John Daly’s son among winners in first round of US Amateur at Olympic Club

The U.S. Amateur tournament at The Olympic Club in San Francisco saw some exciting matches in the first round of match play on Wednesday. Among the 32 players who emerged victorious was John Daly II, the son of legendary golfer John Daly. Daly II, a senior-to-be at Arkansas, displayed a calm and composed game, winning his match against Cooper Claycomb with a scorecard that featured a birdie on the 11th hole and halved the other 17.

Top-ranked amateur Jackson Koivun of Auburn also advanced after a hard-fought battle with Ryan Vools. Koivun secured a 1-up victory with a par on the 16th and a two-putt birdie on the 17th. Ben James, the second-ranked amateur in the world, and Preston Stout, ranked fourth, also secured wins in their matches.

However, not all top-ranked players were able to advance smoothly. Tommy Morrison and Filip Jakubcik, ranked sixth and fifth respectively, lost in extra holes to Mason Howell and Eric Lee. Despite the tough competition, Jace Summy (ranked seventh) and Christiaan Maas (ranked ninth) managed to secure their spots in the next round.

One of the most thrilling matches of the day saw Niall Shiels Donegan of Scotland, son of former golf writer Lawrence Donegan, defeating Luke Poulter, son of Ryder Cup stalwart Ian Poulter, with birdies on the final two holes. Donegan was among the 17 players who advanced from a playoff earlier in the day to determine the final 64 for match play.

The tournament continues to showcase the talent and skill of amateur golfers from around the world, with each match proving to be a test of determination and resilience on the challenging course at The Olympic Club.

For more updates on the U.S. Amateur tournament, visit the AP golf hub at https://apnews.com/hub/golf.