Koivun Is Western Am Halfway Leader; Warian Tied for 7th

DAYTON, Ohio -- Jackson Koivun is probably the best amateur in the world right now. Never mind that the WAGRs have him at No. 2, behind Gordon Sargent. The first two rounds of the Western Amateur, probably the second-most-prestigious amateur tournament in the world (behind only the U.S. Amateur), are further evidence of just how good Koivun is. He's on top of the standings after shooting a 5-under-par 66 at Moraine Country Club on Wednesday, which put him at 131, and he leads the field by two shots halfway through the stroke-play portion of the tournament.

There are three par 5s at Moraine CC, and Koivun played them in 4 under. He birdied the 534-yard fourth hole and the 639-yard eighth. The 13th is 610 yards, and he made an eagle there. Beyond that, he made 14 pars, but he did make one birdie on a non-par-5. It came at the 477-yard, par-4 18th hole.

Two months ago, Koivun had a chance to tie for first in the stroke-play portion of the NCAA Championships. The University of Auburn freshman needed a birdie on the 72nd hole, and his second shot on the par-4 18th at the Omni La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad, Calif., appeared to be perfect. It turned out to be too perfect. The ball hit the pin on the fly and clanked away, off the green and into a front bunker. Koivun got it up and down from there for a par, but he lost his chance to be medalist and had to settle for a tie for second place. Over the next two days, however, he led Auburn to three match-play victories -- and the team championship.

Zachery Pollo, who will begin his junior year at Arizona in a few weeks, is alone in second place at 133, after a 67. The 2023 California Amateur champion made seven birdies on Wednesday, but he also made three bogeys on the back nine.

Ben James, a junior to be at Virginia -- and No. 3 in the WAGRS -- was also in that tie for second, along with Koivun, at the NCAA tournament, and he's tied for third at 134 this week, after a second-round 68. Also at 134 is Jace Summy, who on Wednesday had the low score of the tournament so far, a 62.

James finished second this summer at the Sunnehanna Amateur. The winner there was Ben Warian, the left-hander from Stillwater (Hill-Murray High School) who had just completed his eligibility at Minnesota. Warian is in contention once again at the Western. He's tied for seventh at 136, after shooting 66 and 70.

The Sunnehanna was the first tounament in The Elite Amateur Golf Series, and the Western is the seventh and last tournament in the series. Warian, who made it to the semifinals in the third event of the series, the North and South Amateur, is fouth in the Elite Series standings.

There was a cut at the end of play Wednesday. The top 44 and ties made it, and it was crowded, with 19 players tying for 36th place.

Thursday will be a 36-hole day, and when that's done, the top 16 -- no ties -- will move on to the "The Sweet 16" and the match-play part of the tournament.


22nd Western Amateur Championship

At Moraine Country Club

Par 71, 7,246 yards

Dayton, Ohio

Second-round results

(44 players and -- lots of -- ties made the cut after 36 holes; the top 16 after 72 holes (no ties) will go into match play)

1. Jackson Koivun, Chapel Hill, N.C., 65-66--131

2. Zachery Pollo, Rocklin, Calif. 66-67--133

T3. Ben James, Milford, Conn. 66-68--134

T3. Ian Gilligan, Reno, Nev. 69-65--134

T3. Jase Summy, Keller, Texas 72-62--134

6. Jake Peacock, Milton, Ga. 69-66--135

T7. Ben Warian, Stillwater, Minn. 66-70--136

T7. Tyson Shelley, Holladay, Utah 66-70--136

T7. Ziqin Zhou, China 65-71--136

What it took to make the 36-hole cut -- 141 (19-way tie for 36th)

Failed to make the cut

Nate Stevens, Northfield 73-37--146

Gunnar Broin, Shorewood 73-75--148