Patrick Rodgers won the NCAA Eugene Regional Championships in convincing fashion Saturday, and in doing so tied Tiger Woods’ Stanford record with 11 career victories.
Rodgers’ effort also made it a daily double for the victorious Cardinal, as the team has produced a medalist in each of its six wins this season.
Despite shooting a final-round 15-over, its highest score to par since its first round of the season at the Fighting Illini Invitational on Sept. 13, Stanford held on to win its third NCAA Regional crown since 1996, this one a stroke over host Oregon, and its first since 2010.
The trip to the NCAA Championships is the seventh for Stanford in the last 10 seasons under Cardinal coach Conrad Ray.
“What a great job by our guys with tough hole locations and very fast greens,” Ray said. “It was not our best day, but a solid week overall and it was exciting to pick up the win. Rodgers was a horse and we had some good contributions from our entire team.”
Stanford (276-282-295) was 13-over for the tournament. Oregon (+14) was second ahead of Oklahoma (+20), Houston (+35) and South Carolina (+40).
The top five teams advance to the NCAA Championships, which will be contested May 23-28 at Prairie Dunes Country Club in Hutchinson, Kansas and hosted by Wichita State.
Rodgers (66-67-71) was 1-over in his final round at Eugene Country Club to finish the 54-hole event at 6-under. He was the only player to finish in the red on the par-70 course, as Oregon’s Thomas Lin was second at even-par.
Rodgers, the Pac-12 Conference champion, has won two straight and four of his last five outings. His only tournament without a win during that stretch was a runner-up finish to teammate Cameron Wilson at the Western Intercollegiate.
Wilson was third with a 3-over, including a 4-over 74 in his final circuit. It was the eighth straight top-10 showing for the Ben Hogan Award finalist.
Viraat Badhwar (70-73-73) placed in the top-20 for the second time in as many tournaments, checking in with a tie for 14th at 6-over. David Boote (69-74-77) tied for 22nd at 10-over.
Maverick McNealy (73-82-79) tied for 64th in his NCAA Regional Championships debut.
By Palo Alto Online Sports/Stanford Athletics
By Palo Alto Online Sports/Stanford Athletics
By Palo Alto Online Sports/Stanford Athletics
it’s good to succeed as a young golfer. it’s no sign that there will be future success. play a sport that you like. it’s time for tiger to say bye-bye, hang it up and retire pronto