Ryder Cowan Chips In on 17th to Oust Miles Russell at U.S. Amateur

Oklahoma senior Ryder Cowan advanced through a 16-way playoff with a first-hole birdie before defeating world No. 4 Miles Russell at Merion.

Oklahoma senior Ryder Cowan secured a 2-and-1 victory over world No. 4 Miles Russell on Wednesday at the U.S. Amateur after chipping in for par from the rough on the 17th hole at Merion. Cowan, currently ranked No. 8 in the world amateur standings, began his day in a 16-way playoff for the final 11 match-play spots following 36-hole stroke play qualifying. He clinched his position in the 64-man bracket by recording a birdie on the first playoff hole, setting up an immediate round-of-64 showdown against the 17-year-old Russell.

The match remained all square until the 16th hole, where Russell’s approach landed in a front bunker. Facing a front pin, Russell hit his sand shot over the green, allowing Cowan to take a 1-up lead. On the par-3 17th, Cowan left his initial chip short in the rough. His second chip found the cup for a par, while Russell missed a 10-foot par attempt that would have extended the match. Cowan previously shared low amateur honors at this summer's U.S. Open with Jackson Koivun.

Seeded Favorites and Early Eliminations

Joshua Ryan, who earned medalist honors during the 36-hole qualifying rounds, was eliminated in 19 holes by Taishi Moto. Moto is a junior at Arizona representing Japan. Meanwhile, world No. 1 Preston Stout and No. 9 Ethan Fang, a former British Amateur champion, failed to advance past the qualifying stage. Tim Wiedemeyer of Germany, the world No. 10, also missed the cut for match play.

Luke Poulter, ranked No. 5, was eliminated during the 16-for-11 playoff after carding a bogey on the second extra hole. World No. 2 Tyler Weaver withdrew from the competition due to a back injury. Despite the high-profile exits, other top-10 amateurs successfully moved into the next round. Tennessee freshman Tyler Watts, the world No. 3, defeated Florida junior Parker Sands 3 and 2 without ever trailing in the match. Auburn junior William Jennings, ranked No. 5, secured a 3-and-1 win over Malan Potgieter.

Comebacks and Extra-Hole Dramatics

Auburn sophomore Logan Reilly, who provided the clinching point for the Tigers' recent NCAA championship, forced extra holes against Emile LeBrun of Canada. Reilly trailed 1 down entering the 18th hole, where his ball sat in the rough behind the green. He chipped to within one foot of the cup to save par and win the hole. Reilly eventually claimed the match on the 19th hole with a birdie.

In other action, world No. 11 Kihei Akina suffered an upset loss to Finn Koelle of Germany. Akina, a BYU sophomore who recently made the cut at the PGA Tour's Wyndham Championship, held a 2-up lead at the turn but surrendered the advantage by carding bogeys on his final two holes.

Tournament Format and Course Conditions

The bracket for the U.S. Amateur is formed based on the results of 36 holes of stroke play qualifying. The grueling schedule at Merion forced players like Cowan to navigate high-pressure playoff scenarios before starting their official match-play rounds. Cowan described the experience as exhausting, noting that Russell is one of the premier players in the world. The field featured five of the top 10 ranked amateurs in the world within the final 64-player bracket.