The U.S. Amateur at Hazeltine National saw a marathon day that began with an upset as Jackson Buchanan defeated top-ranked amateur Luke Clanton. Mid-amateurs Christian Brand and Bobby Massa notably advanced to the Round of 16, with Massa birdieing the 23rd hole in the darkness to defeat Ashton McCulloch. The field was then trimmed to eight players for the quarterfinals, with matches starting at 2:30 p.m. Among them are four players ranked inside the top 25 in the world and two ranked outside the top 500.
Ethan Fang, a 19-year-old from Plano, Texas, who transferred to Oklahoma State, fought back after a tough start with a 64 in stroke play and winning his first match against Jimmy Ellis. Fang will face off against Noah Kent, a 19-year-old from Naples, Florida, who had a similar comeback in stroke play and defeated Garrett Engle in the Round of 16.
Jacob Modleski, a 19-year-old from Noblesville, Indiana, and Notre Dame player, had a strong showing in stroke play with a 64 and defeated top contenders like Tommy Morrison and Omar Morales in match play. He will face off against Jackson Buchanan, a 22-year-old from Georgia who has had an impressive path to the quarterfinals, defeating Preston Summerhays and Luke Clanton.
Jose Luis Ballester, a 21-year-old from Spain and a rising senior at Arizona State, is the highest-ranked player remaining at Hazeltine, having beaten Ben James and Christian Brand. He will face Bobby Massa, a 36-year-old from Dallas who works as a performance coach in Texas and became the first mid-amateur to make the quarterfinals since Stewart Hagestad in 2022.
Luis Masaveu, a 21-year-old from Madrid, Spain, who does not play college golf, is the No. 3 seed and defeated Gunnar Broin in the Round of 64. He will face Brendan Valdes, a 21-year-old from Orlando, Florida, who was a first-team NCAA All-American at Auburn and qualified for the U.S. Open this summer. Valdes recently represented the U.S. at the Palmer Cup in Ireland.
Overall, the U.S. Amateur at Hazeltine National has seen some impressive performances from both young and experienced players. The quarterfinal matches are set to be exciting as the remaining eight players battle it out for a spot in the semifinals. Keep an eye on the rising stars like Ethan Fang and Noah Kent, as well as the more experienced players like Bobby Massa and Jose Luis Ballester, as they continue to compete at the highest level of amateur golf.
