STANFORD, Calif. – The Washington State men's golf team finished the 2023 Pac-12 Men's Golf Championship in a tie for third place on the team leaderboard to post the best team finish at the Pac-12s in program history, as the Cougars end the Conference Championship by carding 5-under 1,395.
Washington State posted the second-best team score in the final round of the 2023 Pac-12 Men's Golf Championship, as the Cougars shot 3-over 353 on Sunday to move up three spots on the team leaderboard in the fourth round and end the tournament tied for third place with Colorado. It is the best team finish in program history, topping the previous best team finish of sixth place which happened in 1973.
WSU's four-round score of 1,395 (-5) at the 2023 Pac-12 Championship sets the school record for the lowest team score at a Pac-12 Championship, besting the previous record of 1,412 (-12) set at the 2018 Pac-12 Championship at Rolling Hills Country Club. The Cougars posted round scores of 344-349-349-353; 1,395 at the Stanford Golf Course this weekend. WSU's first-round score of 344 is the second-lowest 18-hole team score in school history at the Pac-12 Championship, while Washington State's second and third-round scores of 349 is tied for the fourth-best team 18-hole score at the Pac-12s for the Cougs.
"Records and results aside, the fight the guys showed this week was awesome and that's what led us to where we are now," said WSU Men's Golf Head Coach Dustin White. "We had moments where it could have gotten away from us, but they stepped up and kept at it. To come out this week and play some of our best golf, and end up breaking some records in the process, in this type of environment shows how badly these guys want it and what they're capable of. All-in-all, this was a team effort, and Kevin and I are really proud of the guys. Breaking records is fun, but seeing their work pay off and the joy it brings them, can't put a number on that."
Senior Pono Yanagi also made Washington State history at the Stanford Golf Course this weekend, as he finished in third place on the player leaderboard to post the best finish by a Coug at the Pac-12 Men's Golf Championship. Yanagi posted round scores of 68-66-68-66 to conclude the tournament at 12-under 268, which sets the school record for the lowest individual score at the Pac-12s. The senior from Hilo, Hawai'i wrapped up the 2023 Pac-12 Championship by carding 4-under 66 in Sunday's fourth round. His fourth-round score of 66 (-4) matches his second-round score at this year's tournament and it is tied for the sixth-lowest individual score at the Pac-12s in school history. Yanagi's third-place finish tops Blake Snyder's nine-year school record for the best finish by a WSU golfer at a Conference Championship. Snyder finished the 2014 Pac-12 Championship in a tie for fourth. Yanagi also becomes just the second WSU golfer to collect a top-five finish at a Pac-12 Championship.
"Pono's week was awesome from start to finish," said White of Yanagi. "He played super solid and showed he's one of the best players in the conference. He works hard and I'm really happy for him. This should be a huge boost for him and set him up for even more success this summer and next fall. We're thrilled to have him back for another season."
Freshman Sam Renner posted the best finish by a freshman at the 2023 Pac-12 Men's Golf Championship, as the Bend, Oregon native ended his first Pac-12 Championship in a tie for eighth place. It is the first time that Washington State has had the top freshman finish at a Pac-12 Championship, as Renner shot 63-72-71-70 to end the tournament at 4-under 276. His score of 276 is the third-lowest total by a Cougar at a Pac-12 Championship. Renner opened the weekend by carding a school record 7-under 63 in the first round and rode that momentum all the way through the weekend to become the first WSU freshman to post a top-10 finish at a Pac-12 Championship. Renner's eighth-place finish ties him with Randy Fossum (1984) and Zach Anderson (2018) for the fourth-best finish by a Coug at the Pac-12s.
"Sam had a great week. Starting out with 63 was really impressive and he continues to play beyond his years. He's not afraid to go low and it will be exciting to watch these next few years," White added.
With Yanagi and Renner both placing inside the top 10 at the 2023 Pac-12 Championship, it marks the first time in program history that two WSU golfers have finished inside the top 10 on the player leaderboard at a Pac-12 Championship.
Juniors Jaden Cantafio and Preston Bebich each ended the weekend with a top-30 finish. Cantafio wrapped up the 2023 Pac-12 Championship at 1-over 281 to end the tournament in a tie for 26th, while Bebich shot 3-under 283 to conclude play in a tie for 30th. Cantafio's best round came Friday in the second round, as he shot 5-under 65 in the round, which ties him with Derek Bayley (2015) and Zach Anderson (2018) for the third-lowest 18-hole score at a Conference Championship in school history. Meanwhile, Bebich had his best round during Sunday's finale as he shot 4-under 66, which ties him with WSU Head Coach Dustin White (2001), Derek Bayley (2016), and Pono Yanagi (2x; 2023) for the sixth-lowest 18-hole score by a Coug at the Pac-12s. Bebich's fourth round was highlighted by collecting an albatross on Hole 16, which is a par-5.
Host Stanford captured the 2023 Pac-12 Men's Golf Championship, as the Cardinal won the tournament with a four-day score of 1,381 (-19). Stanford's Michael Thorbjornsen won the Pac-12 Individual Championship by carding 15-under 265.
For more information on the Washington State men's golf team, follow @WSUCougarMGolf on Instagram and Twitter.
