August 13, 2026<\/a><\/p>\nWhile Bresnu is looking to become the first Moroccan to win the U.S. Amateur this week at Merion Golf Club, he is a dual citizen, as he was born in Paris and his dad, Stephane, is a French golf instructor. Bresnu also considers Marrakesh home, and before heading to the U.S. for college \u2013 first at Odessa College and now at Texas Tech \u2013 he developed into an elite talent under the guidance of the Moroccan National Team.<\/p>\n
As a teenager, Bresnu earned some starts on the Asian Tour. During the 2022 International Series Egypt, won by 2019 U.S. Amateur champion Andy Ogletree, Bresnu was grouped with Ian Snyman, who played at North Texas under head coach Brad Stracke.<\/p>\n
The early signing period had just begun for Bresnu\u2019s Class of 2023, so Snyman asked Bresnu if he planned on playing college golf.<\/p>\n
Bresnu answered, \u201cI\u2019m trying to, but I don\u2019t have any offers.\u201d<\/p>\n
Immediately after the round, Snyman alerted Stracke of Bresnu, saying, \u201cThere\u2019s something about this guy.\u201d Stracke called Bresnu that night and soon was watching him play a junior tournament in Florida.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was struggling, but I could still tell that he was very competitive, short game was unreal, and I just really liked what I saw,\u201d said Stracke, who coached the likes of Carlos Ortiz and Sebastian Munoz at North Texas, and Billy Horschel while an assistant at Florida. \u201cHe\u2019s right in line with the best players I\u2019ve coached. His competitiveness and work ethic reminded me a lot of Billy, and I\u2019m just like, I need to get Adam to play for me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Stracke did, just not where he originally thought.<\/p>\n
Bresnu fell a few hours short of being eligible to compete for the Mean Green, so he instead ended up at Odessa, a junior college in west Texas, about two hours from Lubbock. Then just months prior to Bresnu\u2019s first semester, Stracke departed North Texas and landed at Odessa. In two seasons under Stracke, Bresnu won nine times while earning the 2025 Jack Nicklaus Award as the best NJCAA golfer. <\/p>\n
He also became the first Arab player to make a cut in a DP World Tour Rolex Series event when he tied for 68th at the 2025 Hero Dubai Desert Classic, a few weeks after he shared sixth at the PIF Saudi International to mark the best performance ever by a Moroccan golfer in a world-ranked pro tournament.<\/p>\n
Bresnu\u2019s success led him to Texas Tech, where he notched six top-10s and was named a third-team All-American as a junior last season. He\u2019s also earned several sponsorships, including apparel brand Malbon, which has featured Bresnu in several ad campaigns.<\/p>\n
Stracke has not only remained Bresnu\u2019s instructor but also left Odessa to become Morocco\u2019s national coach earlier this year. Stracke oversees over 200 junior coaches, plus 20 high-school players and 20 elite amateur players.<\/p>\n
At No. 30 in the world amateur rankings, Bresnu is 204 spots clear of his next highest-ranked countryman, Ahmed Essalmi.<\/p>\n
That brings Bresnu to another dream: \u201cI think the main goal for me is to try to show kids in Morocco, even young people, that if I can do it, everyone can do it. We only have 34 golf courses in Morocco. There\u2019s probably more in Rhode Island, I would say. It\u2019s just to show that even if you don\u2019t have a lot of golf courses or a facility, you can still make it.<\/p>\n
\u201cI made it, so there\u2019s no excuse.\u201d<\/p>\n
After Thursday\u2019s drubbing of red-hot Max Herendeen, the Illinois senior who hadn\u2019t gone past the 13th hole in either of his first two matches, Bresnu has made the quarterfinals in his first U.S. Amateur appearance.<\/p>\n
\u201cI just try to respect the course, hit the greens, two putt and sometimes get one to fall,\u201d said Bresnu, who also is incredibly lively on the course, fist-pumping and shouting after big shots.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s the way I am in match play,\u201d he added. \u201cSometimes I\u2019m not my best friend in my mind and in match play. I just try to support my mind, just try to be my own best friend. That\u2019s who I am. Also, I know it can make mad the partner, so that\u2019s why I do it also.\u201d<\/p>\n
Next up: England\u2019s Jack Whaley, in one of Friday afternoon\u2019s quarterfinals.<\/p>\n
Two more wins and Bresnu gets into the Masters.<\/p>\n
An additional victory on Sunday will come with more majors and more history.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou just don\u2019t know where this game will lead you,\u201d said Stracke, who is on Bresnu\u2019s bag this week, \u201cbut I like what he\u2019s doing and where he\u2019s going.\u201d<\/p>\n
Where there\u2019s a will, there\u2019s a way.<\/p>\n