Stanford teammates Maverick McNealy and Viraat Badhwar posted a score of 64-66–130 to claim medalist honors in stroke-play qualifying in the first USGA Amateur Four-Ball Championship at the Olympic Club in San Francisco.
The 19-year-old sophomores, who helped the Cardinal capture the Pacific 12 Conference Championship recently as McNealy also took the individual title, birdied five of the last nine holes on the famed Lake Course after starting with nine consecutive pars. Their only bogey came on the 14th hole.
“Every time you look at a list of champions, you always fall on the first one first,” said McNealy, who is from Portola Valley. “To have our names on top would be awesome. There’s always a first for everything and it’s cool to be part of the first one.
“What better way to prepare for NCAA Regionals and nationals than play this golf course in this condition in this competition?”
Added Badhwar, from Australia: “He was my anchor today as per usual he played really well.”
Sam Burns of Shreveport, La., and Austin Connelley of Dallas finished second at 66-66–132, while Kyle Suppa and Kyosuke Hara of Honolulu shot 66-67–133 to tie for third with Jordan Nasser of Irvine and Taylor Wood of Rancho Santa Margarita, who totaled 65-68–133.
Bryson DeChambeau of Clovis and Austin Smotherman of Loomis carded a score of 69-65–134 and tied for fifth with Zach Atkinson of Colleyville, Texas, and James Edmondson of North Richland Hills, Texas, who wound up at 68-66–134, and Tim Tucker and Kyle Crawford of Coos Bay, Ore., who came in at 65-69–134.
Jason and Ryan Higton of Fresno tied for 14th at 72-64–136, while Jake Yount of Danville and Tim Mickelson of Scottsdale, Ariz., tied for 18th at 68–69–137.
Match-play knockout rounds begin Monday.
