John Daly II Advances at U.S. Amateur with Thrilling Match Play Victory

SAN FRANCISCO, CA — John Daly II, son of two-time major champion John Daly, was among 32 players who advanced in the first round of match play at the U.S. Amateur on Wednesday at The Olympic Club. Daly, a senior at Arkansas, defeated friend Cooper Claycomb in a tightly contested match, winning 1-up.

Daly’s scorecard differed greatly from his father’s wild reputation. He secured the victory by winning only the par-3 11th hole with a birdie, while the other 17 holes were halved. “We’re both just kind of new to the whole thing,” Daly said, reflecting on the match with Claycomb. “It was fun.”

World No. 1 Jackson Koivun of Auburn also advanced, winning 2-up over Ryan Vools. Koivun made his only birdie on the 17th hole, securing his victory with a par on the 16th. Ben James, the No. 2 amateur and Virginia senior, won his match 2-and-1 against Parker Claxton, while fourth-ranked Preston Stout triumphed 4 and 3 over Pennson Badgett.

Two top-10 ranked players suffered surprising defeats in extra holes. Tommy Morrison of Texas, ranked No. 6, lost to 18-year-old Mason Howell after making a bogey on the 17th, while Filip Jakubcik (No. 5) fell to Eric Lee in 19 holes. Other players from the top 10 advancing included Jace Summy (No. 7) and Christiaan Maas (No. 9).

German Tim Wiedenmeyer mounted the day’s biggest comeback, winning his match 2-and-1 after losing five of the first seven holes. In a dramatic match, Niall Shiels Donegan of Scotland, son of former golf writer Lawrence Donegan, defeated Luke Poulter, son of Ryder Cup player Ian Poulter, by birdying the last two holes.

Daly, who previously achieved notable success this season, continued his strong performance at Olympic Club, where the road nearby is named John Daly Boulevard after a businessman. With about 200 fans cheering, he expressed satisfaction with his play. “Today I hit a lot of good putts,” said Daly after his victory. He attributed his success to improved wedge play and confidence on the greens. His father, John Daly, was famous for driving the green in the 1998 U.S. Open, and while he wasn’t present, his son felt his support from afar.