MIDWAY — Bowen Mauss of Draper successfully defended his crown at the 128th Utah state men's amateur championship Saturday, rolling to a 9-and-7 victory over Cedar Hills' Cameron Crawford at Soldier Hollow.
The Arizona State University golfer, a former Corner Canyon High standout who won the 6A high school title in 2023, closed out the match well before the 18th hole to secure back-to-back championships in the long-running tournament.
What this means for Mauss and local golf
Mauss becomes only the 20th player in the tournament's history to win consecutive titles, a feat not accomplished since Preston Summerhays in 2018-19 and only the third time since Danny Summerhays' streak in 2000-01. Beyond state bragging rights, the victory brings immediate competitive opportunities.
- U.S. Amateur exemption: Mauss earned a spot in the U.S. Amateur, scheduled Aug. 10-16 at Merion Golf Club in Pennsylvania.
- PGA Tour sponsor exemption: He also received a sponsors' exemption to the Bank of Utah Championship at Black Desert Resort in October.
"I definitely plan on playing," Mauss said about the PGA Tour start. "I'm really excited to make my second PGA Tour start. I'd like to make the most of it, and I'm grateful that they gave an exemption to the champion this year."
Mauss, who averaged 72.0 strokes per round in 13 appearances for Arizona State last season, did not dominate the field in stroke-play qualifying. He finished tied for 45th after 36 holes with a two-day total of 1-over-par 145 and entered match play as the No. 49 seed. From there, he advanced through multiple rounds without surrendering control.
Match-play road to the title
Mauss’s match-play results at Soldier Hollow showed steady, decisive wins as he regained momentum late in the tournament:
| Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Round of 64 | Stockton Penman (16) | 5 and 3 |
| Round of 32 | Brock Sivulich | 6 and 5 |
| Round of 16 | Aidan Thain | 3 and 2 |
| Quarterfinals | David Liechty (9) | 19 holes (Mauss won) |
| Semifinals | KJ Ofahengaue | 3 and 2 |
| Final | Cameron Crawford | 9 and 7 |
Mauss’s path demonstrates how match play can reset a player’s tournament after modest stroke-play qualifying. Entering match play as the 49th seed, he upset higher-seeded opponents and found his best form in the head-to-head format.
Local context and next steps
The Utah state amateur is the longest continuously played tournament in golf and remains a focal point for the state’s top amateurs and collegiate players. For Mauss, the title secures national exposure and another opportunity to test himself against professional fields.
Residents and Utah golfers will likely watch Mauss’s upcoming U.S. Amateur and his PGA Tour appearance at Black Desert to gauge how the two-time state champion fares beyond the local stage. For Soldier Hollow and the Wasatch County golf community, the tournament underscored the depth of talent produced by local high school and collegiate programs.
Miles Christensen
Utah correspondent, News Block
