STANFORD, Calif. — It came down to sudden death, but Stanford retained its Big Match trophy, winning on the 19th hole with Megha Ganne and Dean Greyserman. It is the third overall Big Match title for Stanford in six years of the event at Menlo Country Club.
With seven matches and ties not being played out, a 3.5-3.5 score is possible, and that’s what happened on Thursday. Stanford held a 3.5-1.5 lead with two matches remaining and just needed to tie in one of those to secure a win outright. The first of those to finish was Nora Sundberg and Cooper Stearns, who were tied heading to 18 but lost the hole. That put the pressure on Paula Martín Sampedro and Ethan Gao. They were 2up heading to 14, but things began to get away from them. It was tied through 16, and then Jasmine Kahler and Daniel Heo of California won the final two holes to win the match, forcing a 3.5-3.5 tie.
That brought the anchor match back onto the course. Ganne and Greyserman were able to take care of business against Marie-Agnes Fischer and Charlie Berridge of California 3&2. Sudden death put them on 18 for the first time all afternoon, and it came down to three shots on the green.
Ganne was the furthest of the three away from the cup, roughly 50 feet away. She rolled it up and down the rolling green, and eventually it got right to the flag, smacking against it and dropping straight down into the cup. She leaped into the air, hugged Greyserman, and celebrated one of the most spectacular putts of her career – and she is a U.S. Women’s Amateur champion. California could not answer the putt, and Stanford won in incredible fashion.
The first Stanford pair to win on Thursday was Andrea Revuelta and Nathan Wang, taking down the Golden Bears 4&3. They won the first hole and never trailed, eventually clinching it with consecutive wins on 14 and 15. Leigh Chien and Edan Cui were close behind, also winning 4&3 and capping off their day on 15 as well. They did most of their damage on the back of the course, winning three of the final four holes to stretch out their advantage.
Both golf programs are in action next week. A select number of individuals on the women’s side will head to Golf, Ill. for the Windy City Collegiate, hosted by the defending national champions, Northwestern. Others will be playing in the World Amateur Team Championships in Singapore. The men will be heading to Fort Worth, Texas for the Ben Hogan Intercollegiate, presented by Charles Schwab. Both events state-side run Sept. 29-30.
2025 Big Match: Stanford def. California in Sudden Death Playoff
Adora Liu/Sihao Cong (Cal) def. Kelly Xu/TK Chantananuwat (STAN), 2&1
Meja Örtengren/Jay Leng (STAN) and Michelle Woo/Ziqin Zhou (Cal), tied thru 18
Andrea Revuelta/Nathan Wang (STAN) def. Anna Molloy/Xihuan Chang (Cal), 4&3
Leigh Chien/Edan Cui (STAN) def. Claudia Lara Miravitlles/Charlie Bundy (Cal), 4&3
Camila Zignaigo Saldarriaga/Trevor Cox (Cal) def. Nora Sundberg/Cooper Stearns (STAN), 1up
Jasmine Kahler/Daniel Heo (Cal) def. Paula Martín Sampedro/Ethan Gao (STAN), 2up
Megha Ganne/Dean Greyserman (STAN) def. Marie-Agnes Fischer/Charlie Berridge (Cal), 3&2