OGDEN — With sweltering temperatures reaching record territory Thursday, a couple of golfers who made it through to the quarterfinals at the Men’s State Amateur weren’t too affected by the 105-degree heat.
Jackson Rhees and Davis Johnson were two of the eight golfers who advanced to the quarterfinals of the 126th annual tournament, on a day of upsets at Ogden Golf & Country Club.
The 20-year-old Rhees is a native of Spanish Fork, who plays for Utah Tech. Two weeks ago, he made it to the semifinals of the Arizona State Amateur, where temperatures were 114 for three days.
“This feels cool,” he joked after surviving two long matches Thursday. Rhees had to go 19 holes to beat former University of Utah golfer Peyton Hastings in the morning round and came back to defeat 49-year-old Darrin Overson 1 up in the afternoon.
Johnson, a 21-year-old junior who plays for the University of Utah, is a native of Scottsdale, Arizona, so he wasn’t as bothered by the heat as others. Johnson beat Noah Schone 4 and 2 in the morning and John Fox 2 and 1 in the afternoon and said the heat didn’t bother him.
Two of the favorites were knocked out of the tournament Thursday as medalist Tyson Shelley was beaten by Weber State golfer Brendan Thomas 2 up in the round of 32, while 2022 champion Zac Jones was defeated by his former BYU teammate Elijah Turner 1 up.
Thomas will face Rhees in Friday morning’s quarterfinal, while Johnson will play Aidan Thain, who beat Steele DeWald in 21 holes after beating Andrew Barton in the morning round. Thain, a former Western Washington golfer, had shocked defending champion Simon Kwon the day before in the opening round.
Others who advanced to Friday’s quarterfinals were BYU golfers Cooper Jones and Cole Ponich, St. George’s Zach Felts, and Turner, who is the only golfer to make the quarterfinals for the second straight year.
Turner will play another former BYU teammate in Ponich in the quarterfinals, while Jones will face off against Felts.
The 24-year-old Thomas produced one of the biggest upsets of the tourney in the morning round in defeating Shelley. Thomas had trailed after 12 holes, but won the 13th with a chip-in eagle-2, the 15th with a birdie-2 and the 18th with another birdie-2.
The 24-year-old from Farmington calls himself a “late bloomer,” having taken up golf at age 15 after giving up football and basketball due to his slight frame.
After playing overtime in his morning round, Rhees came back in the afternoon to beat Overson, the oldest remaining player on the final hole.
Rhees came into the final hole 1 up on Overson, who needed to make a 50-foot birdie to extend the match. However the putt came up inches short.
Former champion Dan Horner, who moved into second place all-time in State Am match victories with a win Wednesday, lost to Ponich 1 up Thursday morning. David Liechty, who lost in last year’s final, lost in the round of 32 to John Cook 4 and 2.
Results
Second round
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Brendan Thomas def. Tyson Shelley 2 up.
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Brock Porter def. Oscar Maxfield 2 and 1.
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Darrin Overson def. Bridger Holmes 4 and 3.
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Jackson Rhees def. Peyton Hastings, 19 holes.
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John Cook def. David Liechty 4 and 2.
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Zach Felts def. Josh Howe 1 up.
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Cooper Jones def. Matthew Seppanen 5 and 4.
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Cole Ogden def. Jacob Marx, 20 holes.
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Cole Ponich def. Dan Horner 1 up.
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Parker Bunn def. Hayden Banz 1 up.
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Elijah Turner def. Jack Summerhays 4 and 3.
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Zac Jones def. Will Blanchard 5 and 4.
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John Fox def. Leo Torres 4 and 2.
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Davis Johnson def. Noah Schone 4 and 2.
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Aidan Thain def. Andrew Barton 2 and 1.
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Steele DeWald def. Will Pedersen 8 and 6.
Third round
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Thomas def. Porter 4 and 2.
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Rhees def. Overson 1 up.
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Felts def. Cook 4 and 2.
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Jones def. Ogden 1 up.
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Ponich def. Bunn 2 and 1.
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Turner def. Jones 1 up.
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Johnson def. Fox 2 and 1.
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Thain def. DeWald, 21 holes.
Friday schedule
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Thomas vs. Rhees, 7:00 a.m.
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Felts vs. Jones, 7:10 a.m.
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Ponich vs. Turner, 7:20 a.m.
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Johnson vs. Thain, 7:30 a.m.
