[2006alum]

Pac-12, outside of Stanford of course, is really having a tournament to forget. #2 seeded Arizona State is in deep trouble just to make the three round cut. Cal and SC also battling just to make the Top 15 (let alone Top 8 for match play). SC is only one shot off Top 15 pace, and just starting their round.

Meanwhile, it is a banner tournament for the Big 12 so far.

Well, what do all of the final 8 schools but Stanford and Wake Forest have in common? Answer: their home state is contiguous with Arkansas. (And Wake is just one state away from Arkansas).

Weather, climate, and time zones matter. Our guys were headed to the course at 3 a.m. PDT body clock time yesterday. Playing in summer Arkansas humidity is worlds different than Mediterranean-climated California. When Cal misses by one stroke, it's not hard to think somewhere along the way discomfort, jet lag, and/or lack of familiarity with the climate caused a tiny mental lapse. That's all it takes.

One trend I've noticed recently is that very few national championships are hosted out West these days, and I do think it makes a difference to have home geographic turf advantage, especially for sports played outside. 

Congrats to our guys for representing literally the rest of the country in match play.

[2006alum]

Pac-12, outside of Stanford of course, is really having a tournament to forget. #2 seeded Arizona State is in deep trouble just to make the three round cut. Cal and SC also battling just to make the Top 15 (let alone Top 8 for match play). SC is only one shot off Top 15 pace, and just starting their round.

Meanwhile, it is a banner tournament for the Big 12 so far.

Well, what do all of the final 8 schools but Stanford and Wake Forest have in common? Answer: their home state is contiguous with Arkansas. (And Wake is just one state away from Arkansas).

Weather, climate, and time zones matter. Our guys were headed to the course at 3 a.m. PDT body clock time yesterday. Playing in summer Arkansas humidity is worlds different than Mediterranean-climated California. When Cal misses by one stroke, it's not hard to think somewhere along the way discomfort, jet lag, and/or lack of familiarity with the climate caused a tiny mental lapse. That's all it takes.

One trend I've noticed recently is that very few national championships are hosted out West these days, and I do think it makes a difference to have home geographic turf advantage, especially for sports played outside. 

Congrats to our guys for representing literally the rest of the country in match play.