Scott Collette of Knoxville, Tennessee claimed the biggest amateur golf title of his career on Friday, winning the 2025 Play Golf Myrtle Beach World Amateur Championship at Thistle Golf Club in Sunset Beach, N.C.

Collette emerged from a field of 59 other flight winners in the championship playoff, defeating Doug Harvey of Zebulon, N.C., in a tense three-hole battle. Richard Marriott of Paget, Bermuda, finished third, with five players tying for fourth.

Division Champions

• Men’s Gross Division: Sean O’Donnell (Glendale, Ariz.), 72-hole total of 279
• Men’s Senior Gross Division: Michael Batten (Ponte Vedra, Fla.)
• Men’s Mid-Senior Gross Division: Orlando Rodriguez (Miami, Fla.)
• Women’s Gross Division: Tracy Burgess (Paget, Bermuda)
• Casa de Campo Pairs Competition: Michael Batten (Ponte Vedra, Fla.) & Jerry Edwards (Louisville, Ky.)

Inside the Gross Divisions

The Gross Divisions at the World Amateur provide scratch golfers the chance to compete “straight up” from the same championship tees, without handicaps. Winners in each category—Men’s, Senior Men (50+), Mid-Senior Men (60+), and Women’s—receive free entry to defend their title in the following year’s championship.

If any division ends in a tie after four rounds, players return for an 18-hole playoff during Friday’s Championship round—an experience modeled after the U.S. Open format. This structure, combined with the event’s scale, makes the World Am one of the most competitive environments for amateur golfers outside of elite national championships.

Scoring Insight: Men’s Gross Flight #1

Looking at the Men’s Gross Division Flight #1 in 2025 provides a snapshot of what aspiring competitors can expect:

• Total Players: 31
• Average 72-hole score: 316.4 strokes (~79 per round)
• Winning Score: Sean O’Donnell, 279 (-9)

In practical terms, the top tier of players broke par across four rounds, while the middle of the field posted cumulative scores in the 310–322 range (mid-70s to low 80s per round). The back of the field stretched beyond 340, illustrating both the depth of participation and the challenge of competing at scratch level over four championship-caliber setups.

For players considering the Gross Division, this means:

• To contend, expect to shoot par or better across multiple rounds.
• Consistent mid-to-high 70s can keep you competitive in the middle of the pack.
• The division welcomes a wide range of scratch-level players, making it both challenging and accessible.

A Global Gathering in Myrtle Beach

Now in its 42nd year, the World Amateur drew nearly 3,000 players to Myrtle Beach—widely known as The Golf Capital of the World®. More than 60 flight winners advanced to Friday’s final round after four days of play across 50+ award-winning courses, including Caledonia Golf & Fish Club, Tidewater, and Barefoot Resort.

Competitors ranged from age 17 to 92, with golfers representing 47 U.S. states and 18 international countries. Nearly 80 percent of the field traveled from outside the Carolinas, underscoring the global reach of the event.