Silicon Valley Amateur: Brandon Knight takes the early lead after a 4-under 66
Stanford University Golf Course with the iconic Hoover Tower
After an impressive opening round 4-under 66, Brandon Knight of Pleasanton, Calif., leads the 2024 AmateurGolf.com Silicon Valley Amateur at the Stanford University Golf Course in Palo Alto, Calif.
Knight recorded five birdies and one bogey, with a chip in on No. 2, his eleventh hole of the day since he started on the back nine. He also recorded birdies on Holes No. 1, 5, 15, and 18. He was familiar with the course, having played it "around ten times" throughout junior golf.
"I just hit it really consistently all day, and I made a couple of putts," Knight said. "My chipping was really good and dialed in."
Barclay Brown, a graduate student at Stanford and 2023 Walker Cupper for Great Britain and Ireland, shot a 3-under 67 to sit in solo second place.
"I made a couple of putts and missed a couple as well," Brown said. "I scrambled decently. I didn't do anything that well but kind of plotted my way around and put together a decent score."
Brown returned to the United States from England a few days ago to prepare for the spring semester at Stanford.
Keshav Mungali of Belmont, Calif., Benjamin Wang of San Ramon, Calif., and Ben Friedman of Mill Valley, Calif. are all T3 at 2-under.
Dan Young of Redwood City, Calif., is leading the Senior Championship Division at 1-over.
ABOUT THE AGC Silicon Valley Amateur
>>
TOUR
PORTAL
The Silicon Valley Amateur is the first
AmateurGolf.com
tournament to have, on its past winner's list, a
MAJOR
champion. That would be Collin Morikawa, who
won
the
2016 title. Just over four years later, he won
the
PGA
Championship just up the road at TPC Harding Park
in San Francisco. Multiple PGA Tour star and
Morikawa's
fellow 2023 USA Ryder Cup team member Max Homa
also
won the
Silicon
Valley Amateur
in 2011.
For 2024, the tournament is moving to a new venue
--
Stanford University Golf Course. Tournament players
will relish competing at a course normally reserved
for
university students and faculty.
Please note that
we will
play on Monday and Tuesday, and expect this event
will
fill very quickly.
Related: The road to PGA stardom for Homa
and Morikawa went through the Silicon Valley
Amateur
DIVISIONS
CHAMPIONSHIP
For players aged 16 and over who have a USGA or
equivalent index of less than 5.5
SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP
For players age 50 and over (as of the tournament
date) with a handicap index of less than 8.0. Note:
Must be 55 and over for NCGA Senior Points.
MID-AM (subdivision of Championship)
For players age
25-
49. Compete alongside the younger players in the
Championship Division, (same tees, same prize
opportunities) and if there are at least six Mid-Ams,
a
separate prize and trophy will be awarded.
SUPER SENIORS (subdivision of Senior)
For players age
65+. Compete alongside the younger senior players
in
the
Senior Division, (same tees, same prize
opportunities) and if there are at least six players 65
or
over, a
separate prize and trophy will be awarded for low
super senior.
WOMEN (subdivision of Championship)
Will play in the
Championship
Division but
from a shorter tee. If there are at least six women in
the field, a separate prize and trophy will be
awarded.
View Complete Tournament Information