Ryan's shining U.S. Senior Open moment represents best of golf

6/25/2015 | by Golfweek

Dave Ryan, shown at the 2015 U.S. Senior Open ( USGA )

Amateur Dave Ryan's day had some great highlights, but golf is more than simply posting a good score

By James Achenbach SACRAMENTO, Calif. — There are times when all of us should forget about golf scores and think solely about golf friendships. Golf scores are nice, but golf friendships are powerful. They are meaningful. They add structure and substance to our lives. Dave Ryan, one of 27 amateurs who qualified for the U.S. Senior Open, is a friend of mine. We grew up in the same little cow town (Taylorville, Ill.) and learned to play golf on the same little course (the 9-hole Taylorville Country Club). Imagine that. Here at Del Paso Country Club, the 61-year-old Ryan found himself leading the U.S. Senior Open in the first round — albeit for the briefest time. Starting at 8:34 a.m. from the 10th tee, he birdied 10, 11 and 12 and was off and running. Soon thereafter he was off and stumbling. At one point he went 5 over par in a 4-hole stretch (Nos. 2 through 5). Still, he shot 73, 3 over par. He has much to be proud of. This was his 17th appearance in a U.S. Golf Association championship. He sits near the pinnacle of amateurism. While Ryan was learning to compete with the best golfers in the Chicago area, I was learning to have fun with the game, constantly played cross country golf, inventing new holes. Ryan, who retired 10 years ago from a series of family businesses, became somewhat famous in amateur circles. He was a player. All I ever wanted to do was write about the game. I was an observer. To Ryan and his wife, Amy, who are members at Illini Country Club in Springfield, Ill., I say, "Keep playing, keep entering tournaments." Surveying Golfweek's national senior amateur schedule, the competition among golfers who are at least 65 (or sometimes 70) comprises the fastest growing age group. To my buddies – Jim Marblestone, Don Beane, Joe Smith, Bill Hopper – I say thanks for the guidance and friendship. Golf was the platform, but it was always the people who made the difference.

About the U.S. Senior Open

The U.S. Senior Open is one of 15 national championships conducted by the USGA. Open to amateurs and professionals who have reached their 50th birthday as of the first day of the championship.The Senior Open was first played in 1980 with a purse of, ...

Most Popular Articles

2025 PGA TOUR Q-School Guide: Sites, Scores, and Who Advanced

Dec 5, 2025Second Stage is complete and Final Stage awaits at Sawgrass — follow every Q-School leaderboard and the players still chasing

2025 LPGA TOUR Q-Series: Final Qualifying Stage FINAL SCORING

Dec 8, 2025Helen Briem earns medalist honors, 31 players headed to the LPGA next year

2025 PGA TOUR Q-School Final Stage: Ewart Leads Five New TOUR Card Winners

Dec 14, 2025A.J. Ewart topped Final Stage at TPC Sawgrass, leading five players who secured PGA TOUR membership for 2026.

Australian Open at Royal Melbourne: Preview, amateur bios, and how to watch

Nov 30, 2025Rory McIlroy headlines one of the championship's top fields in years - at least four amateurs will have their chance at glory

Inside Gil Hanse’s Restoration of Baltusrol’s Upper Course: A Return to Tillinghast’s

Dec 11, 2025Renowned architect Gil Hanse reveals how he brought Baltusrol’s Upper Course back to life by honoring A.W. Tillinghast’s original

Filters

Related Tournament

U.S. Senior Open

View Details

Loading latest news...