63rd U.S. Senior Amateur: A Closer Look at the Field

August 24, 2017 | by United States Golf Association

Among the 156 players competing at the Minikahda Club are 11 USGA champions, 7 Walker Cuppers and players from age 55 to 74

MINNEAPOLIS, MN (August 24, 2017) - The 63rd U.S. Senior Amateur Championship begins Saturday, August 26 at The Minikahda Club.

2,395 entries were accepted for the championship, the most since 2006. 19 players were exempt into the championship, with the remaining 137 players getting into the field through regional qualifying.

Related: U.S. Senior Amateur Qualifying Roundup
Related: Tee Times for the 63rd U.S. Senior Amateur

Here is a closer look at the field of 156 players:


Dave Ryan	Paul Simson

USGA Champions (11): Stewart “Buddy” Alexander (1986 U.S. Amateur), Marvin “Vinny” Giles (1972 U.S. Amateur, 2009 U.S. Senior Amateur), Doug Hanzel (2013 U.S. Senior Amateur), Tim Jackson (1994 and 2001 U.S. Mid-Amateur), Chip Lutz (2015 U.S. Senior Amateur), George “Buddy” Marucci Jr. (2008 U.S. Senior Amateur), Michael Podolak (1984 U.S. Mid-Amateur), Dave Ryan (2016 U.S. Senior Amateur), Paul Simson (2010 and 2012 U.S. Senior Amateur), Patrick Tallent (2014 U.S. Senior Amateur), George Zahringer (2002 U.S. Mid-Amateur)


Keith Decker	Sean Knapp

USGA Men’s State Team Championship Winners (5): Keith Decker (1995, Virginia), Alan Hill (2005, Texas), Tim Jackson (2003, Tennessee), Sean Knapp (2009, Pennsylvania), Bryan Norton (2010, Kansas)

USGA Championship runners-up (10): Tom Brandes (2015 U.S. Senior Amateur), Marvin “Vinny” Giles (1967, 1968, 1969 U.S. Amateur), William Hadden (1989 U.S. Mid-Amateur), Chip Holcombe (1998 U.S. Mid-Amateur), Scott Mayne (1988 U.S. Mid-Amateur), George “Buddy” Marucci (1995 U.S. Amateur), Bryan Norton (2003 U.S. Mid-Amateur, 2014 U.S. Senior Amateur), Matt Sughrue (2016 U.S. Senior Amateur), Patrick Tallent (2010 U.S. Senior Amateur), George Zahringer (2001 U.S. Mid-Amateur, 2008 U.S. Senior Amateur)


Tim Jackson	George Zahringer

USA Walker Cup Team Members (7): Stewart “Buddy” Alexander (1987); Duke Delcher (1997); Marvin “Vinny” Giles (1969, 1971, 1973, 1975); Tim Jackson (1995, 1999); George “Buddy” Marucci (1995, 1997); Michael Podolak (1985); George Zahringer (2003)

States represented (43): Alabama (3 competitors); Arkansas (1); Arizona (5); California (16-most); Colorado (3); Connecticut (2); Delaware (1); Florida (7); Georgia (9); Hawaii (2); Iowa (2); Idaho (1); Illinois (7); Indiana (2); Kansas (1); Kentucky (1); Louisiana (2); Massachusetts (4); Maryland (3); Michigan (3); Minnesota (5); Missouri (3); North Carolina (4); North Dakota (1); Nebraska (1); New Jersey (1); New Mexico (1); Nevada (3); New York (6); Ohio (5); Oklahoma (2); Oregon (1); Pennsylvania (9); South Carolina (6); Tennessee (7); Texas (10); Utah (1); Virginia (4); Vermont (1); Washington (5); Wisconsin (3); West Virginia (1); Wyoming (1)


Chip Lutz	Todd Hendley

2017 U.S. Senior Open Competitors (7): T.J. Brudzinski, Claud Cooper, Todd Hendley, Chip Lutz, Dave Ryan, Matthew Sughrue, George Zahringer

2017 U.S. Amateur Competitors (2): Matthew Sughrue, George Zahringer

2017 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Competitors (2): Doug Hanzel and partner Bob Royak

Oldest Competitors: Marvin “Vinny” Giles, 74, of Richmond, Va.; Larry Clark, 69, of Kingston, Ga., Don Donatoni, 69, of Malvern, Pa.

Youngest Competitors: Frank Vana Jr., of Boxford, Mass., who turned 55 on Aug. 21; John Barry, of Lakeville, Minn., who turned 55 on July 1.

Average Age of Field: 59.7


Gene Elliott	Brady Exber

Exempt Players (19):
Stewart “Buddy” Alexander (1986 U.S. Amateur champion), Tom Brandes (2016 U.S. Senior Amateur runner-up), Kevin Cahill (2016 U.S. Senior Amateur semifinalist), Michael Dunsmore (2016 U.S. Senior Amateur quarterfinalist), Gene Elliott (top 500 in World Amateur Golf Ranking), Brady Exber (top 500 in World Amateur Golf Ranking), Vinny Giles (2008 U.S. Senior Amateur champion), Doug Hanzel (2013 U.S. Senior Amateur champion), John Hornbeck (2016 U.S. Senior Amateur quarterfinalist), Tim Jackson (2016 U.S. Senior Amateur semifinalist), Steven Liebler (2015 U.S. Senior Amateur semifinalist), Chip Lutz (2015 U.S. Senior Amateur champion), George “Buddy” Marucci (2008 U.S. Senior Amateur champion), John McClure (2016 U.S. Senior Amateur quarterfinalist), Bryan Norton (2014 U.S. Senior Amateur runner-up), Dave Ryan (2016 U.S. Senior Amateur champion), Paul Simson (2010 and 2012 U.S. Senior Amateur champion), Matthew Sughrue (2016 U.S. Senior Amateur runner-up), Patrick Tallent (2014 U.S. Senior Amateur champion)


Doug Hanzel	Jack Hall

Top 20 Players in the AmateurGolf.com Senior Rankings:
1. Doug Hanzel, Savannah, GA
2. Jack Hall, Savannah, GA
5. Gene Elliott, W. Des Moines, IA
7. Chip Lutz, Reading, PA
8. Keith Decker, Martinsville, VA
10. Todd Hendley, Greer, SC
11. Paul Simson, Raleigh, NC
13. Brady Exber, Las Vegas, NC
14. Bob Royak, Alpharetta, GA
19. Scott Smith, Houston, TX

Related: VIDEO: Players to Watch at the U.S. Senior Amateur

About the U.S. Senior Amateur

63rd U.S. Senior Amateur: A Closer Look at the Field

The USGA Senior Amateur is open to those with a USGA Handicap Index of 5.4 or lower, who are 55 or older on or before the day the qualifying begins, usually in August. It is one of 15 national championships conducted annually by the USGA.

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