FINAL UPDATE: Players To Watch in the 2018 U.S. Amateur

PEBBLE BEACH, CA (August 17, 2018) - Before the 118th U.S. Amateur Championship teed off Monday, we highlighted 18 "Players to Watch".

After 36 holes of stroke play qualifying at Pebble Beach and Spyglass Hill, the 312-player field was whittled down to 87 on Wednesday morning: 63 who made it into match play, and 24 who competed in a playoff for the final qualifying spot. After two holes determined the final qualifier, the match play field was set.

Five of our Players to Watch were knocked out in the first round, including World Top 5 players Justin Suh, Braden Thornberry and Colin Morikawa. Three more Top 10 players went down in the second round: Shintaro Ban, John Augenstein and Chun An Yu.

Three players made the seminfinals, but two--co-medalist Cole Hammer and Isaiah Salinda--were eliminated there, just one spot short of the automatic U.S. Open and Masters invites.

In the end, Norway's Viktor Hovland took the Havemeyer Trophy in convincing fashion, defeating six strong opponents and never having to go to the 18th hole. He proved to be a the best player and indeed a worthy champion.

FINAL Players to Watch Leaderboard

The 118th U.S. Amateur champion
71-73--144 (T25) Viktor Hovland
Beat Hayden Wood 3&2, Beat Harrison Ott 2&1, Beat Kristoffer Reitan 7&6, Beat Austin Squires 7&6, Beat Cole Hammer 3&2, Beat Devon Bling 6&5

Lost in the Match Play semifinals
69-68--137 (T1) Cole Hammer
Beat Alvaro Ortiz 2 up, Beat Joshua McCarthy 1 up, Beat Zach Murray 2&1, Beat Alex Fitzpatrick 3&2, Lost to Viktor Hovland 3&2
68-76--144 (T25) Isaiah Salinda
Beat Will Grimmer 6&5, Beat Trevor Phillips 5&4, Beat Stewart Hagestad 1 up, Beat Will Gordon 2&1, Lost to Devon Bling 1 up

Lost in the 2nd round of Match Play
71-70--141 (T7) Shintaro Ban
Beat Skip Berkmeyer 1 up, Lost to Devon Bling 2 up
72-70--142 (T10) John Augenstein
Beat Collin Morikawa 19 holes, Lost to McClure Meissner 2&1
70-74--144 (T25) Chun An Yu
Beat Blake Windred 6&5, Lost to Andrew Alligood 2&1

Lost in the 1st round of Match Play
70-69--139 (T4) Michael Thorbjornsen
Lost to Trevor Phillips 4&3
71-69--140 (6) Justin Suh
Lost to Harrison Ott 1 up
71-74--145 (T36) Braden Thornberry
Lost to Jesus Montenegro 2&1
72-74--146 (T46) Collin Morikawa
Lost to John Augenstein 19 holes
72-74--146 (T46) Garrett Rank
Lost to Noah Goodwin 5&4

Did not qualify for match play
71-76--147 (T64) Zach Bauchou*
72-76--148 (T88) Min Woo Lee
77-71--148 (T88) Matthew Jordan
76-72--148 (T88) Brandon Wu
73-81--154 (T197) Alex Smalley
78-78--156 (T229) Matt Parziale
76-82--158 (T257) Sean Knapp

*did not advance through 24-for-1 playoff

Hurly Long, who shot a course-record 61 at Pebble Beach during last year's Carmel Cup, shot 73-78--151 and missed out on match play.