64th U.S. Senior Amateur: A Closer Look at the Field
8/24/2018 | by United States Golf Association
see also: U.S. Senior Amateur, a USGA Championship, Baltimore Country Club: East
Among the 156 players competing at Eugene Country Club are 12 USGA champions, 6 Walker Cuppers and players from age 55 to 75
EUGENE, OR (August 24, 2018) - The 64th U.S. Senior Amateur Championship begins Saturday, August 25 at Eugene Country Club.
2,381 entries were accepted for the championship. 23 players were exempt into the championship, with the remaining 133 players getting into the field through regional qualifying.
Related: U.S. Senior Amateur Qualifying Roundup
Related: Tee Times for the 64th U.S. Senior Amateur
Here is a closer look at the field of 156 players:
USGA Champions (12): Stewart “Buddy” Alexander (1986 Amateur), Marvin “Vinny” Giles (1972 Amateur, 2009 Senior Amateur), Doug Hanzel (2013 Senior Amateur), Tim Jackson (1994 and 2001 Mid-Amateur), Sean Knapp (2017 Senior Amateur), Jack Larkin (1979 Junior Amateur), Chip Lutz (2015 Senior Amateur), George “Buddy” Marucci Jr. (2008 Senior Amateur), Michael McCoy (2013 Mid-Amateur), Dave Ryan (2016 Senior Amateur), Paul Simson (2010 and 2012 Senior Amateur), Guy Yamamoto (1994 Amateur Public Links)
USGA Championship runners-up (6): Tom Brandes (2015 Senior Amateur), Marvin “Vinny” Giles (1967, 1968, 1969 Amateur), William Hadden (1989 Mid-Amateur), George “Buddy” Marucci Jr. (1995 Amateur), Paul Simson (2017 Senior Amateur), Matt Sughrue (2016 Senior Amateur)
USA Walker Cup Team Members (6): Stewart “Buddy” Alexander (1987), Marvin “Vinny” Giles (1969, 1971, 1973, 1975; Captain, 1993), John Grace (1975), Tim Jackson (1995, 1999), George “Buddy” Marucci (1995, 1997; Captain, 2007, 2009), Michael McCoy (2015)
USGA Men’s State Team Championship Winners (2): Tim Jackson, 2003 (Tennessee), Sean Knapp, 2009 (Pennsylvania)
States represented (42): Alabama (3 competitors); Arizona (2); California (17-most); Colorado (3); Connecticut (1); Delaware (1); Florida (11); Georgia (9); Hawaii (2); Iowa (2); Illinois (7); Indiana (2); Kansas (1); Kentucky (1); Louisiana (2); Massachusetts (5); Maryland (4); Michigan (4); Minnesota (2); Mississippi (1); Missouri (1); Montana (1); North Carolina (4); North Dakota (1); New Jersey (3); Nevada (1); New Mexico (1); New York (7); Ohio (5); Oklahoma (3); Oregon (4); Pennsylvania (7); South Carolina (3); Tennessee (8); Texas (10); Utah (1); Virginia (4); Vermont (1); Washington (6); Wisconsin (2); Wyoming (1)
2018 U.S. Senior Open Competitors (7): Jeff Wilson (76-71-70-73--290, T-31, low amateur), Robby Funk (72-76-75-80--293, 60th), Frank Vana (73-76--MC), Mike McCoy (75-76--MC), Sean Knapp (79-72--MC), Jack Larkin (79-76--MC), Ned Zachar (78-81--MC), Paul Simson (82-78--MC), James Camaione (87-78--MC)
2018 U.S. Amateur Competitors (4): Sean Knapp, Michael McCoy, Paul Simson, Jeff Wilson
Oldest Competitors: Marvin “Vinny” Giles, 75, of Richmond, Va.; Rick Talt, 72, of Laguna Beach, Calif.
Youngest Competitors: Louis Brown, of Marietta, Ga., who turned 55 on Aug. 24; Jeff Harper, of Coolville, Ohio, who turned 55 on Aug. 7.
Average Age of Field: 59.62
Exempt Players (23):
Stewart “Buddy” Alexander (1986 U.S. Amateur champion), Tom Brandes (2015 U.S. Senior Amateur runner-up), Kevin Cahill (2016 U.S. Senior Amateur semifinalist), Gene Elliott (2017 Canadian Amateur champion; Top 500 of the World Amateur Golf Ranking™), Trevor Foster (2018 champion of Senior Amateur Championship, conducted by The R&A) Robert Funk (Completed 72 holes in 2018 U.S. Senior Open), Marvin "Vinny" Giles (2009 U.S. Senior Amateur champion), Randy Haag (Runner-up in 2018 Senior Amateur Championship, conducted by The R&A), Doug Hanzel (2013 U.S. Senior Amateur champion; Top 500 in World Amateur Golf Ranking), Tim Jackson (2016 U.S. Senior Amateur semifinalist; Top 500 of World Amateur Golf Ranking), Sean Knapp (2017 U.S. Senior Amateur champion), Ken Lee (2017 U.S. Senior Amateur quarterfinalist), Chip Lutz (2015 U.S. Senior Amateur champion), George “Buddy” Marucci (2008 U.S. Senior Amateur champion), Michael McCoy (2015 USA Walker Cup competitor), David Nocar (2017 U.S. Senior Amateur quarterfinalist), John Pierce (2017 U.S. Senior Amateur quarterfinalist), Dave Ryan (2016 U.S. Senior Amateur champion; 2017 U.S. Senior Amateur semifinalist), Paul Simson (2010 and 2012 U.S. Senior Amateur champion; 2017 U.S. Senior Amateur runner-up), Matthew Sughrue (2016 U.S. Senior Amateur runner-up; 2017 U.S. Senior Amateur quarterfinalist), Frank Vana (2017 U.S. Senior Amateur semifinalist), Guy Yamamoto (1994 U.S. Amateur Public Links champion), Jeff Wilson (Completed 72 holes in 2018 U.S. Senior Open)
Top 20 Players in the AmateurGolf.com Senior Player-of-the-Year Points Standings:
1. Gene Elliott, W. Des Moines, Iowa
9. Mike McCoy, W. Des Moines, Iowa
9. Bob Royak, Alpharetta, Ga.
13. Walter Todd, Laurens, S.C.
16. Trevor Foster, England
2,381 entries were accepted for the championship. 23 players were exempt into the championship, with the remaining 133 players getting into the field through regional qualifying.
Related: U.S. Senior Amateur Qualifying Roundup
Related: Tee Times for the 64th U.S. Senior Amateur
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USGA Championship runners-up (6): Tom Brandes (2015 Senior Amateur), Marvin “Vinny” Giles (1967, 1968, 1969 Amateur), William Hadden (1989 Mid-Amateur), George “Buddy” Marucci Jr. (1995 Amateur), Paul Simson (2017 Senior Amateur), Matt Sughrue (2016 Senior Amateur)
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USGA Men’s State Team Championship Winners (2): Tim Jackson, 2003 (Tennessee), Sean Knapp, 2009 (Pennsylvania)
States represented (42): Alabama (3 competitors); Arizona (2); California (17-most); Colorado (3); Connecticut (1); Delaware (1); Florida (11); Georgia (9); Hawaii (2); Iowa (2); Illinois (7); Indiana (2); Kansas (1); Kentucky (1); Louisiana (2); Massachusetts (5); Maryland (4); Michigan (4); Minnesota (2); Mississippi (1); Missouri (1); Montana (1); North Carolina (4); North Dakota (1); New Jersey (3); Nevada (1); New Mexico (1); New York (7); Ohio (5); Oklahoma (3); Oregon (4); Pennsylvania (7); South Carolina (3); Tennessee (8); Texas (10); Utah (1); Virginia (4); Vermont (1); Washington (6); Wisconsin (2); Wyoming (1)
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2018 U.S. Amateur Competitors (4): Sean Knapp, Michael McCoy, Paul Simson, Jeff Wilson
Oldest Competitors: Marvin “Vinny” Giles, 75, of Richmond, Va.; Rick Talt, 72, of Laguna Beach, Calif.
Youngest Competitors: Louis Brown, of Marietta, Ga., who turned 55 on Aug. 24; Jeff Harper, of Coolville, Ohio, who turned 55 on Aug. 7.
Average Age of Field: 59.62
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Stewart “Buddy” Alexander (1986 U.S. Amateur champion), Tom Brandes (2015 U.S. Senior Amateur runner-up), Kevin Cahill (2016 U.S. Senior Amateur semifinalist), Gene Elliott (2017 Canadian Amateur champion; Top 500 of the World Amateur Golf Ranking™), Trevor Foster (2018 champion of Senior Amateur Championship, conducted by The R&A) Robert Funk (Completed 72 holes in 2018 U.S. Senior Open), Marvin "Vinny" Giles (2009 U.S. Senior Amateur champion), Randy Haag (Runner-up in 2018 Senior Amateur Championship, conducted by The R&A), Doug Hanzel (2013 U.S. Senior Amateur champion; Top 500 in World Amateur Golf Ranking), Tim Jackson (2016 U.S. Senior Amateur semifinalist; Top 500 of World Amateur Golf Ranking), Sean Knapp (2017 U.S. Senior Amateur champion), Ken Lee (2017 U.S. Senior Amateur quarterfinalist), Chip Lutz (2015 U.S. Senior Amateur champion), George “Buddy” Marucci (2008 U.S. Senior Amateur champion), Michael McCoy (2015 USA Walker Cup competitor), David Nocar (2017 U.S. Senior Amateur quarterfinalist), John Pierce (2017 U.S. Senior Amateur quarterfinalist), Dave Ryan (2016 U.S. Senior Amateur champion; 2017 U.S. Senior Amateur semifinalist), Paul Simson (2010 and 2012 U.S. Senior Amateur champion; 2017 U.S. Senior Amateur runner-up), Matthew Sughrue (2016 U.S. Senior Amateur runner-up; 2017 U.S. Senior Amateur quarterfinalist), Frank Vana (2017 U.S. Senior Amateur semifinalist), Guy Yamamoto (1994 U.S. Amateur Public Links champion), Jeff Wilson (Completed 72 holes in 2018 U.S. Senior Open)
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1. Gene Elliott, W. Des Moines, Iowa
9. Mike McCoy, W. Des Moines, Iowa
9. Bob Royak, Alpharetta, Ga.
13. Walter Todd, Laurens, S.C.
16. Trevor Foster, England
About the U.S. Senior Amateur
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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