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Meet the Utah State Amateur Quarterfinalists
The green of No. 5 and the tee of No. 4 frame the driveway into The Country Club. That northwest corner of the property became the site of two finishing holes in Thursday’s round of 16 in the 125th Utah State Amateur Championship.
David Liechty urges his putt to “Go” during extra holes in his Round of 16 match with Peter Kim.
David Liechty outlasted stroke-play medalist Peter Kim in a 23-hole duel between recent high school graduates and Josh Howe (photo below) defeated Brandon Robison in a 22-hole battle between Davis County products that was decided only when Robison’s second shot on No. 4 squarely struck a tree and bounced 30 yards backward.
Friday’s quarterfinal matches include Liechty vs. Elijah Turner, 2021 champion Martin Leon vs. Cameron Crawford, Howe vs. 2022 runner-up Simon Kwon and Kenny Palmer vs. 2008 champion Dan Horner. The semifinals will follow in the afternoon, then comes Saturday’s 36-hole final match.
This is a more diverse group than usual, with four traditional amateurs in their 20s, 30s and 40s joining four college golfers (counting Liechty as an incoming freshman). Kwon is the only repeat quarterfinalist from last July at Soldier Hollow Golf Course, with Palmer having ousted defending champion Zac Jones in Thursday morning’s round of 32.