Ryan and Lugiano Have Success at Merion

Liberty Teammates/Roommates from Pennsylvania Flourish in National Spotlight

By Pete Kowalski

ARDMORE, Pa. – A pair of Liberty University teammates and roommates from Pennsylvania can look back on the summer of 2026 as one of unforgettable successes. Josh Ryan, 23, of Norristown, and Mike Lugiano, 20, of Jackson Township, both with Pennsylvania Golf Association pedigree, shared the spotlight at the 126th U.S. Amateur at fabled Merion Golf Club.

At the East Course, they played remarkably great golf while staying at Ryan’s home just 10 miles from the course. Ryan, who won the 2026 Pennsylvania Amateur at Oakmont C.C., followed up with a nearly record-setting performance during stroke play at the Amateur. He shot a field-leading 8-under par, including a 5-under 65 at Merion, to win medalist honors and a gold medal over the field of 312 players.

Photo Courtesy of USGA

“I mean, couldn’t write it up any better,” Ryan said. “I wasn’t trying to get ahead of myself at all. I didn’t expect it, if I was being honest. I just went out and tried to play quality golf, get to match play and see what happens.” He flirted with history in his stroke play round at Merion as his score was one off the record set by Hayden Wood in 2017.

“Being able to compete against good players at this venue is special in general so to play well and to be able to come out on top was really cool,” he said. “Having the chance to shoot the course record down the stretch and being able to have my name on the medalist sheet and the gold medal is pretty special.”

However, the difficulty of match play showed up in his Round of 64 pairing with Taishi Moto of Japan. Ryan was eliminated in 19 holes. “I think I could have prepared better for match play but at the same time I was just trying to get to match play,” Ryan added. “The whole week, I was just trying to peak for the first two rounds and just play really good golf and then get into match play and figure it out.”

“I probably could have rested a little bit more beforehand to be more ready for match play, but I got adrenaline off the crowd. I birdied 11, 13, 14, and 15. That stretch got me jacked up. So going into the press row and doing interviews and then coming back. I just had adrenaline all night, so I had a hard time sleeping. I just kept wanting to go play. Having a 2:40 tee time wasn’t great. I was kind of burned out. We finished at 8:15 (p.m.) so it was a long day. But, I wouldn’t change it for the world.”

Ryan, who finished fourth in the Pennsylvania Amateur at Merion in 2021, was also the runner-up at the state’s R. Jay Sigel Match Play and the Philadelphia Open in 2026.

“It was really cool,” he said of his hot streak. “This summer to stay at home for most of the time – Pittsburgh isn’t far and it’s within the state – it’s been really cool having all the family and friends out (at Merion) and the last day was really fun. Sleeping in my own bed, having Mike stay with us. It was a very fun week and nice to play some good golf too.”

Lugiano, the runner-up at the 2025 Pennsylvania Amateur, advancing to the quarterfinals at the U.S. Amateur became the first Philly-area player to make it that far since Buddy Marucci of Villanova did so at the 1995 U.S. Amateur at Newport (R.I.) Country Club. Marucci, a former Walker Cup player and captain, played his way to the final match in 1995, losing to the then-invincible Tiger Woods.

The sturdily built Lugiano ground out 1-up wins in his first three matches and met Auburn’s star sophomore Logan Reilly in the quarterfinals.

Photo Courtesy of USGA

“It’s a grind out there,” Lugiano said. “These guys are good. Going to No. 18 in all of the first three matches really doesn’t surprise me much because I know you have to play great golf out here to win. These are the best amateurs in the world. It’s been quite stressful thus far. I haven’t made it easy, but I’ve been able to get the job done.”

In addition, Lugiano became the Liberty Flame to make the deepest run at the U.S. Amateur, besting the Round of 32 appearance by Jonathan Yaun in 2020. Even with his older brother Bobby, a former Millersville player, caddying, Lugiano could not keep up his stellar play against Reilly, losing 6 and 4.

The 2025 Delaware Amateur champion carried the banner for Pennsylvania at a national event just 75 miles from his home. “It feels good,” he said about being the last Keystone stater in the mix. ‘It’s nice to have it close to home. I was able to get some of my buddies out here and the support is really good.”

He added that staying with Ryan and his family and getting some of Mrs. Ryan’s chicken parm was a critical boost. Lugiano, who struggled earlier in the summer and was frustrated with his game coming into the U.S. Amateur, found a groove at the Hugh Wilson course that has hosted 20 USGA championships, most of any club in the nation.

“It’s hard,” he said of Merion. “If you are not on your game you are going to get punished out here in the rough…. Merion is obviously one of the best golf courses in the world so it’s special to be able to play a really big event here.”

Ryan, who ended his college career this spring, summed up the summer of 2026 that included impressive golf at both Oakmont and Merion.

“I’ve very fortunate and blessed this summer,” he said. “It’s what we play the game for. You want to be on big courses against good fields and just play good golf. Nice to do it. It’s nice to get hot and it’s nice to know when I am going well, I can compete. That’s what we are all trying to do. We all want results and finishes but we want to know our game is good enough. It is nice to prove that to myself and maybe other people. It was fun.”

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Pete Kowalski worked more than two decades as a department director in communications at the USGA and confides that his friendships in the game are more numerous that his greens-in-regulation.

Photos Courtesy of USGA