A first-team all-Mountain West Conference selection at Brigham Young University, Fillmore logged one eagle and four birdies against a sole bogey for a 36-hole total of 134. His 65 is the lowest score of the championship.

He is trailed by Corey Nagy, 19, of Charlotte, N.C., who completed stroke play with a 3-under-par 67 that included five birdies and two bogeys on the famed No. 2 course, which has been the site of two U.S. Opens. It was the best score thus far on No. 2.

"The goal was to make match play," said Fillmore. "To shoot 65 makes it that much better. I feel really good about the way I’ve been playing."

Fillmore, who spent 2004-2006 on a mission in Chile, did not play golf in those two years.

"You grow up pretty fast," Fillmore said. "I matured a lot."

Nagy, who was a semifinalist at the 2007 U.S. Amateur Public Links championship and a quarterfinalist in 2008, is not a stranger to Pinehurst.

"We had our state high school championships on No. 2 and No. 4 when I was a sophomore," said Nagy. "I played the North and South this summer. I always played the Donald Ross Junior and any tournament that was here. I love this place."

Another stroke behind Fillmore were Erik Flores of Grass Valley, Calif., Andrew Putnam of University Place, Wash., and 2007 USA Walker Cupper Kyle Stanley of Gig Harbor, Wash., at 2-under 138.

Among those with afternoon starting times were Wesley Bryan, who shot 67 on No. 4 Monday and Barden Berry, Isiah Telles and Matt Cook, who shot 68 on the first day.

Play continues Wednesday with the beginning of match play for the low 64 scorers. The championship runs through the end of the week, with the 36-hole final match scheduled for Sunday.

Other notables who have won the title are Bob Jones, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods.

The Amateur is one of 13 national championships conducted by the United States Golf Association, 10 of which are strictly for amateurs.

--Story by Craig Smith, USGA