, to honor one of Coach Goodwin's many contributions to the program. Goodwin was named national coach of the year in 1992 and 1994. Goodwin recruited and coached standouts such as Tiger Woods, Casey Martin, Notah Begay, Joel Kribel and current Stanford head coach Conrad Ray, among many other stars from Stanford's proud golfing tradition.
"It is exciting for Stanford to partner with TPC Harding Park in playing host to The Goodwin," said Ray, the Knowles Family Director of Men's Golf. "Harding Park has played host to many prestigious events throughout the years, and in the future will play host to the 2020 PGA Championship and 2025 Presidents Cup. It is an honor for The Goodwin to be added to this impressive list. We are thankful to the City of San Francisco and the management at TPC Harding Park for all of their efforts to help accommodate the event during the golf course irrigation and restoration project on the Stanford campus. There is no doubt that TPC Harding Park will serve as a strong replacement and great test for our talented student-athletes."
The March 28 practice round will be followed by the three-day, 54-hole tournament (March 29-31) featuring 25 teams from across the nation.
Named after United States President Warren G. Harding, Harding Park Golf Course was opened on July 18, 1925, along the shores of Lake Merced, in San Francisco's southwest corner. The initial 18-hole, 163-acre course was designed by Willie Watson and Sam Whiting, who also designed the nearby Olympic Club Lake Course.
The City of San Francisco partnered with the PGA Tour on a $16 million restoration in 2002-03 featuring a complete redesign to the course. The result was a highly acclaimed championship course that maintains the character and integrity of the original layout, but incorporates design elements and infrastructure to accommodate today's players. The 15-month project expanded the course from 6,743 yards to nearly 7,200 yards in length.
In 2010, the partnership between the City of San Francisco and PGA Tour expanded when the PGA Tour took over the management contract and attached its global Tournament Players Club brand to the property. TPC Harding Park has continued the original vision of Stanford's own Sandy Tatum to provide a world-class golf venue for both amateur and professional alike.
"We are honored to host The Goodwin," said TPC Harding Park general manager Tom Smith. "Harding is a fitting home away from home for Stanford golf, and I can't think of a more appropriate tribute continue on Sandy's vision."
