As the golfers make the turn to their back nine at the Amer Ari Invitational at Mauna Lani Resort Golf Course, the North Course, in Kamuela, HI., the scores being posted are impressive.
Arizona State freshman and 2022 U.S. Junior Amateur Champion Wenyi Ding recorded a 9-under 63 in the first round and has backed iy up by shooting 5-under 31 on his front nine, the back nine of the course. He added an eagle on the par-5 No. 2 to get to 7-under for the day and four shots clear of the lead at 16-under.
Jackson Koivun of Auburn, Matthew Comegys of Texas Tech, and freshman Preston Stout of Oklahoma State are T2 at 12-under, four shots back of Ding.
Stout recorded a 10-under 62 in the first round.
Stout recorded eight birdies and an eagle during the bogey-free round and matched the school'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.
Arizona State and North Carolina are tied for the team lead at 38-under. Auburn is in solo third place at 33-under, five shots back of the leaders.
Check back later for another update as the second round concludes in Hawaii.