Cardinal ties for 5th at national championship losing to OSU in match play

Playoff and Match Play Results --- It was a day of high drama for the Cardinal team as they first were in a 3-team sudden-death playoff against ASU and San Diego trying to qualify as one of the 8 teams in the match play portion of the national championship. On the first playoff hole Stanford and San Diego both were 2-under par as ASU was eliminated. On the 2nd playoff hole, four Stanford players made key putts led by Sihwan Kim's 15 footer for birdie as the team was 1-under vs San Diego's even par hole. Key par putts were made by David Chung, Andrew Yun and Joseph Bramlett for the win.

In the first round of match play the Cardinal was up against the #1 seed Oklahoma State. The match went back and forth with the clinching contest being Andrew Yun unable to pull out his match on the 18th hole after Joseph Bramlett and Sihwan Kim both lost. After going 2-up early, Sihwan saw his opponent, Kevin Tway birdied 6 of his next 9 holes and finish 6-under. Hats off to OSU's players who played very strong golf. Sophomore All-American David Chung was 4-under at the turn but was even with fellow first team All-American Peter Uihlein but David ended up winning the match 1-up.

To see the complete match play results click on the image below. Congrats on another great season despite the disappointing finish.

After the 3 rounds of stroke play --- Stanford will play off early Friday morning for the final qualifying spot with ASU and San Diego as each team ended with a total score of 4-over par 868. The third round was a cliff-hanger for 8 teams in contention for the 8th, competing for the last spot to move into the match play portion of the national championship.


Oklahoma State wrapped up the day as the top team advancing to quarterfinals match play, finishing at 14-under 850 after shooting 5 under on Thursday. Also qualifying for match play were Florida State (854), Georgia Tech (858), Washington (860), Oregon (861), Augusta State (863) and Texas Tech (867).
Read more: http://www.golf.com/golf/tours_news/article/0,28136,1994118,00.html#ixzz0pqXZBPB7

After two of the three rounds of stroke play Stanford is tied for 11th, 3 shots off the "cut" line for the low eight teams that would move into the match play portion of the national championship. Here you will find Live Scoring including individual scorecards and full scoring details.

The Cardinal tees off starting at 11 am PST playing with ASU and Virginia in what will be a pressurized battle against a very tough course. Five teams including Stanford are within 3 shots of the cut-line. Of the top eight 5 of those teams are separated by only two shots. Stanford's talented and well-balanced squad appears to be ready to make a strong final round run at the leaders.

Conrad Ray plans to post updates to his coach's blog during the national championship. Conrad's blog can be reached from http://www.stanfordmensgolf.org. Here's what Conrad wrote after the first two rounds:

"We have finished up two rounds here in the NCAA Championship at the Honors Course in Chattanooga, TN. The guys have fought hard over the last few days and are very close to the magic number ... the top eight teams that qualify for match play.


We haven't had our best round yet and I believe it will come tomorrow. We need to hit the ball in the fairway a few more times off the tee and we will be in good shape. Big numbers have also been our nemesis so far and our goal is to eliminate the "others". The course is very demanding so I am sure the scores will rise with the tension of the last day of stroke play. I am sure the greens will continue to firm up as well.

Exciting stuff!"

Head Coach Conrad Ray

Pre-Tourney News from GoStanford.com Article:

Stanford's quest for its ninth national championship will begin on Tuesday when the Cardinal open play at the NCAA Championships at the Honors Course (par-72; 7,445 yards) in Ooltewah, Tenn., which is just outside of Chattanooga,
The Cardinal is seeded second in the 30-team field behind Oregon. Oklahoma State is seeded third, followed by Washington and Texas.
Rounding out the field are teams from (in order of seeding) Texas Tech, Texas A&M, USC, Augusta State, Florida State, Clemson, UCLA, Florida, Georgia Tech, UNLV, Kent State, TCU, San Diego, California, Arizona State, Oregon State, North Florida, Duke, Tennessee, Penn State, Virginia, Illinois, LSU, Baylor and Georgia Southern.
Teams will play 54 holes of stroke play over three days with the top eight teams advancing to the single-elimination, match play format that will be used to determine the national champion.
Stanford is expected to enter a lineup made up of senior Joseph Bramlett, juniors Steve Ziegler and Sihwan Kim, sophomore David Chung and freshman Andrew Yun.
Bramlett played a key role on the 2007 NCAA title-winning team as a freshman, turning in rounds of 68, 70 and 69 after an opening round 78, as Stanford claimed its eighth national championship in Williamsburg, Va.
The Cardinal is hoping to ride the momentum from its first place finish at the NCAA Central Regional into Chattanooga.
"Our team is confident and everyone is playing well," said Knowles Family Director of Golf and head coach Conrad Ray. "Every event presents new challenges and we know we'll have to work hard to win the championship.
"We are close to clicking on all cylinders," Ray said. "We have prepared well so now the biggest task is not to over think and just go out and play golf."
This marks the second year the NCAA Championship has been decided in a match play format. Last season, Stanford failed to qualify for the match play portion of the event after finishing 20th in stroke play. In March, Stanford fell in the second round of the Callaway Collegiate Match Play Championships in Marana, Ariz.
Ray doesn't differentiate between the keys of success in stroke play, compared to match play.
"You have to hit quality shots and stick to your game plan, regardless of what format you're playing. You want to force your opponent to bet you, instead of the other way around.
"It will be exciting is we are lucky enough to make the top eight. Anything can happen."
The last time the NCAA Championships were held at the Honors Course was in 1996. Stanford finished fourth while Tiger Woods claimed the individual title a three-under score of 285.
"The Honors Course is a championship test of golf," said Ray. "It was very high rough and challenging greens. We can't wait to get there."
This marks the second year the NCAA Championship has been decided in a match play format. Last season, Stanford failed to qualify for the match play portion of the event after finishing 20th in stroke play. In March, Stanford fell in the second round of the Callaway Collegiate Match Play Championships in Marana, Ariz.
Ray doesn't differentiate between the keys of success in stroke play, compared to match play.
"You have to hit quality shots and stick to your game plan, regardless of what format you're playing. You want to force your opponent to bet you, instead of the other way around.
"It will be exciting is we are lucky enough to make the top eight. Anything can happen."
The last time the NCAA Championships were held at the Honors Course was in 1996. Stanford finished fourth while Tiger Woods claimed the individual title a three-under score of 285.
"The Honors Course is a championship test of golf," said Ray. "It was very high rough and challenging greens. We can't wait to get there."
Stanford will depart for the NCAA Championships on Saturday and will see the course for the first time on Monday during its practice round. The Cardinal will tee-off from the 10th tee of the Honors Course on Tuesday at 12:12 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. from hole No. 1 on Wednesday. Stanford will be paired with Oregon and Oklahoma State over the first two rounds before the teams are repaired for the final 18 holes on Thursday.
The top eight teams will advance to the championship match play, which will get underway on Friday. Seedings will be determined by the order of finish in the stroke play competition.
Stanford is seeking its ninth national title, having last won the NCAA Championships in 2007 in Williamsburg, Va.
Live scoring will be available on Golfstat.com.
Division I Men's Golf Championships
First Round Pairings
Morning - Time 1st Tee Time 10th Tee
7:00 a.m. Kent State, TCU, San Diego 7:20 California, Arizona State, Oregon State
7:47 a.m. North Florida, Duke, Tennessee 8:07 Penn State, Virginia, Illinois
8:35 a.m. LSU, Baylor, Georgia Southern 8:55 Enoch, Fillmore, Bailey

Afternoon - Time 1st Tee Time 10th Tee
12:30 p.m. Washington, Texas, Texas Tech 12:12 Oregon, Stanford, Oklahoma State
1:17 p.m. Florida State, Clemson, UCLA 12:59 Texas A&M, USC, Augusta State
2:05 p.m. Kofstad, Henley, Delio 1:47 Florida, Georgia Tech, UNLV

Second Round Pairings
Morning - Time 1st Tee Time 10th Tee
7:00 a.m. Oregon, Stanford, Oklahoma State 7:20 Washington, Texas, Texas Tech
7:47 a.m. Texas A&M, USC, Augusta State 8:07 Florida State, Clemson, UCLA
8:44 a.m. Florida, Georgia Tech, UNLV
8:55 Kofstad, Henley, Delio

Afternoon - Time 1st Tee Time 10th Tee
12:30 p.m. California, Arizona State, Oregon State 12:12 Kent State, TCU, San Diego
1:17 p.m. Penn State, Virginia, Illinois 12:59 North Florida, Duke, Tennessee
2:05 p.m. Enoch, Fillmore, Bailey 1:47 LSU, Baylor, Georgia Southern