EAST LANSING- Two Spartans were in the field this week for the 2024 U.S. Amateur hosted at Championship Hazeltine National Golf Club, and Chaska Town Course in Chaska, Minnesota.
Incoming freshman Julian Menser and incoming senior Ashton McCulloch each qualified this summer for the U.S. Amateur, with stroke play competition on Monday and Tuesday this week, followed by match play starting with the round of 64 on Wednesday for those who make the cut.
On Monday, McCulloch started hot with an opening 67 (-3) at Chaska Town Course, placing himself T-12 after day one. The Spartan senior found birdies on holes 2, 3, 8, 9, 12, 13, and 18, as the course was playing from 6851 yards.
McCulloch was under the field average by nearly three strokes for round one, as the rest of the field average was 70.9. However, Chaska Town played much easier than neighboring Hazeltine National as just over 200 more birdies were made from the field on day one.
As for the freshman Menser, he started his U.S. Amateur competition on Hazeltine National on day one and experienced why the field averages were so much higher on Hazeltine National compared to Chaska Town.
Menser found only one birdie on day one, coupled with a front nine score of 38, rounded by a back nine score of 38 en route to a 76 (+4).
Hazeltine National played 700 yards farther than Chaska Town, with a monstrous 7548-yard course test for the competitors. However, Menser matched up with the field solid on day one as the day one field average was 76.1 on Hazeltine National.
On day two, each Spartan had a chance to flip courses, for Menser he had an opportunity to go low on a much more attackable Chaska Town and attempt to make the cut and advance to stroke play.
While McCulloch knew he would have a difficult test ahead of him with Hazeltine National. The 2023 Canadian Amateur Champion would put up a respectable 75 (+3) on Tuesday, placing him T-53 and just one stroke above the cut line with a two-round total of even par.
McCulloch once again found birdies by the bunches as he was able to add five red numbers on his scorecard with birdies on holes 3, 7, 9, 11, and the par 3 13th. However, struggles came on hole 16 as the senior triple-bogeyed the 390-yard par 4.
McCulloch found himself under field average for round two on Tuesday, as the final scores would round out to a 76.1 field average for those who competed at Hazeltine National.
As for Menser, with a total score of +4, and a -8 low round score of day one shot by former Virginia University competitor Paul Chang, Menser had to make magic happen to get inside the cut line and advance to match play competition.
Menser dropped four birdies on Tuesday but struggled with bogeys on 1, 5, 12, and 15, as well as double bogeys on holes 4 and 11. A final-day score of 74 (+4) at Chaska Town placed Menser T-214, missing the cut with his two-day score of +8.
McCulloch however will have a chance to advance to match play competition as the round of 64 will kick off on Wednesday. Wednesday morning however there will be a 14 man playoff with the players all tied at even par, with three spots available spots to advance to match play.
The 2024 U.S. Amateur Championship will continue match play through Sunday, where a champion will be crowned in Minnesota.
