FINAL UPDATE: Players to Watch at the 2018 U.S. Senior Am
8/30/2018 | by AmateurGolf.com Staff
see also: U.S. Senior Amateur, a USGA Championship, Baltimore Country Club: East
The 2018 U.S. Senior Amateur has been completed; see how our 18 Players to Watch (including the champion) fared
EUGENE, Ore. (August 28, 2018) - Before the 64th U.S. Senior Amateur Championship teed off Saturday, we highlighted 18 "Players to Watch", a sampling of some of the players who have racked up big senior wins this summer, who had finished well in previous USGA events, or who just had an interesting story.
Related: Players to Watch at the U.S. Senior Amateur
After 36 holes of stroke play qualifying, 17 of the 18 were able to advance to match play, with the defending champion Sean Knapp getting through a 14-for-13 playoff for the final match play spots. Jeff Wilson was the co-medalist, making him the first player ever to earn medalist honors in the U.S. Amateur, U.S. Mid-Amateur, and U.S. Senior Amateur championships.
Related: Wilson makes history, co-medals with Condon at U.S. Sr Am
After one round of match play, 12 of the 18 were still alive. 11 made it through to the final 16, and six have made it into the quarterfinal round.
Related: Final 8 at US Senior Am includes co-medalist, 4 USGA champs
After the morning matches on Wednesday, four of our Players to Watch remained to battle each other for the championship.
In the end, Wilson won two straight matches against former champions, taking out Lutz and then defeating Knapp to win his first USGA title.
FINAL Players to Watch Leaderboard
The 64th U.S. Senior Amateur champion
69-70--139 (T1) Jeff Wilson
Beat Richard Jeffers 3&2, Beat Buddy Patch 5&4, Beat Scott Sullivan 2&1, Beat Ned Zachar 6&4, Beat Chip Lutz 2&1, Beat Sean Knapp 2&1
The Runner-up
75-77--152 (T52*) Sean Knapp
Beat Tom Brandes 2&1, Beat Jeff Burda 19 holes, Beat Jack Larkin 19 holes, Beat Doug Hanzel 4&3, Beat Mike McCoy 2&1, Lost to Jeff Wilson 2&1
*Advanced through a 14-man playoff for the final 13 match play spots
Lost in the match play semifinals
74-70--144 (T6) Chip Lutz
Beat Thomas Immenschuh 4&2, Beat Dirk Maust 2&1, Beat Dave Ryan 4&2, Beat Craig Davis 1 up, Lost to Jeff Wilson 2&1
77-71--148 (T17) Michael McCoy
Beat Hunter Nelson 5&3, Beat Robert Funk 2&1, Beat Buzz Fly 5&4, Beat Jerry Rose 3&2, Lost to Sean Knapp 2&1
Lost in the match play quarterfinals
73-75--148 (T17) Doug Hanzel
Beat Jim McNelis 4&3, Beat Buddy Alexander 7&6, Beat Frank Vana, Jr. 4&3, Lost to Sean Knapp 4&3
77-72--149 (T25) Craig Davis
Beat John R. Turk 3&1, Beat Joe Palmer 2&1, Beat Tim Jackson 2&1, Lost to Chip Lutz 1 up
Lost in the final 16 of match play
69-74--143 (T4) Frank Vana Jr.
Beat Tom Winegardner 2 up, Beat Edward Armagost 2&1, Lost to Doug Hanzel 4&3
71-73--144 (T6) Paul Simson
Beat Mitch Wilson 5&3, Beat Walter Todd 1 up, Lost to Jerry Rose 20 holes
74-70--144 (T6) Gene Elliott
Beat Brian Tennyson 3&2, Beat Michael Rowley 1 up, Lost to Ned Zachar 1 up
74-71--145 (T10) Dave Ryan
Beat Claud Cooper 5&4, Beat Wright Waddell 2 up, Lost to Chip Lutz 4&2
78-73--151 (T41) Tim Jackson
Beat Jay Blumenfeld 4&2, Beat David Pulk 2 up, Lost to Craig Davis 2&1
Lost in the second round of match play
74-77--151 (T41) Robert Funk
Beat Steven Borget 4&3, Lost to Mike McCoy 2&1
Lost in the first round of match play
72-73--145 (T10) Randy Haag
Lost to Buddy Marucci 21 holes
75-71--146 (T12) Mike Booker
Lost to Buddy Alexander 19 holes
72-74--146 (T12) Tom Brandes
Lost to Sean Knapp 2&1
73-74--147 (T14) Matthew Sughrue
Lost to David Pulk 19 holes
72-77--149 (T25) Pat O’Donnell
Lost to Buzz Fly 3&1
Missed the cut for match play
86-82--168 (MC) James “Jimmy” Dunne
Related: Players to Watch at the U.S. Senior Amateur
Related: Wilson makes history, co-medals with Condon at U.S. Sr Am
After one round of match play, 12 of the 18 were still alive. 11 made it through to the final 16, and six have made it into the quarterfinal round.
Related: Final 8 at US Senior Am includes co-medalist, 4 USGA champs
After the morning matches on Wednesday, four of our Players to Watch remained to battle each other for the championship.
In the end, Wilson won two straight matches against former champions, taking out Lutz and then defeating Knapp to win his first USGA title.
FINAL Players to Watch Leaderboard
The 64th U.S. Senior Amateur champion
69-70--139 (T1) Jeff Wilson
Beat Richard Jeffers 3&2, Beat Buddy Patch 5&4, Beat Scott Sullivan 2&1, Beat Ned Zachar 6&4, Beat Chip Lutz 2&1, Beat Sean Knapp 2&1
The Runner-up
75-77--152 (T52*) Sean Knapp
Beat Tom Brandes 2&1, Beat Jeff Burda 19 holes, Beat Jack Larkin 19 holes, Beat Doug Hanzel 4&3, Beat Mike McCoy 2&1, Lost to Jeff Wilson 2&1
*Advanced through a 14-man playoff for the final 13 match play spots
Lost in the match play semifinals
74-70--144 (T6) Chip Lutz
Beat Thomas Immenschuh 4&2, Beat Dirk Maust 2&1, Beat Dave Ryan 4&2, Beat Craig Davis 1 up, Lost to Jeff Wilson 2&1
77-71--148 (T17) Michael McCoy
Beat Hunter Nelson 5&3, Beat Robert Funk 2&1, Beat Buzz Fly 5&4, Beat Jerry Rose 3&2, Lost to Sean Knapp 2&1
Lost in the match play quarterfinals
73-75--148 (T17) Doug Hanzel
Beat Jim McNelis 4&3, Beat Buddy Alexander 7&6, Beat Frank Vana, Jr. 4&3, Lost to Sean Knapp 4&3
77-72--149 (T25) Craig Davis
Beat John R. Turk 3&1, Beat Joe Palmer 2&1, Beat Tim Jackson 2&1, Lost to Chip Lutz 1 up
Lost in the final 16 of match play
69-74--143 (T4) Frank Vana Jr.
Beat Tom Winegardner 2 up, Beat Edward Armagost 2&1, Lost to Doug Hanzel 4&3
71-73--144 (T6) Paul Simson
Beat Mitch Wilson 5&3, Beat Walter Todd 1 up, Lost to Jerry Rose 20 holes
74-70--144 (T6) Gene Elliott
Beat Brian Tennyson 3&2, Beat Michael Rowley 1 up, Lost to Ned Zachar 1 up
74-71--145 (T10) Dave Ryan
Beat Claud Cooper 5&4, Beat Wright Waddell 2 up, Lost to Chip Lutz 4&2
78-73--151 (T41) Tim Jackson
Beat Jay Blumenfeld 4&2, Beat David Pulk 2 up, Lost to Craig Davis 2&1
Lost in the second round of match play
74-77--151 (T41) Robert Funk
Beat Steven Borget 4&3, Lost to Mike McCoy 2&1
Lost in the first round of match play
72-73--145 (T10) Randy Haag
Lost to Buddy Marucci 21 holes
75-71--146 (T12) Mike Booker
Lost to Buddy Alexander 19 holes
72-74--146 (T12) Tom Brandes
Lost to Sean Knapp 2&1
73-74--147 (T14) Matthew Sughrue
Lost to David Pulk 19 holes
72-77--149 (T25) Pat O’Donnell
Lost to Buzz Fly 3&1
Missed the cut for match play
86-82--168 (MC) James “Jimmy” Dunne
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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