122nd U.S. Amateur Championship - Meet the Quarterfinalists

Their ages range from 15 years-old to 31 years-old.  Their World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR) range from Number 3 in the World to Number 1,202.  And three of the eight remaining players are making their first U.S. Amateur start.

It's the 122nd U.S. Amateur Championship, the oldest American amateur championship.  And it's time to meet the quarterfinalists.

Sam Bennett, 22, of Madisonville, Texas

Instagram: @sambennettgolf

No. 3 in World Amateur Golf Ranking® / WAGR®

Competing in his fourth USGA championship and third U.S. Amateur

Made the 36-hole cut (T-49) in his first U.S. Open this summer at The Country Club

Advanced to the Round of 16 in the 2020 U.S. Amateur at Bandon Dunes

Was named the 2022 Southeastern Conference (SEC) Player of the Year

Registered six top-5 finishes in 2021-22 at Texas A&M University

Member of USA team in 2021 and 2022 Arnold Palmer Cup

Competed in two PGA Tour events (2021 Valero Texas Open, 2022 Arnold Palmer Invitational)

Road to the Quarterfinals

Shot 71-73–144 in stroke play to earn the No. 36 seed

R64: Def. Nick Gabrelcik, 19 holes

R32: Def. Fred Biondi, 6 and 5

R16: Def. David Puig, 4 and 2 

Ben Carr, 22, of Columbus, Ga.

Instagram: @_bencarr

No. 70 in World Amateur Golf Ranking® / WAGR®

Competing in his second U.S. Amateur after having played in 2019

Former PGA Tour player Willy Wilcox is his caddie this week

Made a 20-footer on the first playoff hole to defeat Nathan Franks and advance to quarterfinals

2021-22 Ping All-America Honorable Mention, 2021-22 first-team All-Sun Belt

Was the No. 1-ranked junior in the state of Georgia coming out of high school

Entering his fifth year at Georgia Southern

Trying to become first Georgia Southern player to win U.S. Amateur since alumnus Buddy Alexander (1986)

Road to the Quarterfinals

Shot 72-72–144 in stroke play to earn the No. 34 seed

R64: Def. Jake Holbrook, 7 and 5

R32: Def. Andrew Von Lossow, 1 up

R16: Def. Nathan Franks, 19 holes

Nicholas Gross, 15, of Downingtown, Pa.

Instagram: @nickgrossgolf

No. 707 in World Amateur Golf Ranking® / WAGR®

Competing in his second USGA championship and first U.S. Amateur

Youngest player to advance to the quarterfinals since C.T. Pan in 2007 (also 15 years old)

T-4 at 2022 U.S. Junior Amateur, lost in Round of 32

Was a 2021 AJGA Rolex Junior All-America Team Honorable Mention

Member of 2021 AJGA Junior All-Star Team

As a sophomore, became the first player from his high school to win the individual high school state championship

2019 and 2020 US Kids Golf Teen world champion (Boys 12 & 13)

2018 Drive, Chip and Putt National Finalist (Boys 10-11) and finished third overall

Both parents are professors of civil and environmental engineering (Shawn at Villanova and Jennifer at Lehigh)

Currently a junior at Downingtown West High School

Road to the Quarterfinals

Shot 72-74–146 in stroke play to earn the No. 56 seed

R64: Def. Cohen Trolio, 3 and 1

R32: Def. Chris Francoeur, 3 and 2

R16: Def. Luke Potter, 4 and 3

Stewart Hagestad, 31, of Newport Beach, Calif.

Instagram: @stew

No. 9 in World Amateur Golf Ranking® / WAGR®

Competing in his 26th USGA championship and 13th U.S. Amateur

Member of three winning USA Walker Cup Teams (2017, 2019, 2021)

Has competed in four U.S. Opens

Captured the 2021 U.S. Mid-Amateur at Sankaty Head Golf Club, defeating Mark Costanza, 2 and 1

Reached the quarterfinals of the 2020 U.S. Amateur at Bandon Dunes

Won gold medal at 2019 Pan American Games in mixed team competition

Low amateur in the 2017 Masters, becoming the first invited Mid-Amateur champion to make 36-hole cut

Won the 2016 U.S. Mid-Amateur at Stonewall, defeating Scott Harvey in 37 holes

Road to the Quarterfinals

Shot 69-74–143 in stroke play to earn the No. 21 seed

R64: Def. Sam Bairstow, 3 and 1

R32: Def. Benjamin James, 6 and 4

R16: Def. Hayden Hopewell, 2 and 1

Derek Hitchner, 22, of Minneapolis, Minn.

Instagram: @derekhitchner

No. 51 in World Amateur Golf Ranking® / WAGR®

Competing in his fourth U.S. Amateur

Advanced to match play for the first time

Earned honorable mention All-America honors at Pepperdine University in 2021-22

Chosen first-team All-West Coast Conference and WCC All-Academic Team

Reached quarterfinals of this year’s Western Amateur

Born in Summit, N.J.; his father, Doug, played soccer at Bucknell University

Enjoys fly-fishing, ping pong and chess

Road to the Quarterfinals

Shot 72-74–146 in stroke play to earn the No. 59 seed

R64: Def. Adrien Dumont de Chassart, 1 up

R32: Def. Josh Gliege, 3 and 2

R16: Def. Justin Biwer, 3 and 2

Shea Lague, 18, of Jamul, Calif.

Instagram: @shea_lague_03

No. 552 in World Amateur Golf Ranking® / WAGR®

Competing in his second USGA championship and first U.S. Amateur

Made 7-foot birdie on 19th hole to defeat No. 3 seed Hugo Townsend in Round of 16

Shot a 5-under 135 in U.S. Amateur qualifying at Goose Creek Golf Club

Advanced to Round of 16 in this year’s California State Amateur

Posted a 73.18 scoring average as a freshman at San Diego State University in 2021-22

Mountain West Conference Freshman of the Week on Jan. 27

Tied for 17th in Western Intercollegiate in Spring 2022

Road to the Quarterfinals

Shot 74-71–145 in stroke play to earn the No. 51 seed

R64: Def. Hazen Newman, 21 holes

R32: Def. Yuxin Lin, 3 and 2

R16: Def. Hugo Townsend, 19 holes

Dylan Menante, 21, of Carlsbad, Calif.

Instagram: @dylanmenante

No. 8 in World Amateur Golf Ranking® / WAGR®

Competing in his fourth U.S. Amateur, advancing to match play for first time

Earned All-America recognition at Pepperdine University twice

2021 and 2022 West Coast Conference Player of the Year

Posted four top-10 and seven top-20 finishes as a junior

Won his second consecutive Northeast Amateur with a record 72-hole score of 19-under 257

Member of winning USA team at 2021 Arnold Palmer Cup and was member of  2022 team

Will transfer to the University of North Carolina for the 2022-23 season

His father, Dean, and mother, Lisa, played golf and tennis, respectively, at the University of Nevada

Road to the Quarterfinals

Shot 73-69–142 in stroke play to earn the No. 16 seed

R64: Def. Andres Acevedo, 3 and 2

R32: Def. Carson Lundell, 1 up

R16: Def. Maxwell Moldovan, 1 up

Alex Price, 21, of Hillsboro, Va.

Instagram: N/A

No. 1,212 in World Amateur Golf Ranking® / WAGR®

Shot 6-under 134 in Newport News, Va., qualifier to reach his first USGA championship

Earned Ping First Team All-American honors

Senior at Christopher Newport University

Set program scoring average record for a single season in 2021-22 (72.6)

Trying to become second left-hander to win the U.S. Amateur (Phil Mickelson, 1990)

Would be lowest-ranked player to ever win U.S. Amateur (Gunn Yang, No. 776 in 2014)

Grew up playing hockey, retired to focus on golf due to injuries

Road to the Quarterfinals

Shot 72-71–143 in stroke play to earn the No. 26 seed

R64: Def. Wenyi Ding, 23 holes

R32: Def. Christo Lamprecht, 1 up

R16: Def. Ricky Castillo, 3 and 2