Ryan Grider (Photo via Baylor Athletics)

The Round of 64 on Thursday saw the field cut to 64 and with two rounds Friday, just 16 will advance to Saturday morning’s quarter-final matches.

The game of golf certainly does not care who you are, what your seeding is, or world ranking is, especially in match play.

2019 AmateurGolf.com player-of-the-year and current WAGR No. 1 Chun An Yu was the latest to fall despite being a favorite on paper. Playing against Baylor’s Ryan Grider, Yu was upset 3&2. Both players had had recent success at Maridoe as Yu was runner up at the Maridoe Invitational and Grider held a 36-hole lead at the Maridoe Collegiate back in October. Rightfully taking the win, Grider moves on to face a familiar Big 12 face as he tees it up against Texas’ Parker Coody Friday afternoon for a spot in the quarterfinals.

Oklahoma continues to have a great outing this week as two of the four players repping the Sooners move on to the Round of 16. Making the cut? Senior Logan McAllister and COVID transfer senior Jonathan Brightwell.

McAllister, who played the least amount of golf out of anyone yesterday with a 7&6 win over Maxwell Ford, took on Iowa’s Alex Schaake Friday morning. The Sooner and Hawkeye battled it out for 17 holes before McAllister picked up a 2&1 win. His reward is an afternoon match with medalist William Holcomb (Sam Houston State).

Regardless of the outcome of his afternoon match against Arizona State’s David Puig, Jonathan Brightwell has had one heck of a Friday. The UNC-Greensboro transfer was named to the Arnold Palmer Cup roster. The APC takes place December 20-22 at Bay Hill in Orlando, Florida. Prior to being named to the roster, Brightwell matches up against Alabama’s Wilson Furr. Taking care of business methodically, Brightwell beat Furr 3&2.

East Lake Cup individual champion Patrick Welch was bested by Arizona State signee Preston Summerhays 1 up in what was one of the closest matches of the morning session. Summerhays will have a big test on his hand as he squares off against 2020 Southern Amateur champion Mac Meissner. Meissner has plenty of experience at Maridoe, winning the Southern back in July, and was a part of a dramatic West Team comeback at the East-West Cup in November.

Longtime stroke play leader Frankie Capan (Florida Gulf Coast) continued his run with a 6&4 victory over Segundo Olivia Pinto, who fans might remember as the victim to one of the biggest caddy blunders at the U.S. Amateur this summer. He faces Rutgers’ Christopher Gotterup in the Sweet 16.

Eight matches are underway with four players moving on to Saturday morning’s quarterfinal round. The championship match will be set by sunset Saturday as the semifinals are scheduled for Saturday afternoon.