KANSAS CITY (June 25, 2026) – Match play officially began Thursday at the 119th Missouri Amateur Championship, and one of the day’s biggest stories belonged to Brian Whitson, who turned a dramatic morning into an impressive Round of 64 victory at Milburn Country Club.

Whitson began his day by winning the resumed playoff to claim the final spot in the 64-player match-play field after play was suspended due to darkness Wednesday evening. He carried that momentum into his opening-round match, defeating co-36-hole low scorer Stone Yerington of Lee’s Summit in 19 holes to advance to the Round of 32.

Players began the day under cloudy skies before rain moved into the area during the afternoon. Play was suspended at 12:40 p.m. due to lightning in the area and resumed at 3:30 p.m. Despite rainy conditions for the remainder of the day, all Round of 64 matches were completed.

Defending champion Chad Niezing of Manchester successfully advanced to the Round of 32 with a 2 & 1 victory over JD Benbow, while Leawood’s Brady Rapp defeated Ryan Sullivan, 4 & 3, to continue his strong championship run.

Co-36-hole low scorer Harrison Zipfel of St. Louis also advanced in convincing fashion, defeating Brevin Giebler, 6 & 5. Zipfel’s victory marked the largest margin of victory during the Round of 64.

The championship now moves to Friday’s Round of 32, with play scheduled to begin at 8:00 a.m. The winners will advance to the Round of 16 later in the day as the field continues its pursuit of the 119th Missouri Amateur Championship.

Full match-play results, pairings and tee sheets can be found at: https://mga-119thmissouriamateurchampionship.golfgenius.com/pages/5799858.

For more information on the 119th Missouri Amateur Championship and to follow live scoring throughout the week, visit mogolf.org and follow Missouri Golf on all social media channels for championship updates.

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About Missouri Golf Missouri Golf is the official governing body for amateur golf in Missouri. Founded in 1903, Missouri Golf is dedicated to promoting and protecting the game of golf in Missouri through championship competitions, handicapping services, course rating, junior golf programs, and various educational initiatives. MO Golf serves thousands of golfers across the state and is committed to ensuring that golf remains accessible, enjoyable, and thriving for generations to come. For more information, visit mogolf.org.