Tim Hogarth matched a pair of scoring records on Sunday en route to earning medalist honors in the 66th U.S. Senior Amateur Championship at the Country Club of Detroit. The 55-year-old from Northridge, Calif., carded a bogey-free, 7-under-par 65 for a 36-hole total of 10-under 134.
The 65 tied the score shot by Bill Zylstra in 2007 at Flint Hills National Golf Club in Andover, Kan., and his 134 matched the stroke-play mark of Billy Claggett in 2005 at The Farms Golf Club in Rocky Face, Ga. This is also the third time Hogarth, the 1996 U.S. Amateur Public Links champion, has earned medalist honors in a USGA championship, having done so in the 2007 (shared with four others) and 2010 U.S. Mid-Amateurs (3-way) at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in Bandon, Ore., and Atlantic Golf Club in Bridgehampton, N.Y., respectively. In the 2010 event, Hogarth advanced to the championship match before losing to Nathan Smith.
“You know that’s exciting,” said Hogarth of the achievement. “Any time you do something that is meaningful in history, I’m proud of that.”
Playing in his 37th USGA championship – and first U.S. Senior Amateur (he turned 55 in June) – Hogarth finished four strokes clear of 2015 champion Chip Lutz, of Reading, Pa. Lutz, one of three 18-hole leaders, shot a 2-under 70 for a 36-hole total of 138.
Sean Knapp, of Oakmont, Pa., the 2017 champion, and 2015 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball runner-up Sherill Britt, of West End, Pa., were five strokes back. Knapp carded a 66 on Sunday – the second-best score of the day – after a disappointing 73 in Saturday’s first round.
Roger Newsom, of Virginia Beach, Va., the runner-up in 2019, finished at 4-under 140 after backing up Saturday’s 69 with a 71.
Hogarth, who is walking and carrying his own bag, took advantage of the calm morning conditions (the wind picked up in the afternoon) and closed his round by making birdies on four of his last five holes. His round might have been even lower if it hadn’t been for a pair of three-putt pars.
“Today was just better,” said Hogarth of his overall performance from Saturday’s first round when he carded a 69. “Especially going into match play, to be hitting it really solid makes me feel good about it.”
Lutz began his afternoon round off the 10th tee as if he might take a run at Hogarth for medalist with birdies on 10, 11 and 14. But after nine consecutive pars, he bogeyed six and eight before closing his day with a two-putt birdie on the par-5 ninth.
“I’m quite pleased with the way I played the last two days,” said Lutz. “Really you just need to get into match play and anything can happen. I’m a perfect example of that; I’ve been in five semifinal matches [since becoming eligible in 2010] and lost four times. I was in three [semis] and lost before winning [in 2015].”
Knapp’s 66 was keyed by a par save on the par-4 12th, his third hole of the round. After having to lay up from a fairway bunker, the 59-year-old who qualified for this year’s U.S. Amateur executed a perfect 74-yard wedge approach to 5 feet. When he reached the par-5 17th in two with a 4-iron, Knapp felt he had finally found something after struggling in Round 1. He finished with birdies on four of his last six holes.
“I kind of understand the golf course after the last few days,” said Knapp. “As much as anything, it’s not having to expend that pressure [to qualify] or that emotion coming down the stretch.”
What’s Next
The championship shifts to match play with the Round of 64 getting underway on Monday at 8 a.m. EDT off the first tee. Tuesday and Wednesday are each scheduled to be double-round match play days. Thursday morning’s 18-hole championship is scheduled to begin at 8:30.
Notable
The cut for match play came at 4-over 148 with exactly 64 contestants on the number or better, erasing the need for a Monday playoff for the final spots. It’s the lowest cut since this current format was added in 1964. It’s also the first time since 2016 that no playoff was needed to determine the last spots for match play. It also happened in 2001.
One of the more remarkable feats in U.S. Senior Amateur history came to an end when two-time champion Paul Simson missed the cut by seven strokes. The 70-year-old from Raleigh had never missed the cut – or lost a Round-of-64 match – in 13 previous starts. Simson, who owns a 34-11 match-play record, is four wins shy of the all-time mark held by Lewis Oehmig.
With Simson failing to qualify, the longest active match-play-cut streak belongs to 2015 champion Chip Lutz at 11. The Reading, Pa., native owns a 25-9 match-play record.
Besides Lutz and Sean Knapp, three other past U.S. Senior Amateur champions made the cut, including defending champ Bob Royak. The other two are Doug Hanzel (2013) and Jeff Wilson (2018). Other notable USGA champions to qualify for match play are Michael McCoy (2013 U.S. Mid-Amateur), Stewart (Buddy) Alexander (1986 U.S. Amateur), Ken Bakst (1997 U.S. Mid-Amateur) and Tim Jackson (1994 and 2001 U.S. Mid-Amateur).
Royak pulled off one of the shots of the day on the par-5 ninth, his 18th of the day. After getting a drop from a cart path adjacent to the halfway house, the Alpharetta, Ga., resident watched his 30-yard pitch take one hop on the green and disappear into the hole for an eagle.
Rick Woulfe, 71, of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., the oldest competitor in the field, carded a 2-under 70 on Sunday to qualify for match play at 1-over 145. Woulfe also has local ties to the state as he played on the Michigan State golf team from 1969-1971.
Three Michigan residents earned their way into the draw: Jerry Gunthorpe (Ovid), Tom Gieselman (Commerce Township) and Rick Herpich (Orchard Lakes).
One of the best turnarounds from Round 1 to 2 was by Randy Hicken, of American Fork, Utah, who rallied with a 67 to qualify for match play after an opening 77.
Quotable
“I’ve had this experience twice, where I won the Pub Links and I got to the finals of the U.S. Mid-Am, so I know that it takes a long time. Hopefully, I am ready for a long week.” – medalist Tim Hogarth on the mindset you need to win a USGA amateur competition
“I knew he was pretty good and I knew if I could stay within shouting distance, I wouldn’t have a problem getting in to match play. That’s all I did was follow him.” – Sherrill Britt (71-68—139) on playing alongside medalist Hogarth in stroke play
“Maybe I should start carrying my bag again.” – Sean Knapp (73-66—139), who often hoofed his own bag in competitions, when informed about Hogarth doing it this week
“Confidence is hard to get and when you can win that many matches and know you can do it, that makes a big difference.” – defending champion Bob Royak (72-70—142) on the value of experience in match play
“I just really appreciate being here again and to play as well as I did [in stroke play]. You just hope to win [your matches] and keep moving [through the draw]. But we’ll take it one at a time.” – 2015 champion Chip Lutz
David Shefter is a senior staff writer for the USGA. Email him at dshefter@usga.org. Regan Holgate, the USGA’s digital media and broadcast intern, contributed.
