Fang seeks Western Am history

Writing from Glencoe, Illinois

Friday, August 1, 2025

Ethan Fang is on a collision course with history.

The 20-year-old won the British Amateur earlier this summer. Friday morning, he won his first match in the 123rd Western Amateur. If he goes on to win the title – three matches away – he’ll be the first player to win both prestigious titles in the same year.

Only three players have won both crowns lifetime: Charlie Yates, Frank Stranahan and Steve Melnyk. Fang, third in the current World Amateur Golf Rankings, could raise that achievement to anther level.

The Oklahoma State standout dispatched Hugh Le Goff of Melun, France, 5 & 4 in the morning, the widest margin of any Round of 16 match. But he’s matched up with Benjamin James of Virginia, and Milford, Conn., in an afternoon quarterfinal.

Friday’s other Round of 16 matches:

James defeated Eric Lee of Fullerton, Calif., 4 & 2

Garrett Endicott of San Antonio, Tex., defeated Anh Minh Nguyen of Hanoi, Vietnam, 1 up

Jacob Modleski of Noblesville, Ind., defeated Max Herendeen of Bellevue, Wash., 2 up

Zackary Swanwick of Napier, New Zealand, defeated Bryan Lee of Fairfax, Va., 1 up

Cameron Adam of Edinburgh, Scotland, defeated William Sides of Tulsa, Okla., in 19 holes

Jase Summy of Keller, Tex., defeated Tommy Morrison of Dallas, 1 up. Morrison is world No. 6 in the rankings.

Taishi Moto of Yokahama, Japan, defeated Stewart Hagestad of West Palm Beach, Fla., 3 & 2/

Endicott-Modleski, Swanwick-Adam and Summy-Moto are Friday’s other quarterfinals.

– Tim Cronin