FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – No. 12 Stanford started strong on Friday in the first round of the NCAA Championships at Blessings Golf Club. The Cardinal combined for a score of 3-over-par 291 on the long and demanding course and resides in second place.
"The guys did a nice job and really hung in there," said Conrad Ray, the Knowles Family Director of Men's Golf. "We knew it would be a challenge and it was."
Top-ranked and defending national champion Oklahoma State leads the 30-team field at 2-over 290.
Stanford, which entered with four consecutive tournament wins, led for much of the way on the warm and sometimes breezy day. The Cardinal climbed to 4-under midway through the front nine and earned a two-stroke cushion thanks to back-to-back birdies by senior Isaiah Salinda, junior Henry Shimp and senior Brandon Wu.
Salinda, a two-time winner this spring, birdied the first, third, fifth and sixth holes and turned in 4-under-par 32. Shimp also got off to a fast start, overcoming a first-hole bogey with birdies at two, five and six to shoot a 1-under 35 on the front.
Cardinal tied for lead at -3 nearing end of front nine.
— Stanford Men's Golf (@StanfordMGolf) May 24, 2019
Back-to-back birdies by Isaiah Salinda at No. 5-6 and he's 4-under, while @henry_shimp (-2) and @bwu (E) collected birdies at 5-6 and 3-4, respectively.#GoStanford pic.twitter.com/2mMgCrXkqx
After his pushing his opening tee shot on the downhill, par-4 first hole into the hazard on the right and sustaining a double-bogey, Wu rebounded quickly with birdies at two, four and five and finished the side in even par.
Salinda fashioned five birdies and paced Stanford with a 2-under 70 and is fifth individually. Wu and Shimp shot 1-over 73's and are knotted for 21st, while freshman Daulet Tuleubayev birdied two-of-his last six holes to post a 75 and is tied for 36th. Junior David Snyder added an 81.
Phenomenal up-and-down from behind green at 14 by @henry_shimp, who buries slippery 25-foot par putt.#GoStanford pic.twitter.com/mIiAlPyK8i
— Stanford Men's Golf (@StanfordMGolf) May 24, 2019
Wu also collected with five birdies, while Shimp had four, the last coming at the par-4 18th.
Finishing kick. @henry_shimp birdies tough 18th and Isaiah Salinda knocks in this 20-footer at 16.
— Stanford Men's Golf (@StanfordMGolf) May 25, 2019
Cardinal back in three-way for first and sun going down.#GoStanford pic.twitter.com/QcnVqxX3Ix
As expected, the back nine played tougher. Stanford played the front nine in 3-under and the second side in 6-over.
Collin Morikawa of Cal recorded a 5-under 67 for the low round of the day.
Stanford draws an early start Saturday with Cal and Auburn, with the first group teeing off No. 10 at 6:07 PT.
Third-round pairings will be determined by 36-hole team scores for Sunday's third round. The top 15 qualify for Monday's final round of stroke-play competition and top eight advance to match play on Tuesday.
Congratulations to Knowles Family Director of Men's Golf @cardcoachray, named one of five finalists today by the Golf Coaches Association of America for the Dave Williams Award presented by Golf Pride Grips to the men's golf Division I national coach of the year.#GoStanford pic.twitter.com/ex9N4IP28s
— Stanford Men's Golf (@StanfordMGolf) May 24, 2019
Live scoring is available on GoStanford.com.