United States Amateur Championship (men's golf)

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The U.S. Amateur Championship is the leading annual golf tournament in the United States for male amateur golfers. It is organized by the United States Golf Association.

In 1894 there were two tournaments called the "National Amateur Championship". One of them was played at Newport Country Club and was won by William G. Lawrence, and the other took place at St Andrew's Golf Club and was won by Laurence B. Stottard. This state of affairs prompted Charles B. Macdonald of the Chicago Golf Club to call for the creation of a national governing body to authorize an official national championship, and the Amateur Golf Association of the United States, which was soon to be renamed the United States Golf Association, was formed on 22 December of that year. In 1895 it organized both the first U.S. Amateur Championship and the first U.S. Open, both of which were played at Newport Country Club.

There are no age restrictions on entry, but players must have a handicap index of 2.4 or less. The tournament consists of two days of strokeplay, with the leading 64 competitors then playing a knockout competition held at matchplay to decide the champion. All knockout matches are over 18 holes except for the final, which consists of 36 holes, separated into morning and afternoon 18-hole rounds. Nowadays it is usually won by players in their early twenties who are working towards a career as a tournament professional. Before World War II more top-level golfers chose to remain amateur, and the average age of U.S. Amateur champions was higher.

Many of the leading figures in the history of golf have been U.S. Amateur Champion, including Bobby Jones five times, Jack Nicklaus twice and Tiger Woods three times (all consecutive; the only player to win three in a row). Woods' first win, as an 18-year-old in 1994, made him the youngest winner of the event, breaking the previous record of Nathaniel Crosby (son of Bing). Before the professional game became dominant, the event was regarded as one of the majors. This is no longer the case, but the champion still receives an automatic invitation to play in all of the majors except the PGA Championship, and the runner-up also receives an invitation to play in the U.S. Open.

As the Amateur Championship is dominated by future professionals, a separate championship called the U.S. Mid-Amateur was established for "career amateurs" at least 25 years old in 1981. This gives the best players who never turn pro a chance to play against each other for a national title.

[edit] Winners

Year	Venue	Winner	Country	Score	Runner-up
2010	Southern Hills Country Club
2009	Congressional Country Club
2008	Pinehurst Resort
2007	Olympic Club
2006	Hazeltine National Golf Club	Richie Ramsay	Scotland	4 & 2	John Kelly
2005	Merion Golf Club	Edoardo Molinari	Italy	4 & 3	Dillon Dougherty
2004	Winged Foot Golf Club	Ryan Moore	United States	2 up	Luke List
2003	Oakmont Country Club	Nick Flanagan	Australia	37th hole	Casey Wittenberg
2002	Oakland Hills Country Club	Ricky Barnes	United States	2 & 1	Hunter Mahan
2001	East Lake Golf Club	Bubba Dickerson	United States	1 up	Robert Hamilton
2000	Baltusrol Golf Club	Jeff Quinney	United States	39th hole	James Driscoll
1999	Pebble Beach Golf Links	David Gossett	United States	9 & 8	Sung Yoon Kim
1998	Oak Hill Country Club	Hank Kuehne	United States	2 & 1	Tom McKnight
1997	Cog Hill Golf & Country Club	Matt Kuchar	United States	2 & 1	Joel Kribel
1996	Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club	Tiger Woods	United States	38th hole	Steve Scott
1995	Newport Country Club	Tiger Woods	United States	2 up	Buddy Marucci
1994	TPC at Sawgrass	Tiger Woods	United States	2 up	Trip Kuehne
1993	Champions Golf Club	John Harris	United States	5 & 3	Danny Ellis
1992	Muirfield Village	Justin Leonard	United States	8 & 7	Tom Scherrer
1991	The Honors Golf Club	Mitch Voges	United States	7 & 6	Manny Zerman
1990	Cherry Hills Country Club	Phil Mickelson	United States	5 & 4	Manny Zerman
1989	Merion Golf Club	Chris Patton	United States	3 & 1	Danny Green
1988	The Homestead	Eric Meeks	United States	7 & 6	Danny Yates
1987	Jupiter Hills Club	Billy Mayfair	United States	4 & 3	Eric Rebmann
1986	Shoal Creek	Buddy Alexander	United States	5 & 3	Chris Kite
1985	Montclair Golf Club	Sam Randolph	United States	1 up	Peter Persons
1984	Oak Tree Golf Club	Scott Verplank	United States	4 & 3	Sam Randolph
1983	North Shore Country Club	Jay Sigel	United States	8 & 7	Chris Perry
1982	The Country Club	Jay Sigel	United States	8 & 7	David Tolley
1981	Olympic Club	Nathaniel Crosby	United States	1 up	Brian Lindley
1980	Country Club of North Carolina	Hal Sutton	United States	9 & 8	Bob Lewis
1979	Canterbury Golf Club	Mark O'Meara	United States	8 & 7	John Cook
1978	Plainfield Country Club	John Cook	United States	5 & 4	Scott Hoch
1977	Aronimink Golf Club	John Fought	United States	9 & 8	Doug Fischesser
1976	Bel-Air Country Club	Bill Sander	United States	8 & 6	C. Parker Moore Jr.
1975	Country Club of Virginia	Fred Ridley	United States	2 up	Keith Fergus
1974	Ridgewood Country Club	Jerry Pate	United States	2 & 1	John R. Grace
1973	Inverness Club	Craig Stadler	United States	6 & 5	David Strawn
1965-72: Stroke play
1972	Charlotte Country Club	Marvin Giles III	United States	285	Mark S. Hayes, Ben Crenshaw
1971	Wilmington Country Club	Gary Cowan	Canada	280	Eddie Pearce
1970	Waverley Country Club	Lanny Wadkins	United States	279	Tom Kite
1969	Oakmont Country Club	Steve Melnyk	United States	286	Marvin Giles III
1968	Scioto Country Club	Bruce Fleisher	United States	284	Marvin Giles III
1967	Broadmoor Golf Club	Bob Dickson	United States	285	Marvin Giles III
1966	Merion Golf Club	Gary Cowan	Canada	285	Deane Beman
1965	Southern Hills Country Club	Bob Murphy	United States	291	Bob Dickson
1895-1964: Match play
1964	Canterbury Golf Club	William C. Campbell	United States	1 up	Edgar M. Tutwiler
1963	Wakonda Club	Deane Beman	United States	2 & 1	Richard H. Sikes
1962	Pinehurst Resort	Labron Harris, Jr.	United States	1 up	Downing Gray
1961	Pebble Beach Golf Links	Jack Nicklaus	United States	8 & 6	Dudley Wysong
1960	St. Louis Country Club	Deane Beman	United States	6 & 4	Robert W. Gardner
1959	Broadmoor Golf Club	Jack Nicklaus	United States	1 up	Charles Coe
1958	Olympic Club	Charles Coe	United States	5 & 4	Tommy Aaron
1957	The Country Club	Hillman Robbins	United States	5 & 4	Dr. Frank M. Taylor
1956	Knollwood Club	Harvie Ward	United States	5 & 4	Charles Kocsis
1955	Country Club of Virginia	Harvie Ward	United States	9 & 8	William Hyndman
1954	Country Club of Detroit	Arnold Palmer	United States	1 up	Robert Sweeny Jr.
1953	Oklahoma City Golf & Country Club	Gene Littler	United States	1 up	Dale Morey
1952	Seattle Golf Club	Jack Westland	United States	3 & 2	Al Mengert
1951	Saucon Valley Country Club	Billy Maxwell	United States	4 & 3	Joseph F. Gagliardi
1950	Minneapolis Golf Club	Sam Urzetta	United States	39th hole	Frank Stranahan
1949	Oak Hill Country Club	Charles Coe	United States	11 & 10	Rufus King
1948	Memphis Country Club	William Turnesa	United States	2 & 1	Raymond E. Billows
1947	Pebble Beach Golf Links	Skee Riegel	United States	2 & 1	John W. Dawson
1946	Baltusrol Golf Club	Stanley E. Bishop	United States	37th hole	Smiley L. Quick
1942-45: No Championships due to World War II
1941	Omaha Field Club	Marvin H. Ward	United States	4 & 3	B. Patrick Abbott
1940	Winged Foot Golf Club	Richard Chapman	United States	11 & 9	W. B. McCullough Jr.
1939	North Shore Country Club	Marvin H. Ward	United States	7 & 5	Raymond E. Billows
1938	Oakmont Country Club	William Turnesa	United States	8 & 7	B. Patrick Abbott
1937	Alderwood Country Club	Johnny Goodman	United States	2 up	Raymond E. Billows
1936	Garden City Golf Club	John W. Fischer	United States	37th hole	Jack McLean
1935	The Country Club	Lawson Little	United States	4 & 2	Walter Emery
1934	The Country Club	Lawson Little	United States	8 & 7	David Goldman
1933	Kenwood Country Club	George Dunlap	United States	6 & 5	Max R. Marston
1932	Baltimore Country Club	Ross Somerville	Canada	2 & 1	Johnny Goodman
1931	Beverly Country Club	Francis Ouimet	United States	6 & 5	Jack Westland
1930	Merion Golf Club	Bobby Jones	United States	8 & 7	Eugene V. Homans
1929	Pebble Beach Golf Links	Harrison R. Johnston	United States	4 & 3	Dr. O. F. Willing
1928	Brae Burn Country Club	Bobby Jones	United States	10 & 9	Phil Perkins
1927	Minikahda Club	Bobby Jones	United States	8 & 7	Charles Evans Jr.
1926	Baltusrol Golf Club	George Von Elm	United States	2 & 1	Bobby Jones
1925	Oakmont Country Club	Bobby Jones	United States	8 & 7	Watts Gunn
1924	Merion Golf Club	Bobby Jones	United States	9 & 8	George Von Elm
1923	Flossmoor Country Club	Max R. Marston	United States	38th hole	Jess Sweetser
1922	The Country Club	Jess Sweetser	United States	3 & 2	Charles Evans Jr.
1921	St.Louis Country Club	Jesse P. Guilford	United States	7 & 6	Robert A. Gardner
1920	Engineers' Country Club	Charles Evans Jr.	United States	7 & 6	Francis Ouimet
1919	Oakmont Country Club	S. Davidson Herron	United States	5 & 4	Bobby Jones
1917-18: No Championships due to World War I
1916	Merion Golf Club	Charles Evans Jr.	United States	4 & 3	Robert A. Gardner
1915	Country Club of Detroit	Robert A. Gardner	United States	5 & 4	John G. Anderson
1914	Ekwanok Country Club	Francis Ouimet	United States	6 & 5	Jerome Travers
1913	Garden City Golf Club	Jerome Travers	United States	5 & 4	John G. Anderson
1912	Chicago Golf Club	Jerome Travers	United States	7 & 6	Charles Evans Jr.
1911	The Apawamis Club	Harold Hilton	England	37th hole	Fred Herreshoff
1910	The Country Club	William C. Fownes Jr.	United States	4 & 3	Warren K. Wood
1909	Chicago Golf Club	Robert A. Gardner	United States	4 & 3	H. Chandler Egan
1908	Garden City Golf Club	Jerome Travers	United States	8 & 7	Max H. Behr
1907	Euclid Club	Jerome Travers	United States	6 & 5	Archibald Graham
1906	Englewood Golf Club	Eben Byers	United States	2 up	George Lyon
1905	Chicago Golf Club	H. Chandler Egan	United States	6 & 5	D. E. Sawyer
1904	Baltusrol Golf Club	H. Chandler Egan	United States	8 & 6	Fred Herreshoff
1903	Nassau Country Club	Walter Travis	United States	5 & 4	Eben Byers
1902	Glen View Club	Louis N. James	United States	4 & 2	Eben Byers
1901	Country Club of Atlantic City	Walter Travis	United States	5 & 4	Walter E. Egan
1900	Garden City Golf Club	Walter Travis	United States	2 up	Findlay S. Douglas
1899	Onwentsia Club	H. M. Harriman	United States	3 & 2	Findlay S. Douglas
1898	Morris County Golf Club	Findlay S. Douglas	Scotland	5 & 3	Walter B. Smith
1897	Chicago Golf Club	H. J. Whigham	Scotland	8 & 6	W. Rossiter Betts
1896	Shinnecock Hills Golf Club	H. J. Whigham	Scotland	8 & 7	Joseph G. Thorp
1895	Newport Country Club	Charles B. Macdonald	United States	12 & 11	Charles E. Sands

[edit] Multiple winners

Eighteen players have won more than one U.S. Amateur Championship, through 2006:

• 5 wins: Bobby Jones
• 4 wins: Jerome Travers
• 3 wins: Walter Travis, Tiger Woods
• 2 wins: H. J. Whigham, H. Chandler Egan, Robert A. Gardner, Charles Evans Jr., Francis Ouimet, Lawson Little, Marvin H. Ward, William Turnesa, Harvie Ward, Charles Coe, Jack Nicklaus, Deane Beman, Gary Cowan, Jay Sigel

Eleven players have won both the U.S. Amateur and U.S. Open Championships, through 2006:

• Jerome Travers: 1907, 1908, 1912, 1913 Amateurs; 1915 Open
• Francis Ouimet: 1914, 1931 Amateurs; 1913 Open
• Charles Evans Jr.:^ 1916, 1920 Amateurs; 1916 Open
• Bobby Jones:^ 1924, 1925, 1927, 1928, 1930 Amateurs; 1923, 1926, 1929, 1930 Opens
• Lawson Little: 1934, 1935 Amateurs; 1940 Open
• Johnny Goodman: 1937 Amateur; 1933 Open
• Gene Littler: 1953 Amateur; 1961 Open
• Arnold Palmer: 1954 Amateur; 1960 Open
• Jack Nicklaus: 1959, 1961 Amateurs; 1962, 1967, 1972, 1980 Opens
• Jerry Pate: 1974 Amateur; 1976 Open
• Tiger Woods: 1994, 1995, 1996 Amateur; 2000, 2002 Opens

Thirteen players have won both the U.S. Amateur and British Amateur Championships, through 2006:

• Walter Travis: 1900, 1901, 1903 U.S.; 1904 British
• Harold Hilton:^ 1911 U.S.; 1900, 1901, 1911, 1913 British
• Jess Sweetser: 1922 U.S.; 1926 British
• Bobby Jones:^ 1924, 1925, 1927, 1928, 1930 U.S.; 1930 British
• Lawson Little:^ 1934, 1935 U.S.; 1934, 1935 British
• William Turnesa: 1938, 1948 U.S.; 1947 British
• Richard Chapman: 1940 U.S.; 1951 British
• Harvie Ward: 1955, 1956 U.S.; 1952 British
• Deane Beman: 1960, 1963 U.S.; 1959 British
• Bob Dickson:^ 1967 U.S.; 1967 British
• Steve Melnyk: 1969 U.S.; 1971 British
• Marvin Giles III: 1972 U.S.; 1975 British
• Jay Sigel: 1982, 1983 U.S.; 1979 British

^ Won both in same year. Bobby Jones won the Grand Slam in 1930, winning the U.S. Amateur, U.S. Open, British Amateur, and British Open.

[edit] External link

• Official site - most of the information is in the archive sections