[Spiny_Norman]

The men had an undistinguished fall season and started the 2019 campaign with a disappointing showing in Hawaii. They finished 50 shots behind the winner Oklahoma State. But they have been on a nice upward trend since then, led by Brandon Wu. Wu is a senior who had never won a tournament at Stanford, but was getting closer and closer. At La Quinta in February, he finished a shot behind Viktor Hovland from OSU, the reigning US Amateur champ. At Las Vegas at the beginning of March, he finished 3rd, 2 shots behind the winner. 

Then yesterday at the Goodwin at Stanford, Wu was again in the hunt. When several players at the top of the leaderboard stumbled on the back 9 of the final round, Wu birdied 10, 14 and 17 to jump past them to the top . . . where he was tied by his teammate David Snyder with a birdie on 18. It was the best performance of Snyder's career.  And Stanford won its first tournament of the year.

Coach Ray seems to have settled on a solid 4 players with Wu, Salinda (still trying to find his form from last summer when he made the semifinals of the US Amateur), Snyder and Henry Shimp. He is still trying to find a reliable 5th player.

The men have one more regular season tournament, the Western Intercollegiate at Pasatiempo before Pac 12s. But the team is guaranteed to advance to regionals because Stanford is hosting May 13-15. Yes, Stanford will get to play regionals on their own course where they just won a tournament by 18 shots over three top 11 teams. I don't think this team can win a national championship, but they have a chance to advance to NCAAs which I would not have predicted 6 weeks ago.

[Spiny_Norman]

The men had an undistinguished fall season and started the 2019 campaign with a disappointing showing in Hawaii. They finished 50 shots behind the winner Oklahoma State. But they have been on a nice upward trend since then, led by Brandon Wu. Wu is a senior who had never won a tournament at Stanford, but was getting closer and closer. At La Quinta in February, he finished a shot behind Viktor Hovland from OSU, the reigning US Amateur champ. At Las Vegas at the beginning of March, he finished 3rd, 2 shots behind the winner. 

Then yesterday at the Goodwin at Stanford, Wu was again in the hunt. When several players at the top of the leaderboard stumbled on the back 9 of the final round, Wu birdied 10, 14 and 17 to jump past them to the top . . . where he was tied by his teammate David Snyder with a birdie on 18. It was the best performance of Snyder's career.  And Stanford won its first tournament of the year.

Coach Ray seems to have settled on a solid 4 players with Wu, Salinda (still trying to find his form from last summer when he made the semifinals of the US Amateur), Snyder and Henry Shimp. He is still trying to find a reliable 5th player.

The men have one more regular season tournament, the Western Intercollegiate at Pasatiempo before Pac 12s. But the team is guaranteed to advance to regionals because Stanford is hosting May 13-15. Yes, Stanford will get to play regionals on their own course where they just won a tournament by 18 shots over three top 11 teams. I don't think this team can win a national championship, but they have a chance to advance to NCAAs which I would not have predicted 6 weeks ago.