Hammer tops Riley for Western Amateur title
August 4, 2018 | by AmateurGolf.com Staff
see also: Cole Hammer, View results for Western Amateur, Beverly Country Club
Cole Hammer became the sixth 18-year-old to win the Western Amateur on Saturday after a marathon week
Hammer defeated Davis Riley on the 18th hole of Saturday’s final match at Sunset Ridge Golf Club to take the honor. It comes just two weeks after Hammer advanced to the semifinals of the U.S. Junior. Hammer, together with partner Garrett Barber, became a USGA champion at the start of the summer with a victory at the U.S. Amateur Four-Ball.
“Surreal,” said Hammer, whose mother, Allison, served as his caddie all week. “Biggest day in my golf career, no question.”
Hammer was as far as 4 up at the turn, but Riley chipped away at that lead on the back nine. Riley won the 11th when Hammer made bogey, then won the 12th with a birdie. Davis trimmed Hammer’s lead down to 1 up at the 16th but the two matched pars on Nos. 17 and 18, which resulted in a Hammer victory.
“I had faith in what I was doing,” Riley said. “I stayed patient, and I was good enough to make a charge. I knew I could do it. I hit some good shots and made some birdies.”
Riley got as far as the Western Amateur semifinals in 2016, but this was his first trip to the final. Hammer, meanwhile, missed the 36-hole cut at this event a year ago.Is there anything better than winning one of the most prestigious titles in amateur golf with your mom on the bag, @cole_hammer6765? pic.twitter.com/XPCaKD5oML
— Western Amateur (@westernamateur) August 4, 2018
In the morning's semifinals, Hammer beat Brandon Wu, of Scarsdale, N.Y., in 20 holes, while Riley defeated Tyler Strafaci, of Davie, Fla., 4 and 2. It was the second match Hammer needed 20 holes to win. Meanwhile, Riley, a senior at Alabama, hadn’t played past No. 16 in match play.
Hammer has been in Western headlines all week, starting with his opening round of 6-under 65. That round included no bogeys, and he described it as “stress free” at the end of the day. He dove to 10-under 61 in the third round of stroke play, setting a new course record at Sunset Ridge. He added a fourth and final stroke-play round in the 60s that afternoon and easily advanced as the top seed.
Hammer also becomes the sixth Longhorn to win the event, and the first since Beau Hossler won in 2014.
“It was a really special week from start to finish,” Hammer said.
Both Hammer and Riley will compete in the U.S. Amateur at Pebble Beach Golf Links in Pebble Beach, California, on Aug. 13-19.
Results: Western Amateur
| Place | Player | Location | Pts | Scores |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | Houston, TX | 1500 | 65-68-61-67=261 | |
| Runner-up | Hattiesburg, MS | 1200 | 66-68-63-72=269 | |
| Semifinals | Scarsdale, NY | 900 | 66-69-67-64=266 | |
| Semifinals | Davie, FL | 900 | 66-68-66-67=267 | |
| Quarterfinals | Gainesville, GA | 700 | 63-66-69-70=268 |
About the Western Amateur
Invitational event, and the most important tournament in American amateur golf outside of the U.S. Amateur. With a grueling schedule, it's quite possibly the hardest amateur tournament to win. 156 invited players come from across the globe to play on...
Most Popular Articles
LIVE SCORING: 2026 Australian Men’s Amateur Championship
Feb 3, 2026Australia’s national amateur championship returns Feb. 3–6 at The Western Australian and Wanneroo.
2026 Ben Hogan Award Watch List: 35 Names to Know This Spring
Jan 29, 2026The 2026 Ben Hogan Award watch list is out—35 college golf standouts are in the early mix for the game’s top individual honor.
Titleist Fitting Philosophy: The Competitive Amateur’s Fastest Path to Lower Scores
Jan 26, 2026Competitive golf is a game of small edges. Titleist’s fitting approach combines expert human insight and honest data
NCAA Champion Michael La Sasso Turns Pro, Signs With LIV Golf
Jan 20, 2026Michael La Sasso is going LIV, joining Phil Mickelson’s HyFlyers GC and passing on the 2026 Masters.
Early Invites Announced for the 2026 Augusta National Women’s Amateur
Jan 24, 2026A running list of the first confirmed names headed to Augusta.