Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Hall of Famer Warren Berl passes at age 89

The following notice was published in the SF Chronicle's online SF Gate. Included is an online guest book where condolences for the family and remembrances can be shared. Some of his contributions to the Stanford men's golf team can be found here.


Warren Harry Berl August 24, 1920 - Nov. 22, 2009 Warren passed away peacefully at his home in San Francisco on November 22. Warren was a third-generation San Franciscan. He attended Galileo High School where he was captain of the golf team. He also achieved the rank of Eagle Scout.

He graduated from Stanford University in 1942. He was a member of the 1939 and 1941 NCAA Championship teams. In 1939 he was the Individual Conference Champion and NCAA Individual runner up. Warren was elected to the Stanford Hall of Fame for Golf in 1961.

During WWII he served as a Lieutenant on the U.S. Navy destroyer Aaron Ward, which was sunk in Guadalcanal, and the USS Downes. Warren's business career began in 1946 when he joined his father at Edwin D. Berl & Sons, a San Francisco investment firm established by Harry Berl in 1882. They merged with Sutro & Co. in 1957 where he was Chairman and President from 1971-1982 as well as Chairman Emeritus. His leadership at Sutro gained the respect and admiration from all those who worked with him. During his career he was on the Board of Governors of the New York Stock Exchange, American Stock Exchange, Chairman and Governor of the Pacific Coast Stock Exchange, SIA Board Chair and Chairman of the Investment Bankers Assoc.

Active in the community, he was Director of the greater S.F. Chamber of Commerce, Chairman Emeritus Northern California Multiple Sclerosis Society, Honorary Lifetime Director of the Institute on Aging and a Mt. Zion Hospital Board member. He was a member of the Pacific Union Club, The Family Club and Lake Merced Golf and Country Club where he won 7 club championships.

The family would like to give special thanks for the care and devotion from Dr. Jim Davis, Francine, Lou, Hospice by the Bay, Vince, Lin and the staff at 1070. Warren is survived by his loving and devoted wife and best friend of 61 years Aline, his brother John Berl, his devoted children; Douglas and Jane, Cathy and Peter Deutsch and Susan Berl, his adoring grandchildren; Elizabeth, Michael, Natalie, Marion, Aleen, Jason, Shelby and Haley. Aline's love and dedication gave him the support and encouragement he needed to live life to the fullest, an inspiration to us all. His family, friends and community will miss him.

There will be no public service. However, donations in his memory may be made to National M.S. Society Northern California Chapter 1700 Owens St., Ste 190, San Francisco 94158 Berl/Tatum Scholarship c/o Stanford Athletic Department, 641 East Campus Drive, Stanford, CA 94305-6150. Institute on Aging (IOA) 3330 Geary Blvd. San Francisco 94118

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Zack Miller earns conditional status on Nationwide Tour in 2010


Zack Miller ('07) tied for 90th at the PGA Tour's final stage of qualifying school (Q-School) in a field of 152 players. The final stage was held at Bear Lakes CC in West Palm Beach over 6 rounds from Dec 2-7. Zack had rounds of 75-71-72-72-73-70, to finish 1-over par.

The low 25 finishers and ties earned PGA Tour cards, while the next 52 players earned fully exempt status on the Nationwide Tour for 2010 for the first 12 events. Zack was included in the remaining finishers who earned conditional status on the Nationwide Tour, also for the first 12 events. After 12 events, there will be a re-shuffling of status of the players based on 2010 play.

Complete results can be found here ---

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

San Rafael's Zack Miller ('07) goes for PGA Tour card at Q-school finale


The following article was written by Dave Allen for the Marin Independent Journal about Stanford's former All-American golfer, Zack Miller ('07).

Zack Miller knows he has the physical tools to compete with the best golfers in the world. Now the San Rafael native believes he has the mental focus to take his game all the way to the PGA Tour.

Miller, 25, is the closest he has been to earning his PGA Tour card - the golden ticket every professional golfer dreams of - when he plays in the third and final stage of the Q-school tournament beginning Wednesday at Bear Lakes Country Club in West Palm Beach, Fla. The top 25 scorers in the field of more than 150 golfers (which includes some big names like David Duval, Tim Herron and Jesper Parnevik) earn a 2010 card.

"My game has reached a whole new level and it has been about taking control of my emotions on the golf course," said Miller, a 2003 graduate of the Branson School. "I'm not concerned about my score out there. That takes care of itself. I'm hitting the ball great. I'm putting the ball great. These are products of my ability to control my emotions. I'm exciting to get out there and compete."

Miller tuned up for this week's showdown by challenging a couple records on a pair of Marin courses last week. Last Tuesday, he broke his own mark at San Geronimo Golf Course, shooting a 9-under-par 63. He followed that up by tying the course record at Novato's StoneTree Golf Club the next day. Miller carded a 6-under 66 to tie the mark set by Matt Dito, now the club pro at Eagle Vines in Napa.

"He is so hot right now," said Ken Maring, a former PGA caddie who played with Miller during the record-setting round at San Geronimo. "There is no question (he is good enough to play on the PGA Tour). We all knew he was dialed in (last Tuesday). You could see he was in for a special day."

To view the complete article click here.

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Zack Miller advances to final stage of PGA Tour Qualifying School


Zack Miller ('07) has advanced to the final stage of the PGA Tour's grueling Q-School after making it through 2nd stage qualifying at Southern Hills Plantation Club in Brooksville, FL. Zack had rounds of 67-69-70-74 for an 8-under 280 total which was the cutline for qualifying for one of the 21 spots (plus ties). No doubt Zack was feeling the pressure of the moment as he ended up double bogeying his final hole, probably feeling as though he had missed his chance to advance.

Here you can find full results for the PGA Tour's Q-School including information about the final stage of qualifying to be played Dec 2-7 at Bear Lakes CC in West Palm Beach, FL. Zack will be one of 132 players competing for spots on both the PGA Tour and the Nationwide Tour. All players in the final stage will have some status on one of the two tours for the 2010 season.

Three other Cardinal grads made it through first stage qualifying but were not able to advance beyond 2nd round qualifying at three other sites. Jim Seki ('02) finished 6 shots back of the cutline with rounds of 75-71-75-69 while playing at Deerwood GC in Kingwood, TX. Joel Kribel ('99) was 8 shots off the 8-under cutline with rounds of 69-72-74-73 playing at Oak Valley GC in Beaumont, CA. Alex Aragon ('01), who played on the PGA Tour this season but didn't retain his card, had rounds of 74-75-76-72 to tie for 64th at Hombre GC in Panama City Beach, FL.

In first stage qualifying Rob Grube ('08) and Daniel Lim ('09) were unable to advance to 2nd stage play.

Monday, November 9, 2009

Four Cardinal Grads advance to 2nd stage of PGA Q-School



The grueling PGA Tour Q-School finds 4 former Cardinal golfers advancing to the all-important 2nd stage. Joel Kribel, Alex Aragon, Jim Seki and Zack Miller advanced from four different qualifying locations in play from Oct 27-30. Rob Grube and Daniel Lim failed to quality in their first stage qualifying attempts.

Joel Kribel ('99), 4-time All American while at Stanford shot 5-under rounds of 71-73-71-68 to tie for 13th at San Juan Oaks CC in Hollister, CA --- the cut was at 2-under par. Alex Aragon ('01) tied for 22nd on the cut-line of 6 under with rounds of 70-68-70-74 at Lantana GC in Lantana, TX. Jim Seki ('02) was 9-under versus a 7-under cut to tie for 11th with rounds of 73-70-68-68 at Grasslands CC in Lakeland, FL. Zack Miller ('07) tied for 14th at 1 over par versus the 2 over cut with rounds of 72-74-68-75 at Carlton Oaks in Santee, CA.

Rob Grube ('08) tied for 34th at 4-over par versus the 1-under cut with rounds of 75-70-74-72 at Kinderlon Forest GC in Valdosta, GA. Daniel Lim ('09) was 5-over to tie for 49th with rounds of 79-73-70-71 to miss the cut by 7 shots also at San Juan Oaks in Hollister.

Good luck to our 4 Cardinal golfers moving on to all important 2nd stage qualifying to be held Nov 18-21 at various sites across the country.

Complete scoring and second stage fields can be found at the PGA Tour's Q-School website.

Sunday, October 4, 2009

Sandy Tatum's contributions to Harding Park and golf

John Upton, SFExaminer.com
October 2, 2009

SAN FRANCISCO — The technology that will beam The Presidents Cup from Harding Park Golf Course into bars and homes in 231 countries starting Tuesday hadn’t even been imagined when Sandy Tatum was born in the Roaring ’20s.
In the early 1920s, the Spring Valley Water Co. built world-class links at Lake Merced as golf’s popularity grew wildly. During that era, President Warren Harding would die while staying downtown at the Palace Hotel and Tatum — the man who would later be credited with successfully restoring the course — would be born in Los Angeles.

By the late 1920s, Harding Park had been named after the golf-enthused late president, San Francisco had purchased Spring Valley Water Co. and its assets — including the golf course — and Tatum had kick-started a lifelong love affair with golf at the newly opened Bel Air Country Club in Los Angeles using sawed-off clubs provided by his father.
“Golf is a game you can play all your life,” said Tatum, appearing dapper in a button-down dress shirt and slacks on a recent afternoon at Harding Park. “I’m 89 years old and I play three or four times every two weeks, and the statistics will tell you that it’s a life extender. It’s obviously a life enhancer, but its also a life extender.”

Tatum grew up playing golf and brought his passion north as a late teen to Palo Alto, where he attended Stanford University and helped its golf team win the NCAA men’s golf championships in 1941 and 1942.

After graduating, Tatum spent time in Los Angeles and served in the Navy before returning to Stanford to study law in 1946. He moved with his wife in 1950 to practice law in San Francisco, a city that he would call home for more than 50 years.
Tatum, a member of the Stanford Sports Hall of Fame, has never played golf professionally, but he has worked in the game’s highest professional echelons.

After serving for six years as an executive committee member with the United States Golf Association, which oversees national championships, Tatum was appointed president in 1978. He held the post for two years, forging relationships that he would lean on more than two decades later to support his bid to revive Harding Park.

By the 1990s, the course had become neglected and overgrown with weeds as interest in golf waned locally and nationally. To secure political support for a loan from The City’s open-space fund that was needed to help resuscitate the greens, Tatum convinced the PGA Tour to play professional championships at Harding Park — if it could be renovated.
The revived course hosted its first professional event in 2005, the same year that the octogenarian moved into a Palo Alto retirement home. Tatum, however, remained a regular fixture at Harding Park, a familiar face to golfers and employees and at the clubhouse that bears his name.

Since 2005, the course has regained its former popularity with amateur golfers, while interest in other city courses has remained low.

The City’s loan to Harding Park is being repaid largely through increased green fees paid by non-San Francisco residents, for whom a weekend round of golf costs up to $155 — almost three times what locals pay.
In keeping with Tatum’s goal of providing public access to municipal golf, San Francisco players younger than 18 can shoot a round on a weekday for as little as $15.

“I’m educated personally with regards to how much it means to be able to play a premium golf course,” he said. “Access to [Harding Park] that had been enjoyed by people from San Mateo and across the Bay suddenly got more expensive, but I couldn’t find a way around that. My focus was on San Francisco.”

To view the complete article click here. | For more background info and a video interview of Tatum click here.

Saturday, August 22, 2009

Zack Miller wins again on the Gateway Tour!


Zack Miller ('07) wins again, his 2nd consecutive victory on the Gateway Tour's Desert series in Scottsdale Arizona over the summer. The latest victory was by 3 strokes at the McCormick Ranch Golf Club in Scottsdale (Aug 19-21) as he shot 69-64-67.

Zack has been on a roll since the end of April with a tie for 2nd, followed by a tie for 22nd and two victories. In these 4 events he has won about $33,000. Zack was a 2-time All-American in his days on the Farm.

His results in 2009 on the Gateway Tour can be found here --- http://www.gatewaytour.com/home/home.aspx.

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Zack Miller wins first pro event on Gateway Tour with final round 63


Zack Miller ('07), two-time All-American at Stanford, has won his first professional event thanks to a blazing final round 63 on the Gateway Tour at Troon North in Scottsdale. Now in his third year as a pro, the 25-year old San Rafael California native had rounds of 65-69-63 for a 2-shot victory worth $8,500.

In a story from the Gateway Tour's website Zack relates the following:

As he states, it was perhaps some added confidence from Monday Qualifying and making the cut in last week’s Cox Classic of Omaha that gave him the boost of a winning week back on The Gateway Tour.

“There’s no doubt I think I was feeding off of the energy from (The Cox Classic, where he tied for 63rd) last week, even though I didn’t have the best weekend up there,” said Miller, “but, I definitely came back to The Gateway Tour this week with more confidence and it carried through all week, which was great.”

“I think it’s just one of those things being in the bigger events that gives you confidence because you realize those guys out there aren’t that much different from you,” he added. “It’s just that realization of being in that arena that helps you.”

In his last Gateway Tour start -- Desert Spring No. 8 (Prescott Lakes) -- Miller tied for 2nd after losing a four-way playoff to Nick Mason. With a heartbreaking loss in that event, and with another bout in contention earlier in the season -- a T3 at Desert Spring No. 6 (Vista Verde) -- he’s pleased to finally come through in the clutch with the “W.”

“It’s just a cool thing because this is my first pro win,” said Miller. “I’ve been knocking on the door a couple of times in the past, especially with (the playoff loss at Prescott Lakes), but it’s just been a great week and this feels great.”

The complete article can be found at http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=6125995822083380074.

For complete scoring results click go to http://gatewaytour.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/gway9/event/gway947/contest/1/leaderboard.htm. Note that by clicking on Zack's name in the leaderboard you can see all of his results on the Gateway Tour.

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Tom Watson ('71) wins hearts of golf world as runner-up in British Open


photo from the Open Championship website


Hall of Famer Tom Watson ('71) makes history at age 59 by finishing runner-up at Turnberry in the British Open. In a tournament that captured the world's interest like few other sporting events ever have, Tom stood on the precipice of winning his 6th British Open, needing a par on the 72nd hole to complete what he called was a "spiritual" experience.

After hitting a perfect hybrid tee shot and a flushed 8-iron on 18, the 2nd shot bounded over the green into a tight lie. Putting from off the green, Tom was unable to make the winning putt and he settled for 2nd place after a 4-hole playoff won by Stewart Cink.

Tom's historic effort will no doubt go down in sporting annals as one of the most dramatic and amazing accomplishments as he completed the tournament with grace and dignity fighting to the end, bringing back memories of the Watson of old as the finest links golfer of the 20th century.

He has made all Stanford grads and golfers everywhere proud. A collection of articles about Tom's magical week will be added here in the next few day.

The official Open Championship website can be found here including video and audio of Tom's experience as well as others speaking about Tom's tournament.

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Doug Clarke ('80), All-American and Walker Cup member dies at age 50



One of Stanford's best golfers, Doug Clarke, has sadly passed away at age 50 in his hometown San Diego. Doug competed at Stanford from 1977 thru 1980 earning All-American honors in 1978. He played in the Masters and was selected to play for the Walker Cup team. He finished runner-up in the 1976 US Junior Amateur championship. The San Diego Union Tribune had this to report about one of the finest amateur golfers to come out of San Diego County.

San Diego Union Tribune
June 20, 2009

Doug Clarke, one of the top amateur golfers ever to come out of San Diego County – named one of the top 10 junior phenoms of all time by Sports Illustrated in 2000, along with such players as Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Bobby Jones and Phil Mickelson – has died at age 50.

Clarke, who had suffered numerous health issues, including Hepatitis C, after battling alcohol and drug abuse in his earlier years, died Thursday afternoon in San Diego. The cause of death was attributed to premature heart failure, said his father, Robert Clarke.

Doug Clarke was a two-time San Diego County Junior Golfer of the Year and the nation's No. 1 golf recruit from La Jolla High when he received a scholarship to Stanford in 1977. He won the Southern California Golf Association amateur championship at the age of 18, won two Walker Cup matches at age 20 and played in the Masters in 1980.

“Honestly, I didn't see any amateur in the country that I couldn't beat on a regular basis,” Clarke told the Union-Tribune in 2001. “My game was so good that it almost shocked me at times.”

But the pressures to perform, his partying and his substance abuse and health issues derailed his career.

In recent years, Clarke became a teaching pro, and resumed playing competitively.

Services for Clarke will be June 30 at 2 p.m. at All Hallows Catholic Church in La Jolla. A celebration of life will follow at the La Jolla Golf Club.

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Christian Cévaër wins the European Open!

Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images. Click to enlarge.

Christian Cévaër, Stanford All-American from 1989-92, had the finest moment of his 16-year pro career in winning the European Open, gaining him a 5-year European Tour exemption and $559,805 (341,220 euros). His world ranking leaped to 129th from 449th. Full details on the prestigious event played against the best in Europe can be found at http://www.europeantour.com.

Here's an excerpt from the European Tour's reporting on the event as can be found at the above link:
Christian Cévaër, the World Number 449 and without a top 30 finish in his last 15 tournaments, overcame a star-studded field and one of the toughest holes in golf to win The European Open.

After an amazing weekend which saw no fewer than 45 changes of the lead, the 39 year old, whose only previous European Tour victory was the 2004 Open de España, beat England's Steve Webster, Scot Gary Orr and Spaniard Alvaro Quiros by a shot.

His winning total of 281, seven under par, was 13 strokes more than Ross Fisher took on the same The London Golf Club course last year - and his 74 was the highest last round by a winner all season.

But while Webster and Quiros both became more victims of the 471 yard last when tied for the lead - both carved their drives into the crowd, with Quiros hitting spectators with his first and second shots - Cévaër kept his nerve.

During the week the par four played to an average of nearly 4.7, with 154 bogeys, 48 doubles and 26 sevens or worse, but Cévaër parred it the first two days, birdied it in the third round and finished with the par he needed.

"I'm not a long player, but I used my utility club and it worked out great," he said after being showered with champagne.

"I made a point that no matter what happened just enjoy my golf, enjoy my skills and hang in there."

Photo by Getty Images. Click to enlarge.

Friday, May 15, 2009

A very sad day as Bob Rosburg passes away



Former Stanford Golfer and PGA Champion Bob Rosburg Passes Away
Member of Stanford's 1946 National Championship Golf Team and Hall of Fame Enjoyed a Long Career as a Touring Pro and Network Analyst

Bob Rosburg (left) passed away Thursday at the age of 82. Lyman Van Slyke and I felt fortunate to have met him last year to conduct an extensive video interview of his remarkable life --- the complete interview and other information can be found at http://stanfordmensgolf.com/stanford_greats/bobrosburg.htm. Here is the first of 5 parts of that interview:

Bob Stevens

May 15, 2009
gostanford.com story

STANFORD, Calif. - Bob Rosburg, a member of Stanford's 1946 national championship golf team, 1959 PGA champion and former ABC golf analyst, passed away Thursday at his home in La Quinta, Calif. He was 82.

A three-year Stanford letterwinner from 1946-48, Rosburg was also lettered in baseball and basketball during his collegiate days on The Farm. A 10-time winner on the PGA Tour, Roseburg won the 1959 PGA Championship at the Minneapolis Golf club in St. Louis Park, Minn., when he overcame a six-shot deficit to edge out Jerry Barber and Doug Sanders with a closing round 66.

One of the most consistent players on the tour, Roseburg won the Vardon Trophy in 1958 for lowest average score (70.11) on the PGA Tour. He enjoyed a career year in 1959 when he finished seventh on the money list and was named to the Ryder Cup team after winning the PGA and finishing second in the U.S. Open. In 1969, he won the PGA Club Professional Championship.

His last tour victory came in 1972 when he won the Bob Hope Desert Classic by one stroke over Lanny Wadkins, making him the oldest champion in the tournament's history.

Rosburg's connections with the Hope went beyond his 1972 victory. Rosburg, who lived at La Quinta Country Club, is credited with devising the mechanics of the Hope's five-day, four-course format. Approached by tournament organizers in 1959 about how a tournament with 128 pros, 364 amateurs and four courses might work, Rosburg was given a bungalow at Bermuda Dunes Country Club to work out the details. Three days later, using only a legal pad and colored pencils, Rosburg emerged with a format that is still used by the tournament today.

Rosburg later teamed with Gene Littler to win the 1981 Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf.

Following his playing career, Rosburg joined ABC Sports full time in 1974 and worked as an analyst for the network for three decades, perfecting the art of the roving reporter. He will be fondly remembered for his storytelling abilities and for his catch phrase, "He's got no chance, Jim," which he would utter whenever he encountered a golfer who had hit his ball into a seemingly impossible position. The "Jim" is in reference to the late ABC commentator Jim McKay.

"I haven't said, 'He's got no chance' in four years," Rosburg said in a 2002 article for Golf Digest magazine. "I have nothing against the expression. It's just that players nowadays always have a chance."
Rosburg is also credited with helping ABC hire Judy Rankin, who was the first full-time female golf commentator to cover men's events, including the major championships.

"Bob Rosburg represented the best in golf as a player, champion, gentleman and as the voice who brought viewers the best insight on what it was like for his fellow professionals to perform inside the ropes," said PGA of America President Jim Remy. "We will dearly miss being able to help Bob celebrate this summer the 50th anniversary of winning the PGA Championship and our thoughts and prayers go out to his family. He will forever be in our hearts as a true Champion."

Born in San Francisco in 1926, Rosburg played golf as a junior at the Olympic Club and at the age of 12, faced then-retired baseball hall of famer, Ty Cobb, in the first flight of the club championship, beating the Georgia Peach, 7 and 6.

Rosburg was a standout baseball player at Stanford during the 1940's and almost chose baseball as a career over golf. He graduated from Stanford in 1949 and turned professional in 1953.

Rosburg is survived by his wife, Becky and their children, Robert, Deborah and Bruce. There were no immediate plans for services.

Sunday, April 5, 2009

Rob Grube competes in the Nationwide Tour's Stonebrae Classic



Rob Grube, 4-time All-American at Stanford and a 2008 graduate, finished tied for 38th after a final round 75 at the TPC San Francisco Bay at Stonebrae in Northern California. Rob was in 18th place headed into the final round of the Nationwide Tour event, 7 strokes behind the leader. He had rounds of 70-68-71-75.

The full leaderboard can be found here.

Friday, February 13, 2009

Rob Grube & Zack Miller compete at AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am





4-time Stanford All-American Rob Grube ('08) and All-American Zack Miller ('07) are competing at the AT & T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. Rob's amateur partner is Mike McKee playing to a 10 handicap, while Zack is playing with Ron Tomsic who is playing to a 7 handicap.

Neither player was able to finish in the money as Zack shot 69-79-77 while Rob shot 72-72-75 to miss the cut by 5 shots. The promising first round had Zack starting with a 3-under 69 at Pebble Beach (see his individual results), while Rob shot an even-par 72 at Poppy Hills (see Rob's individual results).

You can see the results on the PGA Tour's website. | On the amateur leaderboard you can see who Rob and Zack are playing with and how they are doing.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

The Golf Channel's Conversation with Casey Martin



Stanford All-American Casey Martin ('95) is interviewed by the Golf Channel.

Conversation With Casey Martin
BY CASEY BIERER
Editor’s Note: Born in Eugene, Ore., and educated at Stanford, former professional Casey Martin is coach of the University of Oregon men's golf team. Martin was a three-time All Pac-10 selection and was a member of an NCAA Championship team in 1994. He turned pro in 1995 and played on the Nationwide and PGA tours. Martin’s lawsuit in 2001 with the PGA Tour for the right to use a golf cart during competition is well-documented. He was named Ducks coach in 2006. Golf Channel reporter Casey Bierer recently sat down with Martin before his team opened its spring season in Hawaii at the Hilo Invitational Feb. 4.


Casey Bierer: Coach Martin. It's a new year and a lot going on in your life. Let’s start with the University of Oregon’s golf team. What is the state of your Ducks?

Casey Martin: We are very young, but, we are working hard. We did not have a great fall season. But, we have some great players. I have ten guys on my team. I’ve got one senior, five sophomores and four freshmen. And during the fall we played three freshmen and two sophomores in all the events. So, we’re really young and we kind of took our licks in some of the bigger tournaments. But, the kids are getting valuable experience and I am really excited about the future.

CB: You have developed a reputation for recruiting gritty players. What’s your philosophy?

CM: I think everyone has there own bias and point of view on life. Certainly, I love a pretty golf swing as much as anyone else, but, I really try in my recruiting to not just fall in love with a kid because of his pretty golf swing. I’ve tried to watch how kids compete and look at who is focusing on their scores and how they play rather than just how they swing. And it’s kind of worked out that way where I’ve got a fair number of players that don’t really have swing coaches. They just like to go and compete. And that doesn’t bother me at all because that’s how I used to play. I didn’t have a swing coach until much later in life and I think that does influence how I recruit. I don’t automatically go after cookie cutter kids out of the golf academies. Some kids can’t afford to play all the AJGA events but that doesn’t mean they don’t have a lot of game. You have to know where to go and how to find those kids.

CB: What’s the learning curve been like for you – taking your talents as a professional golfer and transitioning to coaching college golf? See the complete article.

Sunday, February 1, 2009

2009 Stanford Men's Golf Alumni Match - May 2nd

TO: Stanford Men's Golf Alumni
FR: Conrad Ray
RE: 2009 Stanford Men's Golf Alumni Match


Cardinal Faithful:


The 2009 Stanford Men’s Golf Alumni Match will be held on May 2nd, 2009. Details are below. We hope you can make it out to try and give the 5th ranked Cardinal a run for their money. It promises to be a fun competition for all and serve as a good warm-up for the team as we seek our 9th National Championship a few weeks later Inverness Golf Club in Toledo, Ohio. Please email my assistant Matt Tight at mtight@stanford.edu if you can play and if you have foursome requests. We have booked eight tee times so space is limited to the first 23 confirmed alumni. Please let us know if you have any questions. Go Cardinal!

Date: May 2nd, 2009
Location: Stanford Golf Course
Fee: $175.00 Includes greens fee, optional cart, food, drink, and prizes
Starting Time: Tee times off the first hole starting at 1pm
Registration: Located on the Stanford Golf Course Patio at 11:30am
Lunch: BBQ served on the Stanford Golf Course Patio starting at 11:30am
Warm-up: Located on the new Siebel Varsity Golf Training Complex starting at 10:30am
Post-Golf: Drinks, Prizes and Snacks on the Patio

Saturday, January 24, 2009

Robert Crozier ('50), former golf team captain, passes away.


Robert Nodle Crozier of Santa Paula died peacefully on Monday, January 19, 2009, of natural causes with his family by his side. He was 80.

He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Marlene Hertel Crozier, sister Charlotte Luehr of Scottsdale AZ, his son, Thomas Hertel Crozier and wife Janet McCreary Crozier of Ventura, his daughter Coralie Crozier Kenton and husband David Kenton of Oakland, and daughter Kathleen Crozier Egan and husband Kevin Egan of Ventura. He was predeceased by his older brother, Thomas Henry Crozier Jr. of Menlo Park. Also surviving him are granddaughter Lauren Elizabeth Crozier of Ventura, grandsons Sean Thomas Crozier, Galen Charles Egan, Liam Crozier Egan, and Taig Hertel Egan of Ventura, Peter Joseph Kenton and Marcus Robert Kenton of Oakland, step-granddaughter Molly Egan of New York City, and many nieces and nephews.

He will be greatly missed by his family and by numerous professional associates and golfing buddies. His greatest passion and love was for the game of golf, which he began playing at the age of nine. (See More) --- you will find his full obituary provided by his family. | Here you will find all Stanford golf team alums from 1932 to today including Robert Crozier in 1950.

Sunday, January 11, 2009

Will Yanagisawa's earns 2009 Asian Tour card & shares a video tour of 2008



Congratulations to former Stanford All-American Will Yanagisawa ('95) for qualifying for his full 2009 Asian Tour card as he tied for 17th by shooting rounds of 73-70-76-72-71 in Thailand. Here are the full final results and here is an article describing the qualifying tournament where 40 players earned their tour cards.

Will also shares below a fast-paced video tour of his 2008 season on the Asian Tour. Included in this 6 1/2 minute video are images from Hawaii, California, Malaysia, India, China, Brunei, Singapore, Thailand, South Korea, Vietnam, Indonesia and Cambodia. Will was a member of the 1994 national championship team.