2019 U.S. Senior Amateur Fast FactsOld Chatham Golf Club, Durham, N.C.
| Championship Venue | Old Chatham Golf Club, Durham, N.C. |
| Opened | 2001 |
| Architect | Rees Jones |
| Dates of Championship | August 24-29 |
| Yardage/Par | 7,130 yards/par 72 (Subject to change) |
| Hole by Hole | (Subject to change) Hole 1: 577 yards (par 5) Hole 2: 178 yards (par 3) Hole 3: 365 yards (par 4) Hole 4: 447 yards (par 4) Hole 5: 424 yards (par 4) Hole 6: 560 yards (par 5) Hole 7: 220 yards (par 3) Hole 8: 365 yards (par 4) Hole 9: 386 yards (par 4) OUT: 3,522 yards (par 36) Hole 10: 367 yards (par 4) Hole 11: 622 yards (par 5) Hole 12: 212 yards (par 3) Hole 13: 448 yards (par 4) Hole 14: 510 yards (par 5) Hole 15: 442 yards (par 4) Hole 16: 362 yards (par 4) Hole 17: 182 yards (par 3) Hole 18: 463 yards (par 4) IN: 3,608 yards (par 36) TOTAL: 7,130 yards (par 72) |
| Field Size | 156 players |
| Entries Accepted | 2,466 (second-most in championship history) |
| Sectional Qualifying | Qualifying took place from July 15-Aug. 5 at 49 sites around the country |
| Eligibility | Open to any golfer who is 55 years of age as of August 24 and whose Handicap Index does not exceed 7.4 |
| Exempt Players (28) | Stewart (Buddy) Alexander (1986 U.S. Amateur champion) Gianluca Bulla (Top 15 age-eligible points leader in World Amateur Golf Ranking) Craig Davis (2018 U.S. Senior Amateur quarterfinalist; 2019 Senior Amateur conducted by The R&A champion) Keith Decker (Top 15 age-eligible points leader in World Amateur Golf Ranking) Gene Elliott (Top 15 age-eligible points leader in World Amateur Golf Ranking) Brady Exber (2018 Canadian Senior Amateur champion; Top 15 age-eligible points leader in World Amateur Golf Ranking) Trevor Foster (2018 Senior Amateur champion conducted by The R&A) Marvin (Vinny) Giles (2009 U.S. Senior Amateur champion) Randy Haag (Top 15 age-eligible points leader in World Amateur Golf Ranking) Jack Hall (Top 15 age-eligible points leader in World Amateur Golf Ranking) Doug Hanzel (2013 U.S. Senior Amateur champion; Top 15 age-eligible points leader in World Amateur Golf Ranking) Tim Jackson (Top 15 age-eligible points leader in World Amateur Golf Ranking) Ken Kinkopf (Top 15 age-eligible points leader in World Amateur Golf Ranking) Sean Knapp (2017 U.S. Senior Amateur champion; 2018 U.S. Senior Amateur runner-up; Top 15 age-eligible points leader in World Amateur Golf Ranking) Louis Lee (2011 U.S. Senior Amateur champion) Chip Lutz (2015 U.S. Senior Amateur champion; 2018 U.S. Senior Amateur semifinalist) George (Buddy) Marucci (Special Exemption from the USGA) Michael McCoy (2018 U.S. Senior Amateur semifinalist; Playing member of 2015 USA Walker Cup Team) Joe Palmer (Top 15 age-eligible points leader in World Amateur Golf Ranking) Jerry Rose (2018 U.S. Senior Amateur quarterfinalist) Bob Royak (Top 15 age-eligible points leader in World Amateur Golf Ranking) Dave Ryan (2016 U.S. Senior Amateur champion; 2017 U.S. Senior Amateur semifinalist) Paul Simson (2010 and 2012 U.S. Senior Amateur champion; 2017 U.S. Senior Amateur runner-up; Top 15 age-eligible points leader in World Amateur Golf Ranking) Matt Sughrue (2016 U.S. Senior Amateur runner-up; Top 15 age-eligible points leader in World Amateur Golf Ranking) Frank Vana (2017 U.S. Senior Amateur semifinalist) Pete Williams (Top 15 age-eligible points leader in World Amateur Golf Ranking) Jeff Wilson (2018 U.S. Senior Amateur champion) Ned Zachar (2018 U.S. Senior Amateur quarterfinalist) |
| 2018 Championship | Jeff Wilson, 55, of Fairfield, Calif., became the first medalist in 31 years to claim the U.S. Senior Amateur title with a 2-and-1 victory over defending champion Sean Knapp, 56, of Oakmont, Pa., in the 18-hole championship match at Eugene (Ore.) Country Club. To read more, click here. |
| Quoatable | "I think Sean said it best [at the prize ceremony], it’s really hard to win one of these things. First you’ve got to get over yourself and then you have to beat the guy playing with you. And it’s difficult. I always thought I was good enough to be a USGA champion, but I never put the work in. And that shows up when the matches are on the line. This year, I put the work in.” -- Jeff Wilson |
| Notable Events at Old Chatham Golf Club | 2009 North Carolina Amateur (Mark McMillen) 2014 North Carolina Mid-Amateur (Joe Jaspers) |
| Did You Know? | Legendary University of North Carolina men's basketball coach Dean Smith and former USGA president Jim Hyler were among the founding members of Old Chatham Golf Club. |
| Notable U.S. Senior Amateur Champions | J. Wood Platt (1955); J. Clark Espie (1957, 1959); Dexter Daniels (1961, 1966); Gene Andrews (1970); Lewis W. Oehmig (1972, 1976, 1985); Dale Morey (1974, 1977); William C. Campbell (1979-80); Ed Updegraff (1981); William Hyndman III (1983); John Richardson (1987); O. Gordon Brewer (1994, 1996); Bill Shean Jr. (1998, 2000); Kemp Richardson (2001, 2003); Stan Lee (2007); George “Buddy” Marucci (2008); Marvin “Vinny” Giles (2009); Paul Simson (2010, 2012); Louis Lee (2011); Pat Tallent (2014); Chip Lutz (2015); Sean Knapp (2017); Jeff Wilson (2018) |
| Notable U.S. Senior Amateur Runners-Up | J. Clark Espie (1956); Ernest Pieper Jr. (1971-72); Lewis W. Oehmig (1974, 1977, 1979); Dale Morey (1981); Ed Updegraff (1982); Richard Runkle (1983-84); John Harbottle (1986); George Zahringer (2008); Pat Tallent (2010); Bryan Norton (2014); Paul Simson (2017); Sean Knapp (2018) |
| Schedule of Play | Saturday, Aug. 24 (Stroke Play, Round 1, 18 holes) Sunday, Aug. 25 (Stroke Play, Round 1, 18 holes) Monday, Aug. 26 (Round of 64, match play) Tuesday, Aug. 27 (Round of 32/Round of 16, match play) Wednesday, Aug. 28 (Quarterfinals/Semifinals, match play) Thursday, Aug. 30 (Championship Match, 18 holes) |
| Match-Play Cut | The low 64 scorers following stroke play will qualify for match play. If necessary, a playoff will be conducted to determine the final match-play spots. |
| Future Sites | 2020: Country Club of Detroit, Grosse Pointe Farms, Mich./Aug. 29-Sept. 3 2021: The Honors Course, Ooltewah, Tenn/Aug. 28-Sept. 2 2022: The Kittansett Club, Marion, Mass./Aug. 27-Sept. 1 |
