U.S. Amateur Home

FIELD NOTES – Among the 312 golfers in the 2017 U.S. Amateur Championship:

Oldest Competitors: George Zahringer (64, born April 23, 1953), Matthew Sughrue (57, born Sept. 2, 1959), Michael McCoy (54, born Nov. 21, 1962), Robert Funk (54, born June 28, 1963).

Youngest Competitors: Alec Nachmann (15, born March 27, 2002), Canon Claycomb (15, born Nov. 7, 2001), Karl Vilips (15, born Aug. 16, 2001), Clay Merchent (16, born July 5, 2001), Tyler Isenhart (16, born May 9, 2001).

Average Age of Field: 22.39

International Field (Number of players) – There are 29 countries represented in the 2017 U.S. Amateur, including United States (251), Australia (11), Canada (7), England (5), People’s Republic of China (3), Norway (3), Argentina (2), Chile (2), Denmark (2), Japan (2), Republic of Korea (2), Mexico (2), Scotland (2), Thailand (2), Chinese Taipei (1), Colombia (1), Dominican Republic (1), Finland (1), France (1), Republic of Ireland (1), Kazakhstan (1), Malaysia (1), New Zealand (1), Peru (1), South Africa (1), Spain (1), Sweden (1), Venezuela (1) and Wales (1).

U.S. States Represented (Number of players) – There are 39 states represented in the 2017 U.S. Amateur: California (51), Texas (18), Florida (14), North Carolina (14), Illinois (12), New York (10), Tennessee (10), Ohio (9), Georgia (8), Alabama (7), Michigan (7), Minnesota (7), New Jersey (7), Pennsylvania (7), Arizona (6), Virginia (6), Indiana (5), Louisiana (4), Mississippi (4), Washington (4), Colorado (3), Connecticut (3), Maryland (3), Nevada (3), Oklahoma (3), Oregon (3), South Carolina (3), Iowa (2), Kentucky (2), Massachusetts (2), Missouri (2), Nebraska (2), New Mexico (2), Utah (2), Wisconsin (2), Hawaii (1), Kansas (1), Maine (1) and Wyoming (1).

USGA Champions (12): Philip Barbaree (2015 Junior Amateur), Noah Goodwin (2017 Junior Amateur), Stewart Hagestad (2016 Mid-Amateur), Scott Harvey (2014 Mid-Amateur), Min Woo Lee (2016 Junior Amateur), Michael McCoy (2013 Mid-Amateur), Scottie Scheffler (2013 Junior Amateur), Sammy Schmitz (2015 Mid-Amateur), Nathan Smith (2003, 2009, 2010, 2012 Mid-Amateur; 2015 Amateur Four-Ball), Todd White (2015 Amateur Four-Ball), George Zahringer (2002 Mid-Amateur), Will Zalatoris (2014 Junior Amateur).

USGA Runners-Up (10): Derek Bard (2015 Amateur), Brad Dalke (2016 Amateur), Doug Ghim (2014 Amateur Public Links), Noah Goodwin (2016 Junior Amateur), Scott Harvey (2016 Mid-Amateur), Todd Mitchell (2008 Mid-Amateur), Garrett Rank (2012 Mid-Amateur), Matthew Sughrue (2016 Senior Amateur), Matthew Wolff (2017 Junior Amateur), George Zahringer (2001 Mid-Amateur, 2008 Senior Amateur).

Players in Field with Most U.S. Amateur Appearances (2017 included) – George Zahringer (19), Michael McCoy (18), Nathan Smith (17), Stewart Hagestad (8), Todd Mitchell (8), Todd White (8), Scott Harvey (7).

2017 U.S. Open Competitors (14): Mason Andersen, Cameron Champ, Christopher Crawford, Brad Dalke, Scott Gregory, Stewart Hagestad, Scott Harvey, Walker Lee, Maverick McNealy, Joaquin Niemann, John Oda, Scottie Scheffler, Alex Smalley, Sahith Theegala.

2017 The Open Championship Competitors (4): Harry Ellis, Maverick McNealy, Alfie Plant, Connor Syme. 

2017 U.S. Senior Open Competitors (4): Robert Funk, Michael McCoy, Matthew Sughrue, George Zahringer.

2017 U.S. Junior Amateur Competitors (16): Ricky Castillo, Parker Coody, Noah Goodwin, Eugene Hong, Luke Kluver, Min Woo Lee, Won Jun Lee, Brandon Mancheno, Mac Meissner, Noah Norton, John Pak, Turk Pettit, Charles Reiter, Davis Shore, Tyler Strafaci, Matthew Wolff.

2017 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Competitors (23): Ben Corfee, Wilson Furr, Josh Goldstein, Will Grimmer, Stewart Hagestad, Scott Harvey, David Kocher, Walker Lee, Thomas McCarthy, Todd Mitchell, Brian Ohr, William Rainey, Garrett Rank, Sean Rowen, Jack Schultz, Corby Segal, Davis Shore, Nathan Smith, Zach Smith, Taylor Sundbom, Charles Waddell, Billy Walthouse, Todd White.

2015 USA Walker Cup Team Members (3): Scott Harvey, Michael McCoy, Maverick McNealy.

2013 USA Walker Cup Team Members (2): Nathan Smith, Todd White.

PLAYER NOTES:

Mason Andersen, 18, of Chandler, Ariz., qualified for this year’s U.S. Open, held at Erin Hills in Erin, Wis. Andersen, who will enroll at Arizona State University this fall, tied for fourth in the 2016 state Div. I high school championship and helped Hamilton High finish second. Andersen, who competed in last year’s U.S. Amateur and U.S. Junior Amateur, won the 2016 Arizona Stroke Play championship and was medalist in the 2016 Arizona State Amateur.

Philip Barbaree, 19, of Shreveport, La., was the medalist at the Euless, Texas, sectional qualifier, shooting a course-record 63 in the first round at Texas Star Golf Course. He is competing in his third U.S. Amateur. Barbaree, who will be a sophomore at Louisiana State University, won the 2015 U.S. Junior Amateur by defeating Andrew Orischak in 37 holes. Barbaree set a championship record for largest comeback, coming from 5 down with eight holes to play. Barbaree won two Div. I individual state high school championships and helped C.E. Byrd garner the 2016 team title.

Derek Bard, 22, of New Hartford, N.Y., was the 2015 U.S. Amateur runner-up, losing to Bryson DeChambeau in the final. Played four years at the University of Virginia, where he was a three-time All-Atlantic Coast Conference team selection. He is competing in his seventh USGA championship. Bard, who played in the U.S. Open and the Masters in 2016, won this year’s Monroe Invitational, was a semifinalist in the Western Amateur, tied for sixth in the Sunnehanna Amateur and tied for 11th in the Porter Cup. Bard also won the 2013 New York State Federation and 2012 New York State Public High School championships.

Hugo Bernard, 22, of Canada, advanced to match play in last year’s U.S. Amateur. He won the 2016 NCAA Division II Championship as a member of the St. Leo University team. He also claimed the 2016 Canadian Amateur and finished as the runner-up the previous year. Bernard helped Canada tie for 11th in the 2016 World Amateur Team Championship. He tied for seventh and was low amateur in the Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada’s Mackenzie Investments Open on July 23.

David Boote, 22, of Wales, reached the quarterfinals of the 2016 U.S. Amateur in his first USGA championship. Boote advanced to the Round of 64 in this year’s Amateur Championship, conducted by The R&A, and made the Round of 32 in the Australian Amateur. Boote, who tied for seventh in the 2017 Brabazon Trophy, graduated from Stanford University, where he played in every tournament for four years, earning All-America honors twice and recording 13 top-10 finishes. Boote finished ninth individually in the 2016 World Amateur Team Championship.

Sam Burns, 21, of Shreveport, La., was chosen 2017 NCAA Division I Jack Nicklaus Player of the Year as a sophomore at Louisiana State University. He won the NCAA Baton Rouge Regional and was voted the Southeastern Conference’s top player. Burns, who is competing in his fourth U.S. Amateur and has reached the Round of 32 twice, advanced to the 2015 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball semifinals with partner Austin Connelly. Burns, who won three consecutive individual state high school titles, tied for sixth in the PGA Tour’s Barbasol Championship on July 23 and was fifth in the Northeast Amateur.

Nick Carlson, 20, of Hamilton, Mich., advanced to the semifinals of the 2016 U.S. Amateur, losing to eventual champion Curtis Luck, in 21 holes. He won two extra-holes matches and defeated Western Amateur champion Dylan Meyer in the quarterfinals. A rising junior at the University of Michigan, Carlson earned Midwest All-District recognition and posted four top-10 finishes in 2016-17.

Derek Castillo, 19, of Yorba Linda, Calif., competed at age 16 in the 2014 U.S. Amateur at Atlanta Athletic Club. He also played in the 2013 U.S. Junior Amateur. A sophomore-to-be at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Castillo played in four tournaments in 2016-17. He tied for sixth in the LA City Open Championship on June 18. His brother, Ricky, attends Valencia High School and advanced to the Round of 16 in this year’s U.S. Junior Amateur.

Ricky Castillo, 16, of Yorba Linda, Calif., was the youngest player (age 14) in the 2015 U.S. Amateur at Olympia Fields (Ill.) Country Club. He reached the Round of 16 in the 2017 U.S. Junior Amateur. A rising junior at Valencia High School, Castillo was a 2016 Rolex Junior All-American and has played on two Wyndham Cup West teams (2016, 2017). His brother Derek is a sophomore at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). Derek competed in the 2013 U.S Junior Amateur and 2014 U.S. Amateur.

Cameron Champ, 22, of Sacramento, Calif., was one of two amateurs to make the 36-hole cut in the 2017 U.S. Open, tying for 32nd. He won this year’s Trans-Mississippi Amateur by four strokes and was runner-up in the Pacific Coast Amateur. Champ, who was a semifinalist in the Western Amateur in Aug. and the medalist in the North & South Amateur in June, was chosen first-team All-Southeastern Conference and helped Texas A&M University finish second in the 2017 SEC Championship. Champ, a product of The First Tee program, tied for fifth individually at SECs. His father, Jeff, was selected in the Major League Baseball Draft as a catcher by the Baltimore Orioles.

Canon Claycomb, 15, of Orlando, Fla., is the second-youngest player in the U.S. Amateur field. He was one of five 15-year-olds to compete in this year’s U.S. Open sectional qualifying. He splits time between Bowling Green, Ky., and Florida. He has played on the Greenwood High School team in Bowling Green since fourth grade. Claycomb led the team to a second-place finish in the state championship last October when he tied for second. He won the 2015 Teen World Championship at Pinehurst No. 8.

Parker Coody, 17, of Plano, Texas, is the grandson of 1971 Masters champion Charles Coody, who played in 18 U.S. Opens. Parker, who reached match play in this year’s U.S. Junior Amateur, won the 2017 Texas Class 6A state championship. He and his twin brother, Pierceson, helped Plano West High finish second in the team standings. The brothers led Plano West to the 2016 Class 6A state title.

Christopher Crawford, 23, of Bensalem, Pa., is competing in his fifth U.S. Amateur and eighth USGA championship. He became the first Drexel University golfer to play in a U.S. Open in 2016, and he returned to the championship in 2017 at Erin Hills after qualifying at the Summit, N.J., sectional for the second consecutive year. A three-time All-Colonial Athletic Association selection, he was chosen 2015 CAA Player of the Year. He is currently a Drexel assistant coach.

Sean Crocker, 20, of Long Beach, Calif., is an All-American and first-team All-Pac-12 Conference selection as a member of the University of Southern California (USC) team. He has played in two U.S. Amateurs, including advancing to the 2015 semifinals, where he lost to eventual champion Bryson DeChambeau. He also reached the quarterfinals of the 2014 U.S. Junior Amateur. He made the 36-hole cut in two PGA European Tour events this year, including a tie for 33rd in the Porsche European Open. Crocker was born in Zimbabwe and learned the game from his father, Gary, a professional cricket player.

Brad Dalke, 19, of Norman, Okla., helped the University of Oklahoma capture the 2017 NCAA Championship by winning the decisive match in the victory over Oregon. Dalke, who won the NCAA Stanford Regional, was the runner-up to Curtis Luck in last year’s U.S. Amateur and played in the 2017 Masters. Dalke, who is competing in his eighth USGA championship and third U.S. Amateur, was a member of the USA team that tied for sixth at the 2016 World Amateur Team Championship. His father (Bill) was a starting linebacker on Oklahoma’s 1975 national championship football team and his mother (Kay Pryor) played on the first Oklahoma women’s golf team.

Harry Ellis, 21, of England, won the 2017 Amateur Championship, conducted by The R&A, in dramatic fashion by rallying from 4 down with five holes to play to defeat Dylan Perry in 38 holes. Ellis, who claimed the 2012 English Amateur at age 16, became the third player to win both championships, joining Michael Bonallack and Michael Lunt. Ellis, a rising senior on the Florida State University team, posted three top-5 finishes in 2016-17, including a tie for fifth at the NCAA Washington Regional. He earned honorable mention All-America honors.

Robert Funk, 54, of Canyon Lake, Calif., was the low amateur in the 2017 U.S. Senior Open with a 72-hole score of 8-over 288 at Salem Country Club, in Peabody, Mass. His grandfather, John, who was the son of the Funk and Wagnalls Dictionary founder, introduced him to the game. He became a competitive golfer at age 40 and manages his sons, Capron and Corey, who are YouTube sensations for their crazy stunts and challenges while riding scooters. Funk has competed in five U.S. Mid-Amateurs.

Wilson Furr, 19, of Jackson, Miss., is competing in his sixth USGA championship and reached the Round of 16 with partner Davis Shore at this year’s U.S. Amateur Four-Ball. Furr and Shore, who is also in the U.S. Amateur field, will both attend the University of Alabama in the fall. He also played in the 2016 U.S. Amateur and three U.S. Junior Amateurs. In 2015, Furr became the youngest winner of the Mississippi State Amateur when he posted an eight-stroke victory.

Luis Gagne, 19, of Orlando, Fla., advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2016 U.S. Amateur. He earned honorable mention All-America honors for the second consecutive year as a member of the Louisiana State University (LSU) team. He posted seven top-10 finishes, including a tie for third in the NCAA Baton Rouge Regional and was seventh at the Southeastern Conference Championship. Gagne, who was born in Costa Rica, competed in two U.S. Junior Amateurs.

Tomas (Toto) Gana, 20, of Chile, won the 2017 Latin America Amateur Championship and played in this year’s Masters Tournament. He defeated Alvaro Ortiz, of Mexico, and Joaquin Niemann, of Chile, with a birdie on the second playoff hole to win the LAAC title at Club de Golf de Panama, in Panama City. He is a rising sophomore at Lynn University. He helped the Fighting Knights finish as 2017 NCAA Division II national runner-up and recorded three top-10 showings.

Doug Ghim, 21, of Arlington Heights, Ill., is competing in his fourth consecutive U.S. Amateur. Ghim was chosen first-team All-American and Big 12 Conference Player of the Year as a junior at the University of Texas. He helped the Longhorns win the Big 12 when he tied for second individually. Ghim was also the runner-up in the NCAA Austin Regional. In 2017, he won the Pacific Coast Amateur by one stroke with a 72-hole score of 9-under 275 and was fourth in the Northeast Amateur. Ghim was the 2014 U.S. Amateur Public Links runner-up to Byron Meth and a semifinalist in the 2013 U.S. Junior Amateur.

Noah Goodwin, 17, of Corinth, Texas, won the 2017 U.S. Junior Amateur by defeating Matthew Wolff, 1 up, in the 36-hole final. He rallied from 4 down with eight holes to play. Goodwin became the third player to win after being runner-up the previous year, joining Mason Rudolph (1950) and Tim Straub (1983). Goodwin, who is competing in his seventh USGA championship, qualified for match play in the 2015 and 2016 U.S. Amateurs. He has the same swing coach (Cameron McCormick) as 2015 U.S. Open champion Jordan Spieth. His father, Jeff, is a professor of kinesiology at the University of North Texas.

Scott Gregory, 22, of England, qualified for match play in the 2016 U.S. Amateur. He won the 2016 Amateur Championship, conducted by The R&A, at Royal Porthcawl in Wales and helped England finished second in last year’s World Amateur Team Championship. Gregory, who advanced to the Round of 16 in this year’s Australian Amateur and won the New South Wales Amateur, was one of two amateurs to play in The Open Championship at Royal Troon in 2016. He was also the 2014 English Amateur runner-up.

Will Grimmer, 20, of Cincinnati, Ohio, is playing in his 10th USGA championship and fourth U.S. Amateur. He advanced to the Round of 32 at Olympia Fields (Ill.) Country Club in 2015. Grimmer, who earned All-Midwest and All-Big Ten Conference honors as a sophomore at Ohio State University, finished as the conference runner-up following a final-round 66. In 2017, Grimmer reached the Round of 16 in the North & South Amateur and match play with partner Clark Engle in the U.S. Amateur Four-Ball. He qualified for the 2014 U.S. Open, where he was the youngest player (age 17) in the field.

Stewart Hagestad, 26, of Newport Beach, Calif., is competing in his eighth U.S. Amateur. He won the 2016 U.S. Mid-Amateur by defeating Scott Harvey in 37 holes. Hagestad, who became the second-youngest champion, produced the largest comeback victory (4 down with 5 holes to play) since a 36-hole Mid-Amateur final was introduced in 2001. He was the low amateur in the 2017 Masters Tournament, tying for 36th. Hagestad was a member of the University of Southern California (USC) golf team and graduated in 2013. He was chosen 2016 Metropolitan Golf Association Player of the Year.

Gavin Hall, 22, of Pittsford, N.Y., is playing in his fourth U.S. Amateur and advanced to match play last year at Oakland Hills Country Club. He was chosen honorable mention All-American as a senior at the University of Texas. Hall, who helped the Longhorns win the Big 12 Conference title, was 11th in the NCAA Championship and tied for 10th in the NCAA Austin Regional. Hall was the youngest player in the 2013 U.S. Open field at Merion Golf Club when he qualified through local and sectional play. He tied for third in this year’s Porter Cup with a four-round total of 7-under 273.

Nick Hardy, 21, of Northbrook, Ill., is competing in his fifth U.S. Amateur. He earned second-team All-America and first-team All-Big Ten Conference recognition as a junior at the University of Illinois. Hardy, who has played in two U.S. Opens (2015, 2016), helped the Illini claim this year’s Big Ten title and reach the NCAA match-play semifinals. He shared medalist honors in the NCAA West Lafayette Regional. In 2017, Hardy tied for sixth in the Pacific Coast Amateur and tied for eighth in the Northeast Amateur.

Scott Harvey, 39, of Greensboro, N.C., is competing in his seventh U.S. Amateur and 25th USGA championship overall. He won the 2014 U.S. Mid-Amateur, which earned him an invitation to the 2015 Masters, and was the runner-up to Stewart Hagestad last year. Harvey, a property manager, has reached match play in three U.S. Amateur Four-Balls with partner Todd Mitchell (2015, semifinals; 2016, Round of 16; 2017, quarterfinals) and was a member of the 2015 USA Walker Cup Team. Harvey qualified for his first U.S. Open this year at Erin Hills.

Shigetoshi Hasegawa, 49, of Japan, was a Major League Baseball pitcher with the Anaheim Angels (1997-2001) and Seattle Mariners (2002-05). He was selected to the All-Star Game in 2003, when he recorded a career-high 16 saves. He qualified for his first USGA championship with rounds of 69 and 71 at Mission Viejo (Calif.) Country Club on July 24. Hasegawa, who resides in Irvine, Calif., is a senior advisor to the Orix Buffaloes, a Nippon Professional Baseball club in Japan.

Broc Haymon, 29, of Pearland, Texas, was an all-conference pitcher at the University of Houston-Victoria, an NAIA Division I program. He posted a 7-3 record with 88 strikeouts as a senior in 2011 and underwent two Tommy John surgeries. Haymon, who started playing golf at age 19, won this year’s TGA South Mid-Amateur with a 54-hole score of 12-under 204 and the 2016 Houston City Amateur. He is a financial analyst for a southeast Texas health system.

Eugene Hong, 17, of Orlando, Fla., is playing in his first U.S. Amateur after advancing to the semifinal round of the U.S. Junior Amateur in both 2015 and 2016 and making match play this year. Hong, who is a rising senior at Circle Christian School, won the 2016 state Class 1A championship and was the runner-up in 2014. Hong, who was chosen 2017 USA Today Boys Golfer of the Year, lost in a playoff to Tyson Alexander for the third spot in this year’s U.S. Open sectional qualifier in Tequesta, Fla.

Steven Irwin, 43, of Arvada, Colo., is playing in his third U.S. Amateur. His father, Hale, is a five-time USGA champion (1974, ’79, ’90 U.S. Open and 1998, 2000 U.S. Senior Open). Steven, who competed in the 2011 U.S. Open, is a member of the Colorado Golf Association Board of Governors. He has played in five U.S. Mid-Amateurs, advancing to the Round of 16 in 2004.

Cheng Jin, 19, of the People’s Republic of China, earned Pac-12 Conference All-Freshman recognition and helped the University of Southern California win the NCAA Washington Regional and reach the NCAA match-play quarterfinals. He won the 2015 Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship, earning an invitation to the 2016 Masters. He has played in two U.S. Amateurs and three U.S. Junior Amateurs.

Min Woo Lee, 19, of Australia, defeated Noah Goodwin, 2 and 1, in the 36-hole final to win the 2016 U.S. Junior Amateur. He became the fourth international champion of the Junior Amateur and the first male Australian in 10 years to win a USGA title. His sister, Minjee, won the 2012 U.S. Girls’ Junior and owns three LPGA Tour victories. They are the first brother-sister tandem to win USGA junior championships. Min Woo was the runner-up in the 2016 Australian Amateur and advanced to the Round of 32 in this year’s Amateur Championship, conducted by The R&A. He is playing in his fourth USGA championship after reaching match play in the 2017 U.S. Junior Amateur.

Walker Lee, 19, of Houston, Texas, is competing in his fifth USGA championship. Lee, who will attend Texas A&M University in the fall, qualified for the 2017 U.S. Open and reached match play in this year’s U.S. Amateur Four-Ball. Lee shot 10-under 132 to earn the third and final berth at the U.S. Open sectional qualifier, held in Dallas. He has won eight times on the Texas Junior Golf Tour.

Won Jun Lee, 18, of the Republic of Korea, is playing in his sixth USGA championship (four U.S. Junior Amateurs, two U.S. Amateurs). Lee advanced to match play in the U.S. Junior Amateur for four consecutive years. He progressed to the semifinals in 2015, losing to eventual champion Philip Barbaree. Lee, who graduated from Saddlebrook Prep School in Wesley Chapel, Fla., is a two-time Rolex Junior All-American. He finished eighth in the 2016 Asia-Pacific Amateur.

KK Limbhasut, 21, of Thailand, advanced to the Round of 16 in last year’s U.S. Amateur, losing to Nick Carlson in 19 holes. Limbhasut, who redshirted at the University of California in 2016-17, earned second-team All-America and first-team All-Pac-12 Conference honors the previous year. Kimbhasut tied for third in the Pac-12 Championship, tied for fourth in the NCAA Tucson Regional and tied for 17th in the NCAA Championship. He finished seventh in the 2016 Asia-Pacific Amateur.

Robert MacIntyre, 21, of Scotland, is competing in his second consecutive U.S. Amateur. He tied for fourth in the 2017 European Amateur with a 72-hole score of 14-under 274 and reached the Round of 16 in The Amateur Championship, conducted by The R&A. He advanced to the semifinals of this year’s Australian Amateur. He won the 2015 Scottish Amateur and was the runner-up to Scott Gregory in last year’s Amateur Championship at Royal Porthcawl.

Brandon Mancheno, 17, of Jacksonville, Fla., is playing in his second U.S. Amateur. Mancheno, who competed in his third U.S. Junior Amateur last month, carded a course-record 63 in the first round of stroke play before losing in the Round of 64. He also reached match play last year and was the stroke-play medalist and advanced to the Round of 32 in 2015. Mancheno was the runner-up in this year’s Florida State Amateur and won the 2016 Class 3A state high school championship.

Derek Mason, 35, of Plainfield, Ill., was a caddie on the PGA Tour for 10 years and was on the bag for Matt Every when he won back-to-back Arnold Palmer Invitationals in 2014 and 2015. Mason, who works in sales for an automotive group, will play in his first USGA championship.

Ryan McCarthy, 27, of Rockville, Md., caddied for his brother, Denny, in 12 USGA championships, including seven U.S. Amateurs and two U.S. Opens. Denny was a member of the 2015 USA Walker Cup Team. Ryan, who is chief operating officer for a commercial real estate company, shot a second-round 63 in the Silver Spring, Md., sectional to qualify for his third U.S. Amateur Championship. He was a member of four Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championship teams at Loyola (Md.) University.

Michael McCoy, 54, of Des Moines, Iowa, has competed in 51 USGA championships, including 17 U.S. Amateurs. He was the low amateur in the 2014 and 2015 U.S. Senior Opens and in 2013 was the second-oldest winner of the U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship. McCoy, who was a member of the 2015 USA Walker Cup Team, works in the insurance business and is an Iowa Golf Hall of Fame member.

Maverick McNealy, 21, of Portola Valley, Calif., earned the Mark H. McCormack Medal as the world’s top-ranked amateur in 2016. He is competing in his ninth USGA championship and fourth U.S. Amateur. McNealy was a first-team All-America and first-team All-Pac-12 Conference selection for the third consecutive season as a senior at Stanford University. McNealy, who was a member of the 2015 USA Walker Cup Team, was the recipient of the Ben Hogan Award, as the nation’s top collegiate player, and received the Byron Nelson Award and Pac-12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year. He competed in this year’s U.S. Open at Erin Hills and The Open Championship at Royal Birkdale and tied for 44th in the PGA Tour’s John Deere Classic.

Clay Merchent, 15, of Noblesville, Ind., tied for fifth in the 2017 Drive, Chip & Putt National Finals, held at Augusta National. Merchant, who won the driving portion of the boys’ 14-15 division with a mark of 304.7 yards, claimed the AJGA Junior at Purgatory title with a score of 14-under 202 on July 20. Merchent finished 12th in this year’s state high school championship and led his team to fourth place.

Dylan Meyer, 22, of Evansville, Ind., reached the quarterfinals of the 2016 U.S. Amateur and won last year’s Western Amateur. Meyer, a first-team All-American and the 2017 Big Ten Conference Player of the Year, helped Illinois win its third consecutive conference championship and make its 10th straight NCAA appearance. He won the Big Ten individual title, which included a course-record 63 in the first round, and tied for sixth at NCAAs despite a hospital stay for ulcerative colitis.

Sam Migdal, 25, of Ballwin, Mo., is a sales representative for a business products solution company. Migdal, who is playing in his first U.S. Amateur, won this year’s Missouri Stroke Play Championship by two strokes with a total of 3-under 285 and was the runner-up to Brad Nurski in the Missouri Amateur. He won the 2015 NCAA Division II Championship and earned first-team All-America honors as a senior at the University of Central Missouri.

Todd Mitchell, 39, of Bloomington, Ill., is competing in his 26th USGA championship and eighth U.S. Amateur. He reached the Round of 16 in the 2015 Amateur and was the 2008 U.S. Mid-Amateur runner-up. Mitchell, who did not play college golf, was a shortstop at Illinois State University and was chosen in the 14th round of the 1999 Major League Baseball Draft by the New York Yankees. He and his partner Scott Harvey advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2017 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball.

Collin Morikawa, 20, of La Cañada Flintridge, Calif., advanced to the Round of 16 in last year’s U.S. Amateur. Morikawa earned first-team All-America and first-team Pac-12 Conference honors as a sophomore at the University of California. He was chosen 2016 Pac-12 Conference Freshman of the Year. Morikawa, who competed in his first USGA championship at the 2015 U.S. Amateur, won the 2017 Northeast Amateur by two strokes. He was the Sunnehanna Amateur runner-up, losing to Braden Thornberry in a three-hole playoff, and tied for second in the Trans-Mississippi Amateur.

Michael Muehr, 45, of Potomac Falls, Va., is competing in his seventh U.S. Amateur and 17th USGA championship. Muehr, who works as a financial advisor, advanced to the quarterfinals in last year’s U.S. Mid-Amateur. He was diagnosed with melanoma in 2003 and is the founder of Golf Pros Beating Cancer, a charitable foundation in Virginia. Muehr, who underwent successful treatment and surgery, has competed on the PGA Tour and Web.com Tour.

Alex Nachmann, 15, of Boca Raton, Fla., is the youngest player in the U.S. Amateur field. He shot 69 and 71 in the Delray Beach, Fla., sectional qualifier on July 24. His 14-year-old sister, Elle, qualified for this year’s U.S. Women’s Amateur one week earlier. Alex earned his boating license at age 14 and is now studying for his pilot’s license. He was third in last year’s IJGT Bridgestone Tournament of Champions. His uncle, Vince Spadea, was a professional tennis player who reached at least the third round in all four Grand Slam singles tournaments.

Joaquin Niemann, 18, of Chile, played in this year’s U.S. Open and advanced to the Round of 16 in last year’s U.S. Amateur. Niemann rose to No. 1 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking™ this spring. In 2017, he won the Junior Invitational at Sage Valley and the AJGA Sergio Garcia Foundation Junior and tied for second in the Latin America Amateur Championship, losing on the second playoff hole. Niemann tied for 29th in the PGA Tour’s Greenbrier Classic, carding a final-round 64 on July 9.

John Oda, 21, of Honolulu, Hawaii, was one of 14 amateurs to play in the 2017 U.S. Open. He is competing in his seventh USGA championship and third U.S. Amateur. Oda was a first-team All-American and the 2017 Mountain West Conference Golfer of the Year as a junior at University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He posted 12 top-10 finishes, including fifth in the NCAA West Lafayette Regional. In 2017, Oda tied for fourth in the Sahalee Players and tied for sixth in the Pacific Coast Amateur.

John Pak, 18, of Scotch Plains, N.J., qualified for his first U.S. Amateur with rounds of 73 and 72 in the Clifton, N.J., sectional. He advanced to match play in all four U.S. Junior Amateurs he competed in, reaching the semifinals in 2016 and the quarterfinals in 2015. Pak, who will attend Florida State University in the fall, tied for 10th in this year’s Sunnehanna Amateur, shooting a pair of 65s in the final two rounds. He also tied for fourth in the Polo Golf Junior Classic on June 30.

Matthew Perrine, 21, of Austin, Texas, is competing in his third consecutive U.S. Amateur. He was a quarterfinalist in 2015 and defeated a pair of U.S. Mid-Amateur runners-up in match play. Perrine earned third-team All-America honors and helped Baylor University share the NCAA Stanford Regional title. He tied for sixth in the Big 12 Conference Championship and tied for seventh in NCAA regional play. In 2014, he won the Texas Class 5A state high school championship.

Dylan Perry, 22, of Australia, is playing in his first USGA championship. He was the runner-up to Harry Ellis in The Amateur Championship, conducted by The R&A, losing in 38 holes. Perry also tied for 10th in this year’s European Amateur. He advanced to the Round of 32 in the 2017 Australian Amateur and was fourth in the Avondale Medal. At age 8, Perry was introduced to golf following a motorbike accident.

Alfie Plant, 25, of England, earned the silver medal as the low amateur in this year’s Open Championship, conducted by The R&A. He won the European Amateur on July 1 with a birdie on the fifth playoff hole and reached the Round of 32 in the Australian Amateur. Plant, who was the 2016 Lytham Trophy champion and was the runner-up in the 2015 English Amateur, holed a 9-foot birdie putt on the final hole to help England finish second in the 2016 World Amateur Team Championship. He tied for third as an individual with a final-round 66. Plant has also run a marathon, parachuted from a plane, bungee jumped and gone cage-diving among great white sharks. He is playing in his first USGA championship.

Garrett Rank, 29, of Canada, is competing in his sixth U.S. Amateur and has advanced to match play the last three years. In 2016-17, he became a full-time official in the National Hockey League after working for several years in the American Hockey League. Rank, who overcame a cancer scare at age 23, was the runner-up in the 2012 U.S. Mid-Amateur and has twice reached the U.S. Amateur Four-Ball semifinals (with partner Patrick Christovich). Rank, who has competed in 13 USGA championships, helped Canada tie for ninth in last year’s World Amateur Team Championship.

Doc Redman, 19, of Raleigh, N.C., advanced to the Round of 32 in last year’s U.S. Amateur and is competing in his fourth USGA championship. Redman set a freshman record at Clemson University in 2016-17 with eight top-10 finishes, including ninth in the NCAA College Grove Regional. Redman, a graduate of Leesville Road High, won the 2015-16 4A state championship and was named 2015 Raleigh News & Observer Player of the Year. In 2017, he was the runner-up at the Western Amateur, tied for sixth in the Northeast Amateur and tied for 10th in the Southern Amateur.

Rylee Reinertson, 21, of Gibbon, Neb., was a member of the University of Oklahoma’s 2017 NCAA Division I championship team. Reinterston, who plays golf with hearing aids due to a childhood illness, tied for ninth in the Big 12 Conference Championship. He won the 2016 Nebraska Match Play and the 2015 Nebraska Amateur. His brothers, Jordan and Josh, both played at the University of Nebraska. His parents, Paul and Carolyn, were basketball standouts at the University of Nebraska at Kearney.

PJ Samiere, 21, of San Diego, Calif., won this year’s California State Amateur when he defeated Noah Norton, 1 up, with a birdie on the 36th hole at The Olympic Club. Samiere earned All-West Region honors as a junior at San Diego State University. He finished third in the Sahalee Players, one stroke out of a playoff. Samiere, who was born in Japan, reached the quarterfinals of the 2013 U.S. Junior Amateur.

Scottie Scheffler, 21, of Dallas, Texas, was the low amateur in this year’s U.S. Open when he tied for 27th with a 72-hole score of 1-under 287 at Erin Hills. He earned first-team All-America and All-Big 12 Conference honors and helped the University of Texas win this year’s Big 12 Championship and was NCAA regional runner-up. He tied for third at the NCAA Championship. He is competing in his sixth U.S. Amateur and 12th USGA championship. Scheffler, the 2013 U.S. Junior Amateur champion, was a member of the USA team that tied for sixth in the 2016 World Amateur Team Championship.

Sammy Schmitz, 36, of Farmington, Minn., won the 2015 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship and earned an invitation to the 2016 Masters. Schmitz recorded the second known ace on a par 4 in USGA championship history when he holed his tee shot on No. 15 at John’s Island Club’s West Course in the championship match. Schmitz, who works for a healthcare services company, is competing in his second U.S. Amateur and seventh USGA championship. He tied for third in this year’s Minnesota State Open.

Luke Schniederjans, 19, of Alpharetta, Ga., is the younger brother of former world No. 1 amateur Ollie, who is competing on the PGA Tour. Luke earned All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors, posted three top-5 finishes and tied for 12th in the NCAA Stanford Regional as a freshman at Georgia Tech. Another older brother, Ben, is a pitcher for the Yellow Jackets. In 2017, Luke has finished second in the Dogwood Invitational, tied for seventh in The Players Amateur and tied for 10th in the Northeast Amateur.

Corby Segal, 46, of Santa Clarita, Calif., is a PGA Tour caddie who is currently working with Brandon Hagy but has also carried for Brandt Jobe, Woody Austin and Briny Baird. Segal is playing in his 10th USGA championship and fourth U.S. Amateur. Segal, who was a 2012 U.S. Mid-Amateur quarterfinalist, won last year’s SCGA Mid-Amateur when he made an 18-foot par putt on the final hole.

Davis Shore, 18, of Knoxville, Tenn., advanced to match play for the fourth consecutive year in the U.S. Junior Amateur, losing to eventual champion Noah Goodwin in the Round of 16 last month. Shore, who will attend the University of Alabama in the fall, fell short of the 2017 U.S. Open field when he lost in a 5-for-2 playoff at the Memphis, Tenn., sectional qualifier. He also partnered with Wilson Furr to advance to the Round of 16 in this year’s U.S. Amateur Four-Ball. Shore was chosen 2016 USA Today High School Boys Golfer of the Year and has won two A/AA state titles.

Alex Smalley, 20, of Wake Forest, N.C., was the stroke-play medalist and advanced to the Round of 32 in the 2016 U.S. Amateur. Smalley, a rising junior at Duke University, helped the Blue Devils win the 2017 Atlantic Coast Conference championship. He tied for fifth in the ACCs, tied for third in the NCAA Baton Rouge Regional and earned first-team all-conference and all-region honors. In 2017, Smalley has reached the semifinals of the North & South Amateur and tied for 10th in the Southern Amateur.

Nathan Smith, 39, of Pittsburgh, Pa., is a four-time U.S. Mid-Amateur champion who holds the record for match-play victories in that championship. He won the 2015 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball title with partner Todd White. Smith, who has played on three USA Walker Cup Teams (2009, 2011, 2013), works as an investment advisor. He has played in 40 USGA championships, including 16 U.S. Amateurs. In 2015, he was inducted into the Western Pennsylvania Golf Hall of Fame.

Jimmy Stanger, 22, of Tampa, Fla., advanced to the Round of 16 in the 2016 U.S. Amateur. He was chosen first-team All-American and All-Atlantic Coast Conference as a senior at the University of Virginia. Stanger, who posted six top-10 finishes, was the ACC Tournament medalist and tied for 11th in the NCAA Championship. He reached the Round of 32 in this year’s Amateur Championship, conducted by The R&A. Stanger, who won the 2016 Southern Amateur, captured the 2010 state Boys’ Junior (ages 13-15) and the 2012 Class 2A state high school championship.

Tyler Strafaci, 19, of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., won the Valspar Collegiate and tied for 27th in the NCAA Stanford Regional as a freshman at Georgia Tech. He is the grandson of Frank Strafaci, who won the 1935 U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship and went on to become the executive director of the Florida State Golf Association and director of golf at Doral Country Club. Tyler’s mother, Jill, was a senior vice president for the Miami Dolphins for more than 20 years and played golf at the University of Florida from 1976-79. Tyler competed in the 2015 U.S. Amateur and two U.S. Junior Amateurs and advanced to the quarterfinals in this year’s North & South Amateur.

Matthew Sughrue, 57, of Arlington, Va., is the second-oldest player in the U.S. Amateur field and was the runner-up in last year’s U.S. Senior Amateur to Dave Ryan. He has competed in 12 USGA championships. An insurance professional for more than 25 years, Sughrue changed course and earned a master’s degree in human development and marriage & family therapy from Virginia Polytechnic Institute in 2012. Sughrue now works as a marriage and family therapist and performance coach for athletes, including golfers, swimmers and baseball players.

Connor Syme, 21, of Scotland, competed in this year’s Open Championship, conducted by The R&A, and reached match play in The Amateur Championship. He has recorded top-10 finishes in the Scottish Stroke Play (5th), Irish Amateur (T-7) and Brabazon Trophy (T-8). In 2016, Syme won the Australian Amateur and was medalist in The Amateur Championship. He also helped Scotland finish 11th in the World Amateur Team Championship.

Jonah Texeira, 21, of Los Angeles, Calif., advanced to the semifinals of the 2016 U.S. Amateur, losing to Brad Dalke, 3 and 2. Texeira, a junior at the University of Southern California, helped the Trojans win this year’s NCAA Washington Regional. He earned All-Pac-12 Conference honors for the second consecutive year. His sister, Keana, is a pop singer.

Sahith Theegala, 19, of Chino Hills, Calif., reached the quarterfinals of the 2016 U.S. Amateur and qualified for this year’s U.S. Open at Erin Hills. A rising junior at Pepperdine University, he was chosen West Coast Conference Co-Player of the Year and earned first-team All-WCC honors for the second consecutive year. Theegala, a third-team All-America selection, tied for fourth in the NCAA Stanford Regional and tied for 19th in the NCAA Championship. In February, Theegala won the Collegiate Showcase to earn a spot in the PGA Tour’s Genesis Open and went on to tie for 49th. He is playing in his seventh USGA championship.

Braden Thornberry, 20, of Olive Branch, Miss., won the 2017 NCAA Division I individual title by four strokes with a 72-hole score of 11-under 277. Thornberry earned the Fred Haskins Award as the top collegiate golfer. He earned first-team All-America and first-team All-Southeastern Conference recognition as a sophomore at the University of Mississippi. He tied for third in the SEC Championship and finished fourth at the NCAA Austin Regional. In 2017, Thornberry won the Sunnehanna Amateur in a three-hole playoff with Collin Morikawa and tied for fourth in the PGA Tour’s FedEx St. Jude Classic, the best finish by an amateur in the tournament since 1965.

Alejandro Tosti, 21, of Argentina, earned first-team All-America and first-team All-Southeastern Conference honors as a junior at the University of Florida. Tosti, who was the SEC medalist, advanced to the semifinals of this year’s Amateur Championship, conducted by The R&A. In 2015, he was the Latin America Amateur runner-up and helped his country win the bronze medal in the Pan American Games when he finished seventh. He also placed second individually in the 2014 World Amateur Team Championship.

Karl Vilips, 15, of Australia, won the 2017 Southern Amateur by one stroke with a four-round total of 15-under 273 and matched Bob Jones (1917) as the youngest champion in tournament history. Vilips, who was born in Indonesia, lived in Salvation Army shelters with his father for a few years when they were without a home and used fund-raising activities to travel to tournaments. He and his father collected 5,000 golf balls to help Karl appreciate the value of his first set of clubs when he was age 6. Vilips, who competed in his first U.S. Amateur last year and is a four-time World Junior champion, won this year’s AJGA Polo Golf Junior Classic and was runner-up in the Western Junior.

Todd White, 49, of Spartanburg, S.C., is playing in his eighth U.S. Amateur and advanced to match play for the fifth time last year. White won the 2015 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship with partner Nathan Smith and was a member of the winning 2013 USA Walker Cup Team. He has competed in 23 USGA championships, including reaching the quarterfinals of this year’s U.S. Amateur Four-Ball. The high school history teacher played in the 1995 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club. He tied for second in the 2017 Azalea Invitational.

Matthew Wolff, 18, of Agoura Hills, Calif., was the runner-up to Noah Goodwin in last month’s U.S. Junior Amateur. He reached the Round of 16 in the 2015 Junior Amateur and advanced to match play through a stroke-play playoff in last year’s U.S. Amateur at Oakland Hills Country Club. Wolff, who will enroll at Oklahoma State University in the fall, helped Westlake High School win two CIF state championships (2014, 2015) and finished as runner-up in 2016. Wolff, who was chosen 2017 Ventura County Star Boys Golfer of the Year, tied for ninth in the Azalea Invitational on April 2.

Hayden Wood, 21, of Edmond, Okla., is competing in his second U.S. Amateur. He helped Oklahoma State University win the 2017 NCAA Austin Regional and finish second in the Big 12 Conference Championship as a sophomore. He tied for 10th in this year’s Trans-Mississippi Amateur. His father, Willie, won the 1977 U.S. Junior Amateur and played in seven U.S. Opens.

Brandon Wu, 20, of Scarsdale, N.Y., won the 2017 Porter Cup by three strokes with a four-round total of 11-under 269. He was a first alternate in sectional qualifying for this year’s U.S. Open at Erin Hills. Wu shot a 9-under-par 63 in local qualifying at Yocha Dehe Golf Club, in Brooks, Calif. Wu, a sophomore at Stanford University, was born in Danville, Calif., but lived in Beijing for five years. He earned second-team All-Pac-12 Conference honors and reached match play in this year’s California State Amateur.

Norman Xiong, 18, of Canyon Lake, Calif., is competing in his first U.S. Amateur. He earned the 2017 Phil Mickelson Award as Division I’s top freshman while playing at the University of Oregon. The Ducks won the Pac-12 Conference Championship, finish third at the NCAA Baton Rouge Regional and reached the NCAA match-play final against Oklahoma. Xiong was the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year and a first-team all-conference selection. He defeated Doc Redman in 22 holes to win the Western Amateur on Aug. 5. Xiong won the 2015 CIF/SCGA Regional as a sophomore at Temescal Canyon High School.

Cameron Young, 20, of Scarborough, N.Y., is competing in his fifth consecutive U.S. Amateur. He reached the quarterfinals in 2014, Round of 32 in 2015 and Round of 16 last year. He earned All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors as a sophomore at Wake Forest University. Young became the first amateur to win the New York Open when he shot a final-round 64 at Bethpage State Park’s Black Course on July 20. He has also played in three U.S. Junior Amateurs, reaching the quarterfinals in 2013. His father, David, is the head professional at Sleepy Hollow Country Club.

George Zahringer, 64, of New York, N.Y., is the oldest player in the U.S. Amateur field. He won the 2002 U.S. Mid-Amateur and was a member of the 2003 USA Walker Cup Team. Zahringer is playing in his 19th U.S. Amateur and his first since 2007. He was also the runner-up in the 2001 U.S. Mid-Amateur and 2008 U.S. Senior Amateur. A 10-time Metropolitan Golf Association Player of the Year, Zahringer was inducted into the National Senior Amateur Hall of Fame in 2016.

Will Zalatoris, 20, of Plano, Texas, earned first-team All-America honors and was the Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year as a junior at Wake Forest University. He posted a pair of top-5 finishes in the ACC and NCAA Austin Regional tournaments. Zalatoris, who won the 2014 U.S. Junior Amateur, is competing in his fifth consecutive U.S. Amateur, including three straight in which he has advanced to match play. He finished third in this year’s Pacific Coast Amateur and tied for 10th in the Trans-Mississippi Amateur. In 2016, he won the Trans-Mississippi Amateur and Pacific Coast Amateur titles.

Andy Zhang, 19, of the People’s Republic of China, tied for 21st in the NCAA West Lafayette Regional as a freshman at the University of Florida. He was chosen to the Southeastern Conference All-Freshman Team. In 2012 at The Olympic Club, he became the youngest player (age 14) to play in the U.S. Open. He played in the 2012 U.S. Amateur and reached match play in all four U.S. Junior Amateurs in which he competed. Zhang tied for 12th in last year’s Asia-Pacific Amateur.