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The USGA received 5,245 entries for this year’s U.S. Amateur, with only about 6 percent of those making it into the 312-player championship field competing this week at The Olympic Club in San Francisco. And after two days of stroke-play qualifying, only around 20 percent of those players remain in contention for the Havemeyer Trophy, with a 20-for-17 playoff being contested Wednesday to fill the 64 spots in the match-play bracket.
Suffice it to say, just qualifying for the U.S. Amateur is quite the accomplishment. And making it to match play signals just how much talent you really have. As the playoff wraps up and the head-to-head showdowns begin in the first round on the famed Lake Course, here are a handful of notable players moving on and a few who are surprising already heading home.
Making Match Play
Preston Stout
Chris Keane
The 21-year-old from Dallas claimed medalist honours with an eight-under 133 showing. No doubt he carried some confidence with him having recently been added to the U.S. Walker Cup team that will compete next month at Cypress Point Club. Stout was an eight-shot winner at the Northeast Amateur in June and has the benefit of his college coach at Oklahoma State, Alan Bratton, on his bag. Bratton looped for Peter Uihlein and Viktor Hovland when they won U.S. Am titles in 2010 and 2018. Only potential concern for Stout? A medalist hasn’t actually won the championship since Ryan Moore in 2004.
Jackson Koivun
Patrick Smith
The No. 1 ranked amateur in the world has been taking the PGA Tour by storm this summer with three top-11 finishes, raising the question of whether the 20-year-old Auburn All-American should consider taking the PGA Tour card he has earned in the PGA Tour Accelerated program and turning pro. Koivun, however, is content to play out his junior season in college before making the jump next May. He would have even more to look forward to if he somehow managed to earn exemptions this week into the Masters and U.S. Open by reaching the finals here at the Olympic Club
Miles Russell
Ben Jared
The 16-year-old lefty from Jacksonville Beach, Fla., has impressed in pro starts as well as with his play in the amateur ranks, earning AJGA POY honours and ranking 16th in the WAGR. Many observers say he’s got an outside shot of becoming the youngest to ever make a Walker Cup team if he had a big week at Olympic Club. Making match play as the No. 3 seed is a good start there.
John Daly II
Eakin Howard
The son of the two-time major champion took another step in the evolution of his own game this summer with a victory at the prestigious Southern Amateur after grabbing his first individual college title at Arkansas this past season. In his first start at the U.S. Amateur, the 22-year-old cruised to match play.
Luke Poulter
Aitor Alcalde/R&A
Another son of a famous tour play, perhaps Luke has picked up some match-play secrets from his Ryder Cup legend of a father, Ian Poulter. Regardless, Luke has begun to make a name for himself, ranking 28th in the WAGR and just missing out on qualifying for both the U.S. Open and Open Championship this summer.
Heading Home
Michael La Sasso
Tyler McFarland
The reigning NCAA champion from Ole Miss has played well in the summer, but an opening-round 78 at the Lake Course doomed his match-play chances. Suffice it to say, he’ll have more time to rest up for the Walker Cup, where he’s already got his spot accounted for.
Ethan Fang
Oisin Keniry/R&A
Not since Lawson Little in 1935 as a golfer won the U.S. Amateur and the British Amateur in the same year. That’s rare air that the 20-year-old Oklahoma State golfer was hoping to join. But Fang stumbled on Tuesday, going nine over on his last eight holes. He, too, has the Walker Cup to at least look forward to in the coming weeks.
Stewart Hagestad
Chris Turvey
The three-time U.S. Mid-Amateur champion was trying to bolster his chances of making his third U.S. Walker Cup team, but rounds of 72-73 mean he’ll have to sweat things out this week.
Hamilton Coleman
Sam Hodde
He won the U.S. Junior title last month at Trinity Forest, but the 17-year-old struggled with rounds of 73-73.
Noah Kent
Augusta National
Kent, 20, reached the finals last year at Hazeltine National but the dream of another extended match-play run faded with rounds of 74-74.
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Main Image: Chris Keane
