North Carolina’s Carson Bertagnole and Niall Sheils Donegan won their round of 64 matches Wednesday in the 2026 United States Amateur at Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pa.
Bertagnole won the 15th and 16th holes to defeat Tyson Shelley of BYU 3&2, while Sheils Donegan won four of the first five holes and went on to eliminate Wheaton Ennis of Texas A&M 4&3.
Bertagnole will play Illinois’ Max Herendeen at 8:05 a.m. on Thursday in the round of 32. Sheils Donegan, who advanced to the semifinals in 2025, plays Florida’s Jack Turner at 8:55 a.m.
The winners advance to the round of 16 Thursday afternoon.
