Parker, Colorado, United States: Sampson Zheng claimed co-medallist honours at the 123rd US Amateur Championship as China players stamped their mark in spectacular fashion.
Zheng, a member of the triumphant Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation’s Bonallack Trophy team in Spain a fortnight ago, followed up his opening six-under 66 at Colorado Golf Club (CGC), with a one-under 70 at Cherry Hills Country Club on Tuesday.
With a seven-under total of 136, Zheng, a rising senior at the University of California-Berkeley, who captured the US Amateur Four-Ball title in late May, topped the leaderboard alongside Americans Jackson Buchanan and Blades Brown, at 16 the youngest co-medallist in championship history.
The cut fell at even-par 143, with exactly 64 players making it, meaning that no play-off was needed to determine the last spots in the bracket. It’s the first time since 2000 at Baltusrol Golf Club that no play-off was needed.
The Round of 64 will begin at 9 am local time on Wednesday. Two rounds of match play will be played on Thursday, with the quarter-finals on Friday, the semi-finals on Saturday, and the 36-hole final on Sunday.
Joining Zheng in the match play phase are three other players from China – Andy Xu (tied fourth, 137), Ding Wenyi (tied 17th, 140) and Rui Chang (tied 38th, 142).
In Wednesday’s Round of 64, Zheng will take on Preston Summerhays, Xu faces Matthew McClean, Ding tackles Neal Shipley and Rui is up against Caden Fioroni.
The only other Asia-Pacific player to progress to match play was Australian Karl Vilips. He will need to be at his best when he faces co-medallist Buchanan on Wednesday.
For Zheng’s Bonallack Trophy team-mates Joshua Bai of New Zealand (148), Japan’s Yuta Sugiura (151) and Australian Harrison Crowe (152) there was disappointing at missing the cut.
Among those also failing to progress were New Zealand’s Kazumi Kobori, winner of last week’s Western Amateur Championship, and Australians Tony Chen Kuangyu and Jeffrey Guan, all finishing on 144, one shot shy of getting into the match play.
Others to make an early exit included Thai Ratchanon ‘TK’ Chantananuwat (147), Hong Kong China’s Alexander Yang (149) and China’s Aaron Du (155), Zheng’s partner in the US Amateur Four-Ball.