[Spiny_Norman]

The golf teams always have the best trips. The men's team starts its spring season in Hawaii tomorrow at the Amer Ari Invitational. It's a very strong field with 10 of the top 20 teams according to the current Golfweek rankings including Stanford, Oklahoma State, Pepperdine (defending national champ), Texas Tech, North Carolina, Texas and Arizona State.

Stanford is sending a team that will raise eyebrows among some - Shimp, Brown, Thorbjornsen, Menon and Beber-Frankel. Alex Yang will be playing as an individual. Not making the trip is Karl Vilips (ranked #22 in the country).

For those who might have seen the team and coaches at the golf course recently, any insight about Vilips' status? Is he not playing well? Did he get beat in qualifying? Or is this related to Covid in some way?

You can follow the scoring here once the tournament begins - https://results.golfstat.com/public/lead...&tid=24476

[Spiny_Norman]

The golf teams always have the best trips. The men's team starts its spring season in Hawaii tomorrow at the Amer Ari Invitational. It's a very strong field with 10 of the top 20 teams according to the current Golfweek rankings including Stanford, Oklahoma State, Pepperdine (defending national champ), Texas Tech, North Carolina, Texas and Arizona State.

Stanford is sending a team that will raise eyebrows among some - Shimp, Brown, Thorbjornsen, Menon and Beber-Frankel. Alex Yang will be playing as an individual. Not making the trip is Karl Vilips (ranked #22 in the country).

For those who might have seen the team and coaches at the golf course recently, any insight about Vilips' status? Is he not playing well? Did he get beat in qualifying? Or is this related to Covid in some way?

You can follow the scoring here once the tournament begins - https://results.golfstat.com/public/lead...&tid=24476

[newguy]

i hope the team can cope with being forced to play golf in such an inhospitable climate.

[newguy]

i hope the team can cope with being forced to play golf in such an inhospitable climate.

[winflop]

No clue on Vilips. I'll see if I can get some info once they are back. Could be that Vilips had/is having challenges getting back into the US from his home in Australia or complying with COVID protocols for travel to Hawaii. Could be an injury. Could be that he simply didn't play well in the qualifier.

Sadly they are playing arguably the least interesting resort course on the Kohala Coast - Hapuna Beach. It's too bad given how many courses in that area are so much better (both resort & private courses). It's the one course over there that my wife and I refuse to play. It's just not very interesting.

[winflop]

No clue on Vilips. I'll see if I can get some info once they are back. Could be that Vilips had/is having challenges getting back into the US from his home in Australia or complying with COVID protocols for travel to Hawaii. Could be an injury. Could be that he simply didn't play well in the qualifier.

Sadly they are playing arguably the least interesting resort course on the Kohala Coast - Hapuna Beach. It's too bad given how many courses in that area are so much better (both resort & private courses). It's the one course over there that my wife and I refuse to play. It's just not very interesting.

[winflop]

Round 1 is complete, and Stanford is in a solid position in 6th place at -12. Leader ASU is at -20. 8 strokes is nothing in college golf, especially with 36 holes left to play.

T12 Shimp -4
T12 Beber-Frankel -4
T31 Browl -2
T31 Menon -2
T60 Thorbjornsen E

Beber-Frankel is a surprise on the good side. He's struggled and not played much since arriving last year.
Thorbjornsen is a surprise on the other side. Will be interesting to see how he responds tomorrow.

[winflop]

Round 1 is complete, and Stanford is in a solid position in 6th place at -12. Leader ASU is at -20. 8 strokes is nothing in college golf, especially with 36 holes left to play.

T12 Shimp -4
T12 Beber-Frankel -4
T31 Browl -2
T31 Menon -2
T60 Thorbjornsen E

Beber-Frankel is a surprise on the good side. He's struggled and not played much since arriving last year.
Thorbjornsen is a surprise on the other side. Will be interesting to see how he responds tomorrow.

[winflop]

Rough Day 2 for the Cardinal. They shot +3 which was the fourth-worst round of the day. Dropped back into the middle of the pack.

Jake Beber-Frankel had a good round going until the 18th hole where he made a quintuple bogey 9 on a par 4. I've played this course and the finishing hole isn't that hard. I'm struggling to figure out how an elite college golfer makes a 9 on it. I know the joke, he missed his put for an 8 but seriously.

T33. Shimp -4
T46. Menon -2
T56. Thorbjornsen -1
T61. Beber-Frankel E
T70. Brown +1
T74. Yang +2 (individual competitor not on team roster)

Hoping they bounce back with a good round tomorrow for a more respectable finish, but my guess is they're gonna have a long flight home tomorrow night.

[winflop]

Rough Day 2 for the Cardinal. They shot +3 which was the fourth-worst round of the day. Dropped back into the middle of the pack.

Jake Beber-Frankel had a good round going until the 18th hole where he made a quintuple bogey 9 on a par 4. I've played this course and the finishing hole isn't that hard. I'm struggling to figure out how an elite college golfer makes a 9 on it. I know the joke, he missed his put for an 8 but seriously.

T33. Shimp -4
T46. Menon -2
T56. Thorbjornsen -1
T61. Beber-Frankel E
T70. Brown +1
T74. Yang +2 (individual competitor not on team roster)

Hoping they bounce back with a good round tomorrow for a more respectable finish, but my guess is they're gonna have a long flight home tomorrow night.

[old spanish trail]

No clue on Vilips. I'll see if I can get some info once they are back. Could be that Vilips had/is having challenges getting back into the US from his home in Australia or complying with COVID protocols for travel to Hawaii. Could be an injury. Could be that he simply didn't play well in the qualifier.

Sadly they are playing arguably the least interesting resort course on the Kohala Coast - Hapuna Beach. It's too bad given how many courses in that area are so much better (both resort & private courses). It's the one course over there that my wife and I refuse to play. It's just not very interesting.

We have been there many times as family members purchased one of those townhouses on the course when they opened. The gals like Hapuna because it is easier than Mauna Kea, e.g. (Too many traps they yell) Low scores should rule. It has always been in great shape and lower scores than the mainland are a nice present. I doubt the tournament could get on at Mauna Kea and Waikaloa isn't any more interesting than Hapuna. Would love to be there now. What courses do you think would be better?

[old spanish trail]

No clue on Vilips. I'll see if I can get some info once they are back. Could be that Vilips had/is having challenges getting back into the US from his home in Australia or complying with COVID protocols for travel to Hawaii. Could be an injury. Could be that he simply didn't play well in the qualifier.

Sadly they are playing arguably the least interesting resort course on the Kohala Coast - Hapuna Beach. It's too bad given how many courses in that area are so much better (both resort & private courses). It's the one course over there that my wife and I refuse to play. It's just not very interesting.

We have been there many times as family members purchased one of those townhouses on the course when they opened. The gals like Hapuna because it is easier than Mauna Kea, e.g. (Too many traps they yell) Low scores should rule. It has always been in great shape and lower scores than the mainland are a nice present. I doubt the tournament could get on at Mauna Kea and Waikaloa isn't any more interesting than Hapuna. Would love to be there now. What courses do you think would be better?

[winflop]

What courses do you think would be better?

Other than the Waikoloa courses, pretty much any of the others on the Kohala coast.

Either of the Mauna Lani courses, although doubtful they'd play South
Mauna Kea
Nanea (hosts women's P12 event)
Hualalai (either course)
Kuki'o
Kohanaiki

We will be there in August. Trying to find a way onto one of the private courses :)

[winflop]

What courses do you think would be better?

Other than the Waikoloa courses, pretty much any of the others on the Kohala coast.

Either of the Mauna Lani courses, although doubtful they'd play South
Mauna Kea
Nanea (hosts women's P12 event)
Hualalai (either course)
Kuki'o
Kohanaiki

We will be there in August. Trying to find a way onto one of the private courses :)

[winflop]

Stanford rebounded with the second-lowest final round of any team but still finished in the middle of the pack, 9th out of 19 teams. However, it should be noted that this was an EXTREMELY strong field, with 6 of the top 10 and 10 of the top 25 teams in the country. That's tougher than they will see at any other event short of the NCAA Finals. Regionals will have half that many top 25 teams.

#4 Oklahoma State -50
#11 Texas Tech -49
#3 Arizona State -42
#2 North Carolina -38
#21 Washington -36
#6 Pepperdine -34
#20 Georgia Tech -28
#66 UCLA -26
#7 Stanford -25
#8 Texas -17
#18 Auburn -16

On the individual side, the field was equally competitive. Our two best players finally played like it and vaulted up to the leaderboard.

T15 Thorbjornsen -9 (shot a career-low 64 in the final round)
T34 Brown -5
T34 Beber-Frankel -5 (a strong showing in his first tournament this year)
T65 Shimp E
T71 Menon +1 (done in today by two triple bogeys)
T77 Yang +3 (made a 9 on par-4 10th hole)

Team has some work to do. I think there's a solid core of four players (Brown, Shimp, Thorbjornsen, Vilips) and a tough choice for the 5th spot.

Next event is in just over two weeks at PGA West in La Quinta
Stanford hosts The Goodwin Mar 24-26

[winflop]

Stanford rebounded with the second-lowest final round of any team but still finished in the middle of the pack, 9th out of 19 teams. However, it should be noted that this was an EXTREMELY strong field, with 6 of the top 10 and 10 of the top 25 teams in the country. That's tougher than they will see at any other event short of the NCAA Finals. Regionals will have half that many top 25 teams.

#4 Oklahoma State -50
#11 Texas Tech -49
#3 Arizona State -42
#2 North Carolina -38
#21 Washington -36
#6 Pepperdine -34
#20 Georgia Tech -28
#66 UCLA -26
#7 Stanford -25
#8 Texas -17
#18 Auburn -16

On the individual side, the field was equally competitive. Our two best players finally played like it and vaulted up to the leaderboard.

T15 Thorbjornsen -9 (shot a career-low 64 in the final round)
T34 Brown -5
T34 Beber-Frankel -5 (a strong showing in his first tournament this year)
T65 Shimp E
T71 Menon +1 (done in today by two triple bogeys)
T77 Yang +3 (made a 9 on par-4 10th hole)

Team has some work to do. I think there's a solid core of four players (Brown, Shimp, Thorbjornsen, Vilips) and a tough choice for the 5th spot.

Next event is in just over two weeks at PGA West in La Quinta
Stanford hosts The Goodwin Mar 24-26