Cooper Jones moves on at U.S. Amateur Championship after 23 holes of match-play

BYU men’s golfer Cooper Jones has moved on to the round of 32 of the U.S. Amateur Championship after 23 holes of match-play at Cherry Hills Country Club on Wednesday.

Cooper Jones lines up his putt on hole 23 during the round of 64 of the 2023 U.S. Amateur at Cherry Hills C.C. in Cherry Hills Village, Colo. on Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2023. (Chris Keane/USGA)Cooper Jones lines up his putt on hole 23 during the round of 64 of the 2023 U.S. Amateur at Cherry Hills C.C. in Cherry Hills Village, Colo. on Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2023. (Chris Keane/USGA)
Copyright USGA/Chris Keane

Cooper Jones lines up his putt on hole 23 during the round of 64 of the 2023 U.S. Amateur at Cherry Hills C.C. in Cherry Hills Village, Colo. on Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2023. (Chris Keane/USGA)

Jones shakes hands with Moldovan
Jones watches his second shot on hole 22
Cooper Jones hits his tee shot on hole 23

DENVER, Colorado — BYU men’s golfer Cooper Jones has moved on to the round of 32 of the U.S. Amateur Championship after 23 holes of match-play at Cherry Hills Country Club on Wednesday. 

Jones carded rounds of 70-71–141, which included 11 birdies, to finish two-under par in the stroke play rounds on Monday and Tuesday. His performance qualified him to play on Wednesday in the round of 64. 

The rising freshman quickly went two holes up in the round of 64, but Maxwell Moldovan from Uniontown, Ohio, promptly turned the round in his favor going up three holes through 10. Jones won three of the next seven holes with two birdies, leaving the players tied through 17 holes. 

Jones and Moldovan continued matching each other’s play for five more holes until Jones could use a par on hole 23 to secure his victory. 

Jones will be teeing off at Cherry Hills Country Club at 9:20 a.m. MDT on Thursday to face Jackson Buchanan in the round of 32, with the round of 16 being held later in the afternoon.