Oklahoma State’s Gaven Lane Ready for Next Match at U.S. Amateur

Gaven Lane won his Round of 64 match and then a massive upset put him in position to get out of the Round of 32 on Thursday.

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For Oklahoma State golfer Gaven Lane, Wednesday at the U.S. Amateur could not have gone much better.

Lane opened match play at Merion Golf Club with a victory in his Round of 64 match in the morning. Then, in the afternoon, he watched as the No. 1 seed in match play — and his potential Round of 32 opponent — lose to the No. 64 seed in 19 holes, setting Lane up for a potentially more favorable matchup to start Thursday’s match play.

There was only one set of matches on Wednesday after two days of stroke play to determine the field of 64. Thursday is the most grueling day of the week. If Lane wins his Round of 32 match in the morning, then he’ll play in a Round of 16 match in the afternoon. It’s the only day with 36 holes until Sunday’s final, which is a 36-hole match.

Gaven Lane Claims Win at U.S. Amateur

Gaven Lane. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Lane, who is from Argyle, Texas, defeated Grady Brame Jr. of Hammond, La., 3 and 2. Brame led the match for most of the front nine before Lane regained the lead. Brame was 2 up on the sixth hold before he bogeyed to allow Lane to get within one. He bogeyed No. 7, tying the match. Lane parred both holes.

Lane birdied No. 8, taking the lead 1 up and keeping him in the lead for good. The lead went to 2 up when Lane parred No. 9 and Brame bogeyed. Then, on No. 10, Lane birdied and Brame parred, giving Lane his biggest lead of the match. He maintained it the rest of the way and ended the match on No. 16 as he parred the hole and Brame bogeyed. That ensured Brame had no path to catch up.

Joshua Ryan of Norristown, Penn., who finished stroke play as the No. 1 seed, faced Japan’s Taishi in a match that proved to be one of the most dramatic of the day. The lead changed six different times, and the pair were tied on 10 of the 17 holes leading into No. 18. Moto was 1 up. While Moto posted a double-bogey, Ryan birdied to tie the match and send it to sudden death.

The pair returned to the first hole and while Moto parred, Ryan bogeyed, allowing Moto to advance to a Round of 32 match against Lane. That match will be the first to tee off on Thursday morning.

If Lane advances, he’ll face the winner of the match between Noah Kent of Naples, Fla., and Brandon Knight of Pleasanton, Calif.