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Day 3 Utah State Amateur Championship: Match Play Takes Center Stage at Soldier Hollow

The 128th Utah State Amateur Championship came alive Wednesday at Soldier Hollow Golf Course as match play delivered everything it promises. There were tense playoff holes before breakfast, a stunning upset by the final player to earn a spot in the Round of 64, and two former champions continuing their pursuit of another title.

By the end of the day, the original field of 288 players had been reduced to 32. Thursday’s schedule will narrow that number even further as players compete in both the Round of 32 during the morning and the Round of 16 in the afternoon. By sunset, fewer than 6% of the field will remain in golf’s longest continuously contested championship in the world, according to the United States Golf Association.

The day’s excitement began early as seven players returned to Soldier Hollow at 7:30 a.m. for a playoff on the back nine of the Gold course to determine the final three spots in match play.

The last player to emerge from that playoff went on to produce the championship’s biggest surprise.

Krew Labrum (L) provided the surprise of the Round of 64 by defeating medalist and University of Utah commit Ben Wilson.

No. 64 seed Krew Labrum, who birdied the 14th playoff hole to secure the final berth into the bracket, defeated medalist and No. 1 seed Ben Wilson 3 and 2 in a match that was equally exciting near the end of the day.

Labrum entered the morning with little to lose after battling through the playoff.

“The low expectations really benefited me,” said Labrum. “I’ve been playing good golf recently, so I just let my game do the talking and see what happens.”

The 20 year old Westminster University commit began playing golf only five years ago while attending Corner Canyon High School. After one season at North Idaho College, where the golf program was later discontinued, Labrum spent the past year working in the golf shop at Hidden Valley Country Club while continuing to develop his game.

Wilson also belongs to Hidden Valley, making Wednesday’s matchup one between friends.

“When I found out I was playing Ben, it was almost relief because of our friendship,” Labrum said. “It felt like a casual round of golf. We’re both here to win, but we’re here because we love the game.”

Labrum made just one bogey during the match and never appeared intimidated by the medalist.

“I realized when I started playing golf how many good players there are,” he said. “Anyone has a chance, especially in match play.”

While the day’s biggest storyline belonged to Labrum, former champions also made their presence felt.

Four past Utah State Amateur champions advanced to match play, but only defending champion Bowen Mauss and 2013 champion Cole Ogden survived Wednesday’s opening round.

Mauss continued his title defense with a convincing 5 and 3 victory over Stockton Penman. The defending champion eagled one hole and added five birdies through 15 holes. He advances to face Brock Sivulich in Thursday morning’s Round of 32.

2013 Utah State Amateur champion Cole Ogden.

Ogden, balancing a full time career, raising four children and playing golf, showed there is still plenty of championship golf left in his game. The 2013 champion defeated Utah Valley University commit Dylan Winona 3 and 1 in one of the day’s most competitive matches. The lead changed hands several times before Ogden finally created separation on the closing holes.

Now playing far less tournament golf than during his championship years, Ogden still arrives expecting to contend.

“When I tee it up in a championship, it seems to be promising,” Ogden said.

Ogden also believes match play is the ultimate equalizer once stroke play qualifying is complete.

“The golf course doesn’t change,” he said. “You still have to show up and hit golf shots and make putts.”

His perspective reflects one of match play’s defining characteristics. Medalists and top seeds receive no advantage once the bracket begins.

“They don’t hand any trophies out on Wednesday,” Ogden said.

Two former champions saw their chances for a second title end Wednesday.

BYU’s Parker Bunn defeated 1998 champion Darrin Overson 3 and 1, while two time Utah Four-Ball champion Andrew Cottle holed a 30-foot birdie putt on the 19th hole to eliminate 2008 champion Dan Horner.

Dan Horner won the Utah State Amateur at Soldier Hollow in 2008.

Horner finished the week as it started, with 35 career Utah State Amateur match victories, leaving him two shy of the championship record of 37 set by six time champion Bill Korns between 1941 and 1951.

Although windy conditions tested players throughout the day, the Round of 64 produced relatively few surprises beyond Labrum’s upset of Wilson. Most of the championship’s top contenders successfully advanced into Thursday’s bracket.

Thursday morning’s Round of 32 features several “featured” matches, including Parker Bunn against Steele Dewald at 7:50 a.m., Kaha Helm against KJ Ofahengaue at 8:30 a.m., Austin Shelley against Lincoln Markham at 8:50 a.m., a battle of accomplished mid amateurs between Noah Schone and Cameron Crawford at 9:40 a.m., and Jackson Mauss facing former champion Cole Ogden at 9:50 a.m.

The championship shifts into overdrive Thursday as the remaining players begin the tournament’s demanding two match per day schedule. By day’s end, the field will be trimmed from 32 to just eight players, setting the stage for Friday’s championship weekend at Soldier Hollow Golf Course, the 36-hole facility a Wasatch Mountain State Park in Midway.

*Kurt Kragthorpe’s Twitter (X) Round of 64 Tournament Notes*

Utah Prep student Kaha Helm,  a former high school star in Hawaii, defeated No. 5 seed Kenny Palmer, a Utah mid-amateur standout, a 3 & 2 victory where he led all the way.

Dan Horner will remain at 35 career match wins, two short of the all-time record, after a 19-hole loss to Andrew Cottle. A two-time Utah Four-Ball winner, Cottle never trailed, but was never more than 1 up as 11 holes were won/lost in the match.

Incoming BYU freshman, Austin Shelley.

No. 2 seed Austin Shelley rallied to win 1 up. Going by seeding, there were 15 upsets, notably losses by Nos. 1 (Ben Wilson), 4 (Jesus Castaneda) and 5 (Kenny Palmer). That includes a win for No. 49, defending champ Bowen Mauss.

Click here for the Round of 64 results.

Click here for the Round of 32 matches.

128th Utah State Amateur Championship Match Play Round of 64 recap and photos provided by Fairways Media/Randy Dodson, Kurt Kragthorpe and Gerrit Johnson.