GLENCOE, Illinois – Jase Summy delivered the biggest win of his amateur career Saturday.
The No. 9 player in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) captured the 123rd Western Amateur title, rolling to a commanding 6-and-5 victory over Oklahoma State’s Ethan Fang in the championship match at Skokie Country Club.
Summy not only etched his name onto the prestigious George R. Thorne Trophy, but also matched the largest margin of victory in the storied tournament’s final. He also earned an exemption into the 2026 NV5 Invitational on the Korn Ferry Tour.
“This is the biggest win of my life – by far,” Summy said. “I knew my game was there, but I hadn’t quite broken through. Today, I did.”
Summy, an Oklahoma standout from Keller, Texas, set the tone early in the final match by winning Nos. 2 and 3. After dropping No. 6 to Fang – who is No. 3 in the WAGR – he shifted into another gear. Summy played Nos. 8, 9, 10, 12 and 13 in 2-under par to close out the match in front of the hundreds of fans who surrounded the 13th green.
“That was definitely the biggest crowd I’ve played in front of,” Summy said. “My game had been trending well. It was just about execution. I felt confident coming in, and that carried through the week.”
The championship match featured a high-powered duo of Texas natives and top-10 amateurs in the world.
Summy and Fang, who hails from Plano, have been competing against each other since their junior golf days. The final match marked another chapter in their friendly rivalry.
“It was super fun playing with Ethan,” Summy said. “We go way back. It was competitive out there, but we’ve always been good friends.”
Summy became the first Sooner to win the Western Amateur since Charlie Coe in 1950. His path to the title included a hard-fought semifinal win over Florida’s Zack Swanwick that went 19 holes, while Fang advanced with a 5-and-3 victory over Notre Dame’s Jacob Modleski.
Despite the quick turnaround to the final match, Summy leaned on momentum – and a local edge. With the help of Jimmy Decillo, a Skokie caddie with a wealth of course knowledge, Summy stayed locked in.
“Jimmy was a huge help,” Summy said. “He knows every break on these greens. We became good friends this week. He was an asset all the way.”
With the win, Summy joins a list of Western Amateur champions that includes Jack Nicklaus, Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods. The Western Amateur – first held in 1899 – is the third-oldest amateur championship in the world, behind only the British Amateur (1885) and the U.S. Amateur (1895).
“It’s a surreal moment,” Summy said. “This was a long, tough week. I prepared the right way, mentally and physically. I know I’m on the right path – I just have to keep improving.”
Fang stayed upbeat after a week in which he claimed co-medalist honors, posting four under-par rounds during the stroke-play portion of the event to tie Swanwick at 5-under par.
“It was a good week,” Fang said. “Stroke play went great, and I was proud to co-medal. I did my best to stay focused, but I got a little tired and a little loose near the end. It didn’t go my way, but that’s golf.”
The Western Amateur’s grueling format features 72 holes of stroke play over three days to determine the Sweet 16 for match play. It’s one of the purest tests in amateur golf.
For more information, visit www.thewesternamateur.com.
Round of 16 Results
Friday, Aug. 1
Ethan Fang, Plano, Texas, def. Hugo Le Goff, Melun, France, 5 and 4
Benjamin James, Milford, Conn., def. Eric Lee, Fullerton, Calif., 4 and 2
Garrett Endicott, San Antonio, Texas, def. Anh Minh Nguyen, Hanoi, Vietnam, 1 up
Jacob Modleski, Noblesville, Ind., def. Max Herendeen, Bellevue, Wash., 2 up
Zack Swanwick, Napier, New Zealand, def. Bryan Lee, Fairfax, Va., 1 up
Cameron Adam, Edinburgh, Scotland, def. William Sides, Tulsa, Okla., 19 holes
Jase Summy, Keller, Texas, def. Tommy Morrison, Dallas, Texas, 1 up
Taishi Moto, Yokohama City, Japan, def. Stewart Hagestad, West Palm Beach, Fla., 3 and 2
Quarterfinal Results
Friday, Aug. 1
Fang def. James, 3 and 1
Modleski def. Endicott, 3 and 2
Swanwick def. Adam, 1 up
Summy def. Moto, 2 and 1
Semifinal Results
Saturday, Aug. 2
Fang def. Modleski, 5 and 3
Summy def. Swanwick, 19 holes
Championship Final
Saturday, Aug. 2
Summy def. Fang, 6 and 5
