Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2020 - 18

Future Games
U.S. Junior Amateur Fun Facts
Here are some noteworthy facts and fi gures from the U.S.
Junior Amateur Championship:
Jack Nicklaus competed
in fi ve U.S. Juniors, but it's
the only USGA championship
he never won. He reached
the semifi nals in 1956.
Terry Noe (Republic of
Korea) became the fi rst
international champion,
winning the title in 1994 at
Echo Lake CC, in Westfi eld,
N.J.
The fi rst 36-hole fi nal
COHEN TROLIO
pionship week, " says Sanfi lippo. " Admission to the championship
is free of charge and the USGA, Hazeltine and Chaska
Town Course look forward to welcoming the fans to this historic
championship. "
In 2019, the U.S. Junior Amateur attracted 3,496 entrants,
of which 26 were exempt from the fi eld of 156. The USGA
has yet to announce all of its exemption criteria for 2020, but
it will include a number of top competitors who are high up
in the World Amateur Golf Ranking. What separates the Junior
Amateur from other top events is its democratic process. Anyone
who meets the criteria can attempt to qualify. (The MGA will
conduct two local U.S. Junior Amateur sectional qualifi ers-
June 15 and June 20.)
For every Tiger Woods, Jordan Spieth, Johnny Miller and
Scottie Scheffl er, there's a Shane McNameny, Gordon Baker,
Philip Francis, Rich Marik and Andy Hyeon Bo Shim who can
enjoy one magical title run.
Whether the champion becomes a future superstar or a footnote
in history, they all share a common bond. Each has had
their name engraved into
a large silver bowl. This
July, another name is
set to be added. The next
chapter awaits.
David Shefter, a senior staff
writer for the USGA, has
covered more than 150
national championships
since joining the
organization in 1999.
MG
took place in 2005 when
Kevin Tway, the son of 1986
PGA Champion Bob Tway,
defeated Bradley Johnson,
5 and 3, at Longmeadow
(Mass.) Country Club.
No player from the state
of Minnesota has won the
U.S. Junior Amateur.
Hazeltine Golf Club will
be the third consecutive U.S.
Junior Amateur venue that
has previously hosted a U.S.
Open, joining Baltusrol GC
(2018) and Inverness Club
(2019). Six other U.S. Junior
Amateurs have been contested
at venues that have
hosted or will be hosting a
U.S. Open.
Tiger Woods,
Jordan Spieth
and Johnny Miller
are the only U.S.
Junior Amateur champions to
have won a U.S. Open.
Jim Liu surpassed Woods
as the youngest champion
when he took the title in
2010 at the age of 14 years,
11 months.
History of U.S. Junior Amateur in Minnesota
The 73rd U.S. Junior Amateur will be the third contested in the
Land of 10,000 Lakes and the 37th overall USGA championship
in the state-the last was the 2017 U.S. Senior Amateur at The
Minikahda Club. Here is a brief look at the last two U.S. Junior
Amateurs held in Minnesota.
1958 (University of Minnesota Golf Club, Saint Paul)
Skinny: During the early years of the championship, the USGA
typically conducted its U.S. Junior Amateur Championship
(eight of the fi rst 15) at campus/university sites, perhaps as
a way to showcase the future of the game to college coaches.
In 1958, the University of Minnesota Golf Club in Saint Paul
was chosen to host. Gordon " Buddy " Baker, of Florence, S.C.,
defeated R. Douglas Lindsay, 17, of Bethesda, Md., 2 and 1, in
the 18-hole fi nal. The USGA accepted a record 1,117 entries,
surpassing the previous year's 1,065.
1984 (Wayzata Country Club)
Skinny: Doug Martin, 17, of Findlay, Ohio, never trailed in any
of his six matches. He became the fourth player in championship
history to win both the qualifying medal and title, with his
4-and-2 victory over Brad Agee, of Conroe, Texas. Martin, the
1983 Ohio Junior champion, played the equivalent of 4-underpar
golf in winning seven of the fi rst eight holes. Future PGA Tour
winner Billy Mayfair, who would capture both the U.S. Amateur
Public Links (1986) and U.S. Amateur (1987), fell in the Round of
16 to Hawaii native Neil Simms.
KARL VILIPS
18
MINNESOTAGOLFER Spring 2020
mngolf.org
http://www.mngolf.org
Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2020

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