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Utah Players Off to a Hot Start at the U.S. Amateur at Merion

Kihei Akina is coming fresh off making the cut at the Wyndham and finishing 81st against the big boys on the PGA Tour. Akina was exempt for this U.S. Amateur thanks to his World Amateur Golf Ranking, and he opened his championship with an impressive 1-under 69 at Merion to grab a tie for 28th place heading into Tuesday’s final day of stroke play.

2026 Utah State Amateur champion, Bowen Mauss received a U.S. Amateur and PGA TOUR Bank of Utah Championship exemption.

Bowen Mauss, the two-time back to back Utah State Amateur Champ, got off to a stifling start at 2-under par 68 at Philadelphia Country Club during round 1 on Monday afternoon. Mauss received an exemption into the national championship following his State Amateur win in July.

Tyson Shelley is also off to a tremendous start after round 1 as well. The senior at BYU shot a 3-under par 67 at Philadelphia Country Club. Perhaps it was fitting as Shelley spent most of the final day of preparation (Sunday) at Philadelphia CC and unlike most of his peers, avoided spending more time at Merion. We’ll see how that strategy plays out for Shelley over the coming days. But a tie for fifth is a tremendous start in a field of 312.

Drake Harvey got to work in a hurry during Monday’s first round at Merion. Due to darkness, the incoming BYU freshman was not able to finish his round, but sits at 4-under par in a tie for 3rd place after a hot start.

Incoming BYU freshman, Drake Harvey

Harvey’s playing in his first ever U.S. Amateur and told me on Sunday he was “super excited for this championship. I’ve got my coach Spencer Dunaway on the bag for me, and it’s going to be super exciting to see what me and Spencer can accomplish together this week. Hopefully we can make it to matchplay and then make a deep run. So I’m super excited for what can happen this week.”

What does it do psychologically to Harvey having the voice of Dunaway on the bag?

“It’s just his energy. He’s super positive and he’s such a funny guy, and he always makes me laugh even if something is not going great. He is so good at keeping me calm and just in the round. It’s cool to have an opportunity at a course like this, you can’t really plan for a better spot.”

Amazingly, this is Dunaway’s first time caddying for Harvey in any competition. Pretty surreal.

University of Utah golfer Gabriel Palacios shot a 5-over par 75 during his opening round at Merion and now has his work cutout for him in a tie for 215th place, and looking up at a need for a low one on Tuesday at Philadelphia Country Club.

University of Utah golfer, Sergio Jimenez

Sergio Jimenez also is off to a strong start after Monday’s opening round at Philadelphia Country Club where he posted a 1-under to get into a tie for 28th place with one more day before match play begins. Can he hang in there and deliver another solid round at Merion?

Steele Dewald began his first ever United State Amateur on Monday with a 5-over 75 at PCC on Monday, and has some making up of ground to do for the second round ahead on Tuesday at Merion.

On Sunday afternoon at Merion, I asked Dewald what it means to finally play in a U.S. Amateur. He didn’t mince his words.

“I think to qualify for a U.S. Amateur at Merion of all places, it’s like you couldn’t script it any better,” Dewald said. “I’m a big history buff. Like I’ve always loved the history of golf and it’s amazing to be playing here where there is just so much history, I think it is just so special. I mean, I can’t put it any other way really. It’s awesome.”

Arizona State’s Boston Bracken

Boston Bracken was even through 15 holes on Monday at Merion, placing him in a tie for 50th and making for a long Tuesday to both finish on Merion’s iconic last three holes and then having to travel across town to PCC for his second round on the final day of stroke-play. It figures to be a long Tuesday for Bracken in Philadelphia as he tries to punch his ticket into matchplay.

U.S. Amateur stroke play opening round recap written by Fairways Media field correspondent, Garrett Johnston. Johnston has covered golf for 16 years and is the host of the Beyond the Clubhouse with players, caddies and broadcasters. You can follow him on X @JohnstonGarrett. Photos courtesy of Fairways Media.