Brendan Valdes plays his tee shot on the fifth hole during the round of 32 of the 2024 U.S. Amateur at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minn. on Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024. (Chris Keane/USGA)
Last year, there were two Auburn Tigers in the quarterfinals. This year, it’s only Brendan Valdes, a rising senior who is no stranger to the U.S. Amateur, or USGA events, in his own right. He knocked off good friend, Peter Fountain, 3 and 2 on Thursday to move on.
Quotable: “I just feel like after a long summer of golf, I feel like lot of people are probably pretty wiped, and I feel like I’m able to kind of keep it going the whole time. So, I mean, for me, I feel like I get better and better throughout the summer.”