Evans Leads Three Blue Devils Into Match Play at U.S. Amateur

CHASKA, Minn. – Following two rounds of stroke play at the 2024 U.S. Amateur, three Blue Devils have advanced to the match play portion of the event, which begins on Wednesday morning. Junior Ethan Evans highlighted Duke’s showing during stroke play, finishing in solo second place at 9-under, 133, just one shot shy of the leader. Sophomore Bryan Kim also tallied a top-10 finish on the stroke-play leaderboard, tying for eight place overall at 5-under, 137, and senior Luke Sample advanced to match play with his 1-under, 141, effort that earned him a tie for 32nd overall.

Evans surged up the leaderboard in the second round, firing a 7-under, 63, to claim his second-place finish on Tuesday afternoon. Playing on the stroke-play co-host, Chaska Town Course, the Mercer Island, Wash., native went out in 1-under, 34, on his first nine holes of the day. He then caught fire coming in, shooting a bogey-free, 6-under, 29, to close out his day. Evans’ final nine holes were highlighted by a stretch of three consecutive birdies, on holes No. 5-7, capped off by a long-range putt from the front edge of No. 7 to a pin tucked in the back left of the green.

Kim, who won the 2023 U.S. Junior Amateur ahead of his freshman season, signed for a 5-under, 65, during his second round on Tuesday. Starting on the 10th at Chaska Town, he played his first nine holes at even-par after two birdies and two bogeys but made the turn with momentum after a birdie on the par-5 18th. From there, Kim exploded with a birdie on No. 1, an eagle on the short par-4 third and a birdie on the par-3 third to reach 4-under with five holes remaining. A bogey on No. 7 only slowed Kim’s momentum, as the Brookeville, Md., native rolled in birdies on his final two holes to cap off his 5-under round.

Sample, playing on Hazeltine National Golf Club for his second round, started his day at 2-over after back-to-back bogeys on holes No. 10 and 11. The senior got one shot back right away, with a birdie on the 509-yard, par-4, 13th and made the turn at even-par following an additional birdie on the par-5 15th. Three dropped shots across two, holes, No. 3 and 4, put Sample outside the projected cutline, but he responded with three consecutive birdies. Sample closed with two pars, securing his spot well inside the top-64 and avoiding the playoff for a spot in match…