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No. 1 Stanford Gets By Princeton in Match Play at Shinnecock Hills
September 16, 2009 | Men's Golf
SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. -- Eric Salazar and Greg Stamas scored for Princeton against their well-lauded opponents Tuesday morning at Shinnecock Hills as the Tigers pushed No. 1 Stanford before the Cardinal won, 3 1/2- 1 1/2.
In what was Princeton's first dual match since the 1997-98 season, the Tigers hosted the nation's top team, according to Golfweek's preseason poll, on a Long Island course that has hosted three U.S. Opens, last in 2004.
Salazar's win came down to the final hole, as he and Golfweek preseason third-team All-America David Chung reached the 18th all-square. Salazar holed in an eight-foot birdie putt to win, placing the junior right where he left off after coming within a playoff of being the Ivy League individual champion last spring.
"It was a huge win for Eric," Princeton coach Will Green said. "Between he and his competitor, they birdied five of the last six holes."
Stamas halved his match against Steve Ziegler, who was ranked No. 7 in the nation in Golfweek's preseason rankings.
"We're very pleased that we had, I think, a good showing against the No. 1 team in the country," Green said. "Anything can happen in match play."
The other three matches at least made it to the 16th hole. Stanford's Sihwan Kim defeated Patrick Wasserman 3&2, as did Andrew Yun over Princeton's Chase Lovett-Woodsum. Graham Brockington won on 17 to clinch his match against Princeton's Juan Pablo Candela, 2-up.
The Tigers will return to Long Island to play at another facility that has hosted a U.S. Open when Princeton joins the St. John's McLaughlin Invitational at Bethpage State Park's Red Course. The Black Course hosted the U.S. Open in 2002 and 2009.
Stanford 3 1/2, Princeton 1 1/2
Greg Stamas (P) vs. Steve Ziegler (S), halved
Sihwan Kim (S) def. Patrick Wasserman (P), 3&2
Eric Salazar (P) def. David Chung, 1-up
Andrew Yun (S) def. Chase Lovett-Woodsum (P), 3&2
Graham Brockington (S) def. Juan Pablo Candela (P), 2-up