After a sizzling opening 18, the University of New Mexico had one bad hole in Monday’s second round that dropped them well of the torrid pace set by Stanford on the first day of the Branch Law Firm/Dick McGuire Invitational.
Defending national champion Stanford — ranked No. 2 in Golfweek’s preseason poll — fired a tournament record first-round 11-under 281 in Monday’s opening 18 — leads the 54-hole event at 18-under 566 heading into today’s final round.
Northwestern is second at 578 and New Mexico is seventh at 588.
But it was the host and unranked Lobos who were giving the Cardinal their biggest challenge after the first round at UNM Championship Golf Course.