San Francisco, California, United States: For the second day in succession, Rintaro Nakano displayed his remarkable powers of recovery to secure his place in the Round of 32 at the 125th US Amateur Championship.
The Japanese, a member of the triumphant Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC) Bonallack Trophy team in January, appeared to be heading for an early exit at The Olympic Club after opening his campaign with a 75 on Monday. But a bogey-free 67 on Tuesday ensured his safe passage from the 36-hole stroke play segment into the match play phase.
Facing Thailand’s Pongsapak Laopakdee in the Round of 64, Nakano, 157th in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR), lost the first hole and was still trailing with just two holes of their contest remaining.
Staring elimination in the face once more, Nakano moved up a gear. He made a birdie-four at the 513-yard 17th to square the contest. Then with Pongsapak in trouble at the last, Nakano duly made his par to win the hole and the match, one-up. It was the first time he had led all day.
While Pongsapak, 66th in the WAGR, is left to ponder what might have been, Nakano is now looking forward to taking on South African Daniel Bennett in the Round of 32 on Thursday morning. The winner of that clash will progress to the Round of 16 in the afternoon.
On Wednesday, Bennett extinguished the hopes of New Zealand’s Joshua Bai, a team-mate of Nakano at the Ryder Cup-style Bonallack Trophy against the European Golf Association in the United Arab Emirates in January.
Bai, 215th in the WAGR, survived the 20-for-17 Wednesday morning play-off to qualify for the match play and was two-up through nine holes against Bennett.
But the South African won 10, 11 and 12 to go one-up. Bai, runner-up in the US Junior Boys’ Amateur in 2023, got back to all square with a birdie at the short 15th only for Bennett to edge ahead again with a par at the long 16th. With the final two holes halved in pars it was Bennett who went through.
Joining Nakano in the Round of 32 is China’s Paul Chang, continuing his outstanding record in the US Amateur. At Hazeltine National Golf Club last year he advanced to the Round of 32 having made it through to the Round of 16 in 2023 at Cherry Hills.
Although he was never behind against American Garrett Risner on Wednesday, world number 45 Chang, who also had to survive the morning play-off to get into the match play, was made to fight hard.
Two-up after 11, Chang’s advantage was wiped out when he lost the 12th and 13th. From there the match see-sawed with Chang regaining the lead at 15 but again being brought back to all square at 16.
Like Nakano, the China player then moved into overdrive, winning the final two holes with birdies to progress two-up.
Next up for Chang is a face-off with England’s Tyler Weaver.