Amer Ari Invitational: UNC leads as the field chases Wenyi Ding of Arizona State

February 9, 2024 | by Justin Golba of AmateurGolf.com

Wenyi Ding (AJGA Photo)

The 2022 U.S. Junior Am Champion shot rounds of 63-64 to get to 17-under and leads by three shots heading into the final round

After two rounds of the Amer Ari Invitational at Mauna Lani Resort Golf Course, the North Course, in Kamuela, HI., all eyes are on Arizona State freshman Wenyi Ding.

The 2022 U.S. Junior Amateur Champion Ding is 17-under and three shots clear of the field after posting an 8-under 64 second round.

Ding shot a 9-under 63 in the first round and kept the great golf rolling into the second round, shooting 5-under 31 on his front nine, which was the back nine of the course since he started on No. 10. He added an eagle on the par-5 No. 2 as he made the turn and finished his round off with birdies on Holes No. 6 and 7 and a bogey on No. 8.

Jackson Koivun of Auburn and Finn Koelle of Washington are T2 at 14-under. Koivun shot a second-round 9-under 63, while Koelle shot a second-round 8-under 64. Matthew Comegys of Texas Tech is in solo fourth place at 13-under, and 2023 Walker Cupper David Ford of North Carolina is in solo fifth place at 12-under.

Six golfers are T6 at 11-under, including first-round leader Oklahoma State freshman Preston Stout. Stout shot a second-round 1-under 71 after a first-round 10-under 62.

Stout recorded eight birdies and an eagle during his bogey-free round first round and matched Oklahoma State's 18-hole scoring mark. Stout started his round on No. 2 and carded a birdie before posting four consecutive pars. He birdied No. 7 and added pars at Holes No. 8 and 9 before recording an eagle on the par-5 No. 10. He followed with a par at No. 11 before reeling off six consecutive birdies on Holes No. 12 through 17. He closed the back nine with a par for an incredible 8-under 28.

The round put Stout in impressive company, joining Eugenio Chacarra, Jordan Niebrugge, Morgan Hoffmann, Jonathan Moore, and Hunter Mahan as Cowboys to card rounds of 62.

North Carolina leads the team competition at 46-under. David Ford leads the Tar Heels in solo fifth place, Maxwell Ford is T6, Dylan Menante is T17, and Austin Greaser is T23.

Auburn and Arizona State are T2 at 43-under and three shots back of the Tar Heels. Washington is in solo fourth place at 38-under, and Texas Tech is in solo fifth place at 37-under.

Results: The Amer Ari Invitational

Place	Player	Location	Pts	Scores
1	Wenyi Ding	, China	800	63-64-62=189
T2	Carl Corpus	, Philippines	500	67-67-64=198
T2	Finn Koelle	, Germany	500	66-64-68=198
T4	David Ford	Peachtree Corners, GA	400	64-68-67=199
T4	Matthew Comegys	Plano, TX	400	63-68-68=199

View full results for The Amer Ari Invitational

About the The Amer Ari Invitational

Amer Ari Invitational: UNC leads as the field chases Wenyi Ding of Arizona State

The Amer Ari Intercollegiate -- hosted by the University of Hawaii-Hilo -- has brought some of the best golfers in the nation to the west side of the Big Island annually since its inception in 1992. From Tiger Woods to Jordan Spieth to Matt Kuchar, t...