Dallas Hangs on For First State Victory at MGA Senior Amateur
September 11, 2024
CHASKA, Minn. – At the start of the 124th U.S. Amateur Championship this week, 18 of the world’s top 20 amateurs made their way onto the grounds at Hazeltine National Golf Club.
Following the first two rounds of stroke play, 14 of those top-20 players had advanced to the match play portion of the tournament.
Claiming the top spot in the World Amateur Golf Rankings this week after his fifth-place finish at the PGA Tour’s Wyndham Championship Sunday, Florida State University junior Luke Clanton continued to highlight his elite talent Wednesday by cruising during the Round of 64, 4 and 3, over University of Colorado senior Dylan McDermott.
“It was a very positive day. The first couple of days were a little bit of a grind. I was hitting it okay, and then today was a lot better,” Clanton said Wednesday. “My competitor was playing really well also. It was fun.
“Again, it's a long week of golf, so I'm not really looking too forward right now. I'm staying in my zone and just keep going. This is the furthest I've ever made it in the U.S. Am, so it's a big positive for me. It was the number one tournament for me all summer.”
Scotland’s Calum Scott, the world's 12th-ranked amateur, needed 21 holes to get past Pepperdine University’s Mahanth Chirravuri Wednesday to move on to Thursday’s Round of 32.
“I think it's just got to be more aggressive,” Scott said of turning his focus to match play. “It's easier to commit, I feel like. There's a commitment thing. I think I'm just focusing on really committing to my shots, and that's what's going to get me through.
“I got off to a rough start the first four holes, three bogeys. Then I held my own and played some really solid golf through the last, I guess, 17 holes.”
Ranked No. 10 by WAGR this week, Arizona State University senior Jose Luis Ballester upended University of Virginia junior Ben James in an early marquee matchup Wednesday, 2 and 1. James entered the week as the world’s fifth-ranked amateur.
Among the day’s biggest upsets, stroke-play medalist Jimmy Ellis, who became the first mid-amateur player to win medalist honors since Jeff Wilson in 2010, dropped his opening match to Oklahoma State University sophomore Ethan Fang, 2-up.
Gordon Sargent, formerly the top-ranked amateur in the world before dropping to No. 2 this week, was downed by the University of Arizona’s Tiger Christensen, who took an early lead over Sargent Wednesday and never looked back, advancing over the 2022 NCAA individual champion, 4 and 3.
A disappointing finish for Minnesotan Gunnar Broin Wednesday who fell to 21-year-old Spaniard Luis Masazeu, 3 and 2, during the opening round of match play for the second time in his three U.S. Amateur appearances.
“It was a fun week, I had a good time with family and friends, and I enjoyed the experience,” the Kansas University senior said following his round Wednesday. “I’m trying to take everything in because I don’t know how many U.S. Amateurs I’ve got left. Being back basically in my backyard was fun. I’ll take some confidence going forward into the collegiate season.
“[Masazeu] just beat me today. I think I was even par, which is pretty good in these conditions, but he just outplayed me. I know where to hit it, but it doesn’t mean I’m going to hit it there. The course was tough, playing like it should be—big and brutal.”
Admittedly, nerves found their way to Broin on the first tee at Hazeltine Monday, where he’d make a triple-bogey, battling his final 17 holes to post a respectable 2-over 74.
“I handled the nerves pretty well, I thought,” he said. “I tripled my first hole of the week, which was exciting, but played the [next 35 holes] in 3-under. Played well today, but just ran into a buzzsaw.”
The Round of 32 at the 124th U.S. Amateur Championship is scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. Thursday at Hazeltine National Golf Club, followed by the start of the Round of 16.
THE 124TH U.S. AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
HAZELTINE NATIONAL GOLF CLUB
CHASKA, MINN.
7,548 YARDS, PAR 72
WEDNESDAY’S ROUND OF 64 RESULTS
3. Luis Masaveu, Spain, def. GUNNAR BROIN, SHOREWOOD, MINN., 3 and 2
TUESDAY’S FINAL STROKE PLAY RESULTS
T54. GUNNAR BROIN, SHOREWOOD, MINN., 74-68—142
MC. BEN WARIAN, STILLWATER, MINN., 69-74—143
MC. JACQUES WILSON, CHASKA, MINN., 72-72—144
MC. SAM UDOVICH, INVER GROVE HEIGHTS, MINN., 74-74—148
MC. NATE DEZIEL, EAST GRAND FORKS, MINN., 84-69—153
MC. JOSH PERSONS, UNIV. OF MINN., 81-74—155
MC. JACOB PEDERSEN, SHOREWOOD, MINN., 73-83—156
For complete tournament results go to: https://championships.usga.org/usamateur/2024/scoring.html
September 11, 2024
September 11, 2024
September 10, 2024
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