March 3, 2013

Golfstat Live Scoring

SAN JOSE, Calif. - Coming off back-to-back tournament wins, No. 8 Stanford competes on Monday and Tuesday in the 36-hole Juli Inskter Spartan Invitational.

Stanford is joined by No. 9 Washington, No. 14 North Carolina State and No. 19 UC Davis, headlining a field that also includes Pac-12 rivals California, Oregon and Colorado State.

Rounding out the 14-team field are San Jose State, UC Irvine, Kansas State, Fresno, Idaho, San Francisco and Santa Clara.

The tournament will be held at the Almaden Golf and Country Club, which plays approximately 6,203 yards and to a par of 72.

"Washington and UC Davis are consistently strong this year and, in addition, NC State is having a great year including a win last week," said Anne Walker, Stanford's Margot and Mitch Milias Director of Women's Golf. "I like how our games match up with Almaden. I have coached there many times through the years and have a good sense of what it will take to win; it will come down to approach shot placement. We must keep the ball below the hole to have the best opportunity to make birdie."

Walker will start a lineup featuring sophomore Mariko Tumangan, freshman Mariah Stackhouse, freshman Lauren Kim, senior Sally Watson and junior Danielle Frasier. Senior Kristina Wong will compete as an individual.

"I grew up playing on [the Almaden golf course]," said Tumangan, a San Jose native. "I even played on the Bay Cities team there [and] worked with my former coach there from ages eight to 15."

Tumangan returns to competition after a career-best round at four-under-par 68 that led her to a career-best finish tying for second at the Cal Classic, where Stanford gained a six-stroke team victory.

"I've been working all-around on my game, especially short game," said Tumangan. "Short game is going to win tournaments."

Another front-runner in the lineup is Stackhouse, who led the Cardinal at the Peg Barnard Invitational with a course-record and NCAA-record round of 10-under-par 61, shooting a course-record 26 over the front nine. The Riverdale, Ga., native won the individual title and paced Stanford toward a 14-stroke win.

"This week, I will trust my line and swing confidently," said Stackhouse. "I will focus more on speed and willing putts into the hole. The team has been playing great, which makes this week that much more exciting."

The Cardinal will be paired with Washington and Oregon in a shotgun start at 8:15 a.m. on holes eight-11. Wong will begin at the 16th hole.

"Our goal hasn't changed after our back-to-back wins," said Walker. "It is the same goal: stick to our game plan, grind till the last putt drops and be sure to give ourselves a chance going into the final nine holes of the event."

Follow @StanfordWGolf on Twitter for up-to-the-minute updates and quotes from the team. Get to know the players and the program through the daily features at facebook.com/StanfordWomensGolf