FINAL UPDATE: Players to Watch at the 2019 U.S. Senior Amateur
8/29/2019 | by AmateurGolf.com Staff
see also: View results for U.S. Senior Amateur, Oak Hills Country Club
The 2019 U.S. Senior Amateur is in the books; see how our 18 Players to Watch fared (including the winner)
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
Before the tournament could even tee off, two of Players to Watch were out, as both Ken Kinkopf and Tim Jackson withdrew, due to an injury and a death in the family.
Of the remaining 16, 15 made it to match play, with Mike McCoy and Doug Hanzel sharing medalist honors.
Some big names went down in the first round of match play including former champion Chip Lutz and Gene Elliott, who has done everything in senior golf except win its biggest prize.
Two more former champs -- Hanzel and Paul Simson -- fell in the second round. Jeff Wilson made a great defense of his title, making it to the semifinals before falling to Bob Royak, who went on to defeat fellow Player-to-Watch Roger Newsom and win the 65th U.S. Senior Amateur title.
Related: Royak wins the U.S. Senior in hard fought final match
FINAL Players to Watch Leaderboard
Winner of the 65th U.S. Senior Amateur
77-72--149 (T30) Bob Royak
Beat Kenneth Coutant 8 and 7, Beat Dean Channell 1 up, Beat William Mitchell 2 and 1, Beat Walter Todd 6 and 5, Beat Jeff Wilson 21 holes, Beat Bob Royak 1 up
Lost in the match play final
72-74--146 (T12) Roger Newsom
Beat David Nelson 3 and 2, Beat Jerry Slagle 2 and 1, Beat Mike McCoy 4 and 3, Beat Paul Jett 19 holes, Beat Rick Cloninger 1 up, Lost to Bob Royak 1 up
Lost in the match play semifinals
73-71--144 (T6) Jeff Wilson
Beat Dave Ryan 1 up, Beat Louis Lee 4 and 3, Beat Craig Steinberg 4 and 3, Beat Brady Exber 1 up, Lost to Bob Royak 21 holes
Lost in the match play quarterfinals
77-73--150 (T36) Steve Harwell
Beat Lionel Sutton 3 and 2, Beat Paul Simson 20 holes, Beat Kory Frost 3 and 2, Lost to Rick Cloninger 2 and 1
Lost in the match play round of 16
72-70--142 (T1) Michael McCoy
Beat Walker Taylor 1 up, Beat Peter Detemple 3 and 1, Lost to Roger Newsom 4 and 3
Lost in the second round of match play
71-71--142 (T1) Doug Hanzel
Beat Keith Smith 4 and 3, Lost to Brady Exber 1 up
72-72--144 (T6) Frank Vana Jr.
Beat Craig Davis 3 and 2, Lost to Walter Todd 2 and 1
72-74--146 (T12) Keith Decker
Beat Bradley Karns 3 and 2, Lost to William Mitchell 3 and 1
77-69--146 (T12) Paul Simson
Beat Matt Sughrue 2 and 1, Lost to Steve Harwell 20 holes
74-75--149 (T30) Peter Detemple
Beat Edward Armagost 22 holes, Lost to Mike McCoy 3 and 1
Lost in the first round of match play
70-73--143 (T4) Greg Condon
Lost to Mark Knecht 19 holes
75-68--143 (T4) Chip Lutz
Lost to Titus Harris 2 up
76-68--144 (T6) Gene Elliott
Lost to Paul Jett 2 and 1
75-75--150 (T36) Matt Sughrue
Lost to Paul Simson 2 and 1
77-74--151 (T57) Craig Davis
Lost to Frank Vana 3 and 2
Missed the cut for match play
76-78--154 (T82) Sean Knapp
Withdrew
Ken Kinkopf
Tim Jackson
Related: Players to Watch at the U.S. Senior Amateur
Of the remaining 16, 15 made it to match play, with Mike McCoy and Doug Hanzel sharing medalist honors.
Some big names went down in the first round of match play including former champion Chip Lutz and Gene Elliott, who has done everything in senior golf except win its biggest prize.
Two more former champs -- Hanzel and Paul Simson -- fell in the second round. Jeff Wilson made a great defense of his title, making it to the semifinals before falling to Bob Royak, who went on to defeat fellow Player-to-Watch Roger Newsom and win the 65th U.S. Senior Amateur title.
Related: Royak wins the U.S. Senior in hard fought final match
FINAL Players to Watch Leaderboard
Winner of the 65th U.S. Senior Amateur
77-72--149 (T30) Bob Royak
Beat Kenneth Coutant 8 and 7, Beat Dean Channell 1 up, Beat William Mitchell 2 and 1, Beat Walter Todd 6 and 5, Beat Jeff Wilson 21 holes, Beat Bob Royak 1 up
Lost in the match play final
72-74--146 (T12) Roger Newsom
Beat David Nelson 3 and 2, Beat Jerry Slagle 2 and 1, Beat Mike McCoy 4 and 3, Beat Paul Jett 19 holes, Beat Rick Cloninger 1 up, Lost to Bob Royak 1 up
Lost in the match play semifinals
73-71--144 (T6) Jeff Wilson
Beat Dave Ryan 1 up, Beat Louis Lee 4 and 3, Beat Craig Steinberg 4 and 3, Beat Brady Exber 1 up, Lost to Bob Royak 21 holes
Lost in the match play quarterfinals
77-73--150 (T36) Steve Harwell
Beat Lionel Sutton 3 and 2, Beat Paul Simson 20 holes, Beat Kory Frost 3 and 2, Lost to Rick Cloninger 2 and 1
Lost in the match play round of 16
72-70--142 (T1) Michael McCoy
Beat Walker Taylor 1 up, Beat Peter Detemple 3 and 1, Lost to Roger Newsom 4 and 3
Lost in the second round of match play
71-71--142 (T1) Doug Hanzel
Beat Keith Smith 4 and 3, Lost to Brady Exber 1 up
72-72--144 (T6) Frank Vana Jr.
Beat Craig Davis 3 and 2, Lost to Walter Todd 2 and 1
72-74--146 (T12) Keith Decker
Beat Bradley Karns 3 and 2, Lost to William Mitchell 3 and 1
77-69--146 (T12) Paul Simson
Beat Matt Sughrue 2 and 1, Lost to Steve Harwell 20 holes
74-75--149 (T30) Peter Detemple
Beat Edward Armagost 22 holes, Lost to Mike McCoy 3 and 1
Lost in the first round of match play
70-73--143 (T4) Greg Condon
Lost to Mark Knecht 19 holes
75-68--143 (T4) Chip Lutz
Lost to Titus Harris 2 up
76-68--144 (T6) Gene Elliott
Lost to Paul Jett 2 and 1
75-75--150 (T36) Matt Sughrue
Lost to Paul Simson 2 and 1
77-74--151 (T57) Craig Davis
Lost to Frank Vana 3 and 2
Missed the cut for match play
76-78--154 (T82) Sean Knapp
Withdrew
Ken Kinkopf
Tim Jackson
Results: U.S. Senior Amateur
| Place | Player | Location | Pts | Scores |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | Alpharetta, GA | 2000 | ||
| Runner-up | Virginia Beach, VA | 1500 | ||
| Semifinals | Rock Hill, SC | 1000 | ||
| Semifinals | Fairfield, CA | 1000 | ||
| Quarterfinals | Southern Pines, NC | 700 |
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.
Most Popular Articles
2025 PGA TOUR Q-School Guide: Sites, Scores, and Who Advanced
Oct 24, 2025All First Stage results now final — see who earned a spot in Second Stage on the road to the PGA TOUR.
RESULTS: Fifa Laopakdee Wins 2025 Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship in Dubai
Oct 26, 2025Thailand’s Fifa Laopakdee rallied from six shots back and beat Japan’s Taisei Nagasaki in a playoff
DP World Tour Qualifying School 2025: Road to the 2026 Season
Nov 6, 2025From local qualifiers to the Final Stage at Infinitum Golf, the DP World Tour Q School is where futures are made
U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Qualifying: 2026 Championship Tracker
Oct 22, 2025Follow every qualifier as the field takes shape for the 2026 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship at Desert Mountain Club
RESULTS: 2025 New Zealand Amateur Championship
Nov 2, 2025Mitchell Kale and Chloe So become New Zealand's 2025 Amateur Champions