Going Out on Top – Stanford Cardinal

PULLMAN, Wash. — It was 10 years ago the last time Stanford women’s golf raised the Pac-12 championship banner. In the program’s final season in the Pac-12, the title is coming home to The Farm. The Cardinal claimed the program’s third Pac-12 Championship on Tuesday, and first since 2014, leading wire to wire while landing all five of its golfers inside the top-11.
 
Not only did Stanford secure the final Pac-12 title, but it also shattered the scoring record at the Pac-12 Championship. Previously held by USC in 2016 (-18), Stanford finished the tournament an impressive 28-under, shooting a team score of 836. That is tied for the third-lowest team score in relation to par in Stanford history, trailing only the 2023 NCAA Regional (-50) and the 2022 Gunrock Invitational (-50).
 
“This was a whole team effort! Each player was an integral part of this title over the course of the three days,” said the Margot and Mitch Milias Director of Women’s Golf Anne Walker. “Our strength is our depth and that was fully on display this week. Very honored to bring the final Pac-12 Championship trophy back to campus! And the performance from our sophomore class was outstanding; Stanford golf is in good hands with these young women.”
 
Four Stanford golfers landed inside the top-11, and the entire field finished inside the top-20. In all three tournament wins this season for the Card, it has led at the end of every round.
 

Bringing the final one home to The Farm ??

Stanford claims the 2024 @pac12 championship??#GoStanford pic.twitter.com/6G2PDU3WM6

— Stanford Women’s Golf (@StanfordWGolf) April 23, 2024

 
Kelly Xu set all sorts of personal records this week at the Pac-12 Championship. She finished second for the second time in her career, and finished with a 7-under 65, the best round by any Cardinal during the 2023-24 season. Xu recorded six birdies and an eagle on five to produce her lowest career round. This is the second time Xu has finished a tournament at 10-under, also doing so at last year’s NCAA Regional at Palouse Ridge.
 
Megha Ganne finishes the championship tied for fourth, finishing 71-67-71-209. After racking up the birdies on Monday, it was a much more consistent round on Tuesday, with three birdies and two bogeys. Ganne was 2-under on the front nine and holding onto second but leaves with her fourth top-five finish of the season.
 
Perhaps the biggest turnaround of the day was that of Rachel Heck, who overcame a 4-over start through four holes to finish with…