Brown Is U.S. Junior Am Medalist with a 135; Birdwell Makes Match Play with a 141

BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Mich. -- When Mack Edwards birdied the par-4 fifth hole on the North Course at Oakland Hills on Tuesday, it put him at 7 under par through 32 holes (he started on the 10th hole), and it looked as though he was going to be the medalist in the stroke-play part of the 2024 U.S. Junior Amateur. Playing two groups behind him, and on a different course, Oakland Hills South, Blades Brown was just in the process of making an eagle 3 at the 570-yard, par-5 12th hole.

He was still only 4 under for the tournament to that point, however, and three behind Edwards. But that was about to change.

Brown, a three-time Tennessee state high school champion from Nashville, came to the attention of the golf world generally earlier this year, when he qualified for a PGA Tour event, the Myrtle Beach Classic, as a 16-year-old, then made the cut and finished in a tie for 26th place. He turned in another sensational performance down the stretch Tuesday. The now-17-year-old followed the eagle at the 12th with a birdie at the par-3 13th. A bogey at the long, 494-yard, par-4 14th was just a hiccup. He resumed his march to the front of the pack with a birdie at the 426-yard, par-4 16th, and capped off the round with a valedictory birdie at the 482-yard, par-4 18th, which gave him a 2-under 68 for the round, a 36-hole total of 134 (minus 6) -- and medalist honors.

That's because Edwards, who like Brown, will be a high school senior this fall, started going in reverse, with bogeys at the sixth, seventh and eighth holes. That turned what might have been a 67 or a 66 into a 70, a very good score in a USGA event on a course that Ben Hogan called "the monster," but with those bogeys, Edwards dropped back from first place into a tie for third, with an aggregate of 136.

While all of that drama was going on between Brown and Edwards, Tyler Watts was making mostly pars. The 2023 Alabama State Amateur champion -- having won at age 15, he ranks as the youngest winner of that tournament -- birdied the 211-yard, par-3 third hole on the South Course and remained 1 under for the day (6 under for the tournament) for the next seven holes. He bogeyed the 11th, bounced back with a birdie at the par-5 12th, but bogeyed the par-3 13th. That, as it turned out, cost him a share of medalist honors, because he parred out from there to a 70 and a 135, good for solo second place, one stroke behind Brown.

Edwards was part of a four-way tie for third at 136. Joshua Bai joined that party thanks to a 65 at the North Course. Chase Kyes got there with a 66, and Lev Greenberg filled out the foursome with a 69.

Mason Howell, who started the day tied with Watts for the lead, shot 74 Tuesday and fell back into a tie for 12th at 139.

It took a two-day total of 144 to make the cut. Well, not really. There were 13 144s tied for 56th place, and they will be playing off for the nine-remaining spots in match play Wednesday morning. So when that's over, Brown will know who he's going to play in his Round of 64 match.

Jake Birdwell, the long-hitting former Minnesota state high school champion (2023) from Spring Lake Park who shot 70 Monday on the North Course, got off to a good start Tuesday on the South Course, with birdies on the 12th and 13th holes, his third an fourth of the day. But he bogeyed the 14th and 15th, which put him back at even par. On the front nine, he made one birdie and two bogeys, and signed for a 71. That put him into a seven-way tie for 25th, and he ended up with the No. 30 seed.

So he will play the No. 35 seed, C.J. Winchenbaugh (70S-72N--142), beginning at 10:50 EDT Wednesday morning.



U.S. Junior Amateur Championship

At Oakland Hills Country Cluib

South Course, par 70, 7,330 yards

North Course, par 70, 6,808 yards

(All matches will be played on the South Course)

Bloomfield Hills, Mich.

Second-round results

(The top 64 will go into match play Wednesday morning)

1. Blades Brown 66N-68S--134

2. Tyler Watts 65N-70S--135

T3. Mack Edwards 66S-70N--136

T3. Joshua Bai 71S-65-N--136

T3. Chase Kyes 70N-66S--136

T3. Lev Grinberg 67S-69N--136

T7. Sean Keeling 69N-68S--137

T7. Michael Riebe 71N-66S--137

T9. Nicholas Gross 69S-69N--138

T9. Luke Colton 70N-68S--138

T9. Chase Cline 71N-67S--138

T25. Jake Birdwell 70N-71S--141

Failed to qualify for match play

Joe Honsa 75S-74N--149

Thomas Meader 82S-74N--156


Round of 64

10:50 EDT -- No. 30 Birdwell vs. No. 35 C. J. Winchenbaugh