The 2026 U.S. Amateur began Monday with 312 golfers, including three from MU, taking to the courses at Merion Golf Club and Philadelphia Country Club in Ardmore, Pennsylvania.
The Tigers were represented by Trent Mierl, Brock Snyder and Veikka Viskari making up the largest group of Tigers to ever go to the tournament.
Round 1 did not go according to plan for the Tigers golfers, though, as each of the three finished outside the top 200.
Viskari led the three Missouri golfers, finishing with a 7-over-par 77 to slot in at a tie for 260th with 15 other golfers. The Finland product couldn’t get into a rhythm, finishing the front nine with a double bogey and a pair of bogeys. He was able to birdie the 12th but picked up another double bogey and two more bogeys.
Mierl and Snyder both finished 9-over-par 79 to come in at a tie for 284th with nine other golfers. Mierl started off strong with a birdie on the third hole, but quickly cooled off as he bogeyed the next three holes. Snyder never saw himself under par as he bogeyed six times through 16 holes. Then, on the 18th hole, Snyder plummeted as he triple bogeyed the hole.
If any of the three MU golfers hope to make the cut, which only the top 64 make, they’ll have to find themselves even or lower.
The Tigers will start their second round of play when Mierl tees off at 6:22 a.m. at Merion Golf Club, while Snyder tees off at 7:39 a.m. and Viskari at 12:47 p.m. at Philadelphia Country Club.