PARAMUS, N.J. — Texas A&M senior Sam Bennett received two matches Thursday because the No. 3 novice on the planet moved into the quarterfinals of a U.S. Beginner that already has misplaced a few of its largest names.
Additionally shifting into the quarterfinals was U.S. Mid-Beginner champion Stewart Hagestad, who took down the nations prime junior, Ben James, after which received three of the final 4 holes in a 2-and-1 victory over Hayden Hopewell of Australia.
The quarterfinals are Friday at Ridgewood Nation Membership. Additionally advancing was Dylan Menante, who helped Pepperdine to the workforce title in 2021 after which transferred two months in the past to North Carolina.
Bennett, who might be a fifth-year senior for the Aggies due to the COVID-19 pandemic, already has had a tricky highway. He opened match play by beating Nick Gabrelcik, the world No. 13 and a U.S. Beginner semifinalist final yr. Up subsequent was Florida senior Biondi, a co-medalist throughout qualifying, after which David Puig of Spain, a senior at Arizona State whos the No. 10 participant on the planet. Puig was among the many amateurs who has performed in Saudi-funded LIV Golf occasions this yr.
Should you get this far in match play, you have to play good golf to beat anyone, Bennett stated. That is what I did.
Of the highest 10 within the maless world novice rating, solely Bennett, Menante (No. 8) and Hagestad (No. 9) stay.
Seedings within the U.S. Beginner are based mostly on 36-hole qualifying scores, and there have been some prime matches within the opening spherical on Wednesday that noticed the departure of Ludvig Aberg, Michael Thorbjornsen, Sam Bairstow and Gordon Sargent, all ranked among the many prime 10 on the planet.
Bennett strikes on to face the 31-year-old Hagestad within the quarterfinals, whereas Menante faces Nicholas Gross, a 15-year-old from Pennsylvania.
Gross is the youngest participant to succeed in the quarterfinals since 15-year-old C.T. Pan, who since has received on the PGA Tour, in 2007. Gross and Pepperdine senior Derek Hitchner needed to make it by means of a 15-man playoff for 11 spots simply to succeed in match play.
The quarterfinalists are exempt into the ultimate stage of qualifying for the U.S. Open subsequent yr.