STANFORD, Calif. – Coming off consecutive team wins for the first time since 2016, No. 17 Stanford looks to continue its strong play at the Pac-12 Championships, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday at Eugene Country Club in Eugene, Ore., hosted by Oregon.
On Wednesday, the Cardinal captured the 73rd Western Intercollegiate at Pasatiempo Golf Club in Santa Cruz, Calif. by six shots over Cal. Two weeks earlier, Stanford successfully defended its home turf by coasting to an 18-shot victory over USC at The Goodwin.
In its last two starts, Stanford is an accumulative 18-under par (-8 Goodwin/-10 Western). In each event, the Cardinal finished strong by posting the best closing-round team total. Stanford shot 6-under in the Goodwin and 10-under at the Western.
The Cardinal recorded a tournament-best 75 birdies at the Western Intercollegiate, registering 33 in the last round. Isaiah Salinda pocketed 16 in the 54-hole event to rank second in the field.
Stanford produced the individual medalist in both tournaments, as seniors Brandon Wu and Salinda collected their first collegiate wins – both in playoffs.
At The Goodwin, Wu and junior teammate David Snyder deadlocked at 4-under 206, with Wu prevailing on the first extra hole. At the Western, Salinda birdied the final hole of regulation to tie Sean Yu of San Jose State and defeated him on the fifth playoff hole.
Pac-12 Championships
Monday-Wednesday, April 22-24
Eugene Country Club • Eugene, Ore.
7,044 yards • Par-71 (34-37)
The Coverage
• Live results will be available throughout the event at GoStanford.com, with updates available on Twitter (@StanfordMgolf), Facebook (StanfordMgolf) and Instagram (@StanfordMgolf).
• Pac-12 Networks will show live coverage of the finishing holes on Wednesday at 2 p.m.
The Field
• All 12 Pac-12 schools will compete, headed by No. 2 Arizona State, No. 6 USC, No. 12 Cal and No. 17 Stanford.
The Format
• Four rounds of medal play. Each school will play two rounds on Monday starting off the first and 10th tees at 7:15 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. On Tuesday, tee times start at 9 a.m. off the No. 1 tee. On Wednesday, final round pairings will be decided by order of finish after 54 holes beginning at 8 a.m. off No. 1 and No. 10.
• Six players will compete for each school, with the top five counting each day toward the team score. An individual champion will also be crowned.
The Forecast
• The weather will be cloudy on Monday and Tuesday, with high temperatures in the low 70s. On Wednesday, it will be partly cloudy with a high of 67. Light winds are expected each day.
Cardinal Contingent
• Stanford will be represented by Salinda, Wu, Snyder, junior Henry Shimp, freshman Daulet Tuleubayev and sophomore Nate Menon.
Statistically Speaking
• Wu has played in seven events (21 rounds) and averages a team-best 70.08. He has three top-10's and six top-25's, twice firing rounds of 65. Named one of 10 semifinalists for the Ben Hogan Award, Wu has been red-hot in his last four starts, posting a second, third, first and tie for 11th.
• Salinda has played in all eight events (24 rounds) and averages 71.25. He has three top-10's and six top-25s and registered a career-best 6-under-par 64 in the first round at Western Intercollegiate to help pave the way for his first collegiate win.
• Shimp has played in five events (15 rounds) and averages 71.27. He has one top-10 and three top-25's, shooting 68 three times. His best finish is a tie for ninth at the Southern Highlands Intercollegiate.
• Snyder has played in five events (15 rounds) and averages 71.67. He has one top-10 and thee top-25's, led by his runner-up finish at The Goodwin. His low score is 66.
• Menon has played in seven events (21 rounds) and averages 73.90. He has one top-25, tying for 21st at Nike Collegiate Invitational, and his low score is 70.
• Tuleubayev has played in five events (15 rounds) and averages 73.93. His top showing is a tie for 26th at the Western Intercollegiate and his low score is 70.
Trending Up
• Playing one of the toughest schedules in the country, Stanford has finished outside the top-10 only once this season. The Cardinal is peaking at the right time, placing sixth, third, first and first in its last four starts.
Statistically Speaking
• Wu has played in seven events (21 rounds) and averages a team-best 70.08. He has three top-10's and six top-25's, twice firing rounds of 65. Named one of 10 semifinalists for the Ben Hogan Award, Wu has been red-hot in his last four starts, posting a second, third, first and tie for 11th.
• Salinda has played in all eight events (24 rounds) and averages 71.25. He has three top-10's and six top-25s and registered a career-best 6-under-par 64 at Western Intercollegiate to help pave the way for his first collegiate win.
• Shimp has played in five events (15 rounds) and averages 71.27. He has one top-10 and three top-25's, shooting 68 three times. His best finish is a tie for ninth at the Southern Highlands Intercollegiate.
• Snyder has played in five events (15 rounds) and averages 71.67. He has one top-10 and thee top-25's, led by his runner-up finish at The Goodwin. His low score is 66.
• Menon has played in seven events (21 rounds) and averages 73.90. He has one top-25, tying for 21st at Nike Collegiate Invitational, and his low score is 70.
• Tuleubayev has played in five events (15 rounds) and averages 73.93. His top showing was a tie for 26th at the Western Intercollegiate and his low score is 70
Playing one of the toughest schedules in the country, Stanford has finished outside the top-10 only once this season. The Cardinal is peaking at the right time, placing sixth, third, first and first in its last four starts.
One-Two Punch
• Wu ranks No. 11 and Salinda No. 49 in the Golfweek/Sagarin Rankings. Wu is No. 11 and Salinda No. 33 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking.
The History
• Stanford has secured 10 Pac-12 titles, most recently in 2016. The others came in 1960, 1968, 1970, 1974, 1977, 1992, 1994, 2014 and 2015. The Cardinal has produced 14 Individual champions: Rod Choate (1960, 1962); Sandy Adelman (1969); Mike Peck (1977 and 1978); Jack Skilling (1980); Don Walsworth (1986); Christian Cevaer (1989 and 1992); Tiger Woods (1996); Jim Seki (2012); Andrew Yun (2012); Patrick Rodgers (2014); and Maverick McNealy (2015).
The Course
Long regarded as one of the premier courses in Oregon and often ranked among the top-100 in the U.S., Eugene Country Club was originally designed by two-time U.S. Amateur champion H.C. Egan in 1924. Located along the picturesque Willamette River, the course was redesigned by Robert Trent Jones in 1960, who reversed the nines, enlarged the greens and tees, and created more strategic bunkering. The course meanders through towering Douglas firs and has hosted many important tournaments, most recently the 2016 NCAA Men's and Women's Championships, and the 2018 U.S. Senior Amateur.