CHERRY HILLS VILLAGE, Colo. — After a grueling Thursday at Cherry Hills Country Club, the 2023 U.S. Amateur is down to eight vying for the Havemeyer Trophy.
Cherry Hills started to show its teeth, especially during the Round of 16 on Thursday afternoon. The wind picked up, the greens became more firm and started browning out, and players who stayed out of trouble took advantage.
However, one semifinal match was tied heading to a 19th hole on Friday morning, and it had an incredible ending Thursday night before play was suspended due to darkness.
Eight golfers are closer to winning the biggest championship in men’s amateur golf.
Friday’s quarterfinal tee times were moved up to the morning because of possible severe weather in the afternoon. The first tee time will be at 10:30 a.m. ET.
U.S. Amateur: Photos from Cherry Hills
Here’s a look at the quarterfinalists in the U.S. Amateur, as well as Friday matchups and TV information.
No. 32 Jackson Koivun
Jackson Koivun admits he has had a mediocre summer. Heading into his freshman season at Auburn, he has been working hard to find his groove but hasn’t had much success.
Now, he’s one of the eight left in the U.S. Amateur.
Koivun knocked off co-medalist Blades Brown in the morning before dispatching Matthew Sutherland in 19 holes in the Round of 16. Koivun was 1 down heading to the 18th hole and won consecutive holes to force extras and then advance.
“My main goal was to make the cut and match play,” Koivun said. “You just go as far as you can and keep grinding, keep clawing away.”
Even being inexperienced in match play hasn’t affected him too much. Koivun has found ways to play well when it matters most, and he’s into the quarters.
“It’s such an honor, and I’m excited to get after it tomorrow,” Koivun said.
No. 41 Nick Dunlap
Nick Dunlap was arguably the hottest player coming in, and he’s proving his worth.
In the Round of 64, he knocked off World No. 1 Gordon Sargent. Then he beat Denver native Connor Jones on Thursday morning before dispatching 16-year-old Bowen Mauss from Utah in the Round of 16, 5 and 3.
Now, Dunlap, a rising sophomore at Alabama, is into the quarterfinals.
“I’ve been driving it really well coming into the week,” Dunlap said. “I haven’t played that much in the Midwest or Denver, but this kind of reminds me a little bit of a Northeast golf course.”
And Dunlap has had success on those layouts. He won the Northeast Amateur earlier this summer and had success in match play at the North & South Amateur.
After his match, the first thing Dunlap commented on was how impressed he was with Mauss.
“Just the week he has had, really beautiful,” Dunlap said. “Fun to watch the future.”
No. 52 Parker Bell
Parker Bell, the rising sophomore at Florida, is into the semifinals after taking out Maxwell Ford, the No. 4 seed and highest remaining in the Round of 16.
Bell, at 52, is the highest seed remaining at Cherry Hills. He lost the first hole but then after tying the second proceeded to win six of the next nine holes, eventually clinching a 5-and-4 victory.
No. 12 Ben James
Nothing like some time away in a log cabin.
That’s what Ben James did between the Western Amateur and U.S. Amateur. He was fighting his swing, especially his driver, which is his strength. He went away to North Carolina with Jeff Pierce, Brooks Koepka’s coach, and worked on his golf in a calm, relaxed environment.
That hard work is paying off.
James, ranked sixth in the world, knocked off fourth-ranked David Ford in 19 holes to advance to the quarterfinals. James was 1 down heading to the 18th tee but won with a par. Then, he threw a wedge from 130 yards to 3 feet and made the birdie putt to win.
“I never thought I could do that,” James said. “It’s just self belief.”
James’ victory also essentially secures his spot in the Walker Cup in two weeks, as if he hadn’t done enough to clinch a spot already. James, the reigning Phil Mickelson Award winner as the top freshman in college golf, won five times as a freshman at Virginia.
He knows he didn’t have a strong summer, but this week at the U.S. Amateur has given him confidence back, and he’s the highest-ranked player left in the field.
“My goal is to just have fun,” James said. “Just really happy to see the grit I have.”
No. 47 Neal Shipley
It’s gotta be the hair, Cotton.
Neal Shipley and his incredible locks are moving on, thanks to his 3-and-2 win against Cooper Jones. Shipley took 20 holes just to advance into the Round of 16, beating Calum Scott. Then, he took control early in the afternoon, winning the first three holes.
“Well, it’s a long day,” Shipley said. “The first match was back and forth all day, and was able to finally get him on the 20th hole. He played awesome. Then today on Cooper, got on him pretty early and was able to kind of hold him at bay for the rest of the day.
“But with this much golf, it’s as much of a mental grind as it is just about golf. I felt like I handled that really well and was zoned in. Even when I was 4-up I was still focused on the next shot and not necessarily tomorrow.”
No. 7 Andi Xu
The highest-seeded player remaining is Andy Xi, the seventh seed who beat Conner Gaunt 2 up to advance.
Xu, from China, lost the first hole but led by as many as 4 up in his match. The senior at the University of San Diego nearly won medalist honors before a late collapse in stroke play, but his strong effort has continued in match play.
He won five of six holes from Nos. 6-11, and his big lead was enough to hold off a late charge from Gaunt.
No. 30 Jose Islas
Jose Islas has had success at the U.S. Amateur before.
In 2021, he made to the Round of 16 at Oakmont. This year, he is moving on to the quarterfinals.
Islas, from Mexico, beat Auburn’s Carson Bacha 3 and 2. Islas won two of the first four holes, and every time Bacha tried to make a dent in Islas’ lead, he fought back with another win.
At Oakmont, Islas knocked off Caleb Surratt in the Round of 32 and fell to Travis Vick. In the Round of 32 on Thursday morning, he beat one of the co-medalists, Sampson Zheng.
No. 11 John Marshall Butler
John Marshall Butler had to wait 12 hours to move on, but it was worth it.
Butler advanced to the quarterfinals Friday morning, beating Paul Chang in 19 holes. Butler got up-and-down for par in near darkness on Thursday night to force extras, and then he moved on Friday morning.
Chang’s second shot was in the right rough and hit a tree, bouncing back right. His third landed on the back of the green, but he three putted for a double bogey. Butler had about 5 feet left for his par, so when Chang missed his bogey attempt, he conceded the hole.
It was a special run for Chang, who played club golf at Virginia the past three years, is not ranked in WAGR and joined the varsity team this year.
Friday matchups
All times listed are ET
No. 32 Jackson Koivun vs. No. 41 Nick Dunlap, 10:30 a.m. ET
No. 52 Parker Bell vs. No. 12 Ben James, 10:45 a.m. ET
No 47 Neal Shipley vs. No. 7 Andi Xu, 11 a.m. ET
No. 30 Jose Islas vs. No. 11 John Marshall Butler, 11:15 a.m. ET
Schedule/TV information
All times listed are ET
Friday, August 18 (Quarterfinals)
5-6 p.m., Peacock
6-8 p.m., Golf Channel
Saturday, August 19 (Semifinals)
3-4 p.m., Golf Channel
4-6 p.m., NBC
Sunday, August 20 (Championship match)
3-4 p.m., Golf Channel
4-6 p.m., NBC
