Category: Top 50 Amateurs of All Time

Robert Tyre “Bobby” Jones, Jr. was one of the most influential figures in all of sport, let alone the game of golf, and certainly there were no amateur golfers whoContinue reading#1 – Bobby Jones

Eldrick Tont “Tiger” Woods was born with a club in his hand and golf cemented in his DNA from an early age from his father, Earl.  As a youngster, TigerContinue reading#2 – Tiger Woods

In 1878, at the age of 16, Ball finished fifth in The Open at Prestwick. His run of Amateur titles began in 1888 and stretched until 1912, when he wasContinue reading#3 – John Ball, Jr.

They were the shots heard ’round the world,’ and they, too, started a revolution. At the 1913 U.S. Open at The Country Club, Francis Ouimet, a 20-year-old former caddie, didn’tContinue reading#4 – Francis Ouimet

Jerome “Jerry” Travers was a highly regarded amateur golfer in the early 1900s, capturing 10 tournament titles — including a win at the 1915 U.S. Open. Travers’ intensity enabled himContinue reading#5 – Jerome Travers

At the age of eight, Charles E. “Chick” Evans was first exposed to golf as a caddie at a Chicago course, the Edgewater Golf Club. in 1916, when he wonContinue reading#6 – Chick Evans

Sir Michael Bonallack had a tremendously impactful career both on and off the golf course.  He went on to win the British Amateur Championship and the English Amateur five timesContinue reading#7 – Sir Michael Bonallack

Jack Nicklaus’ amateur career, although relatively short as compared to some of his Top 50 Amateurs of All Time counterparts, packed a powerful punch.  It began in 1957 where NicklausContinue reading#8 – Jack Nicklaus

Although Travis came to the game little later in life than most (near his 35th birthday), he was soon the country’s top amateur golfer, winning the U.S. Amateur in 1900,Continue reading#9 – Walter Travis

William Lawson Little, Jr., is considered by many to be the best American amateur during the period between Bobby Jones and Tiger Woods. He was also one of the greatestContinue reading#10 – Lawson Little

Born in Washington, D.C., Beman attended the University of Maryland in nearby College Park, where he was a two-time All-American.  After Maryland, Beman got into the business world in theContinue reading#11 – Deane Beman

Despite setting a new single-round qualifying scoring record, Collett lost by a fluke in the semifinal of the 1924 U.S. Women’s Amateur when on the 19th hole, Mary Browne’s ballContinue reading#12 Glenna Collett Vare

Egan was born in Chicago, Illinois, which at the end of the 19th century was the focal point of golf in the United States — the first 18-hole golf courseContinue reading#13 – H. (Henry) Chandler Egan

Edward Harvie Ward, Jr. (December 8, 1925 – September 4, 2004) was an American golfer best known for his amateur career. He is best known for winning both the U.S.Continue reading#14 – E. Harvie Ward

During the 1970s and 1980s, Jay Sigel was one of America’s premier amateur golfers. This insurance salesman compiled victories in the U.S. Amateur, British Amateur and U.S. Mid-Amateur, competed onContinue reading#15 – Jay Sigel

Jess Sweetser was a Yale golf star in the 1920’s and one of the greatest amateurs of all time.  In 1920, Sweetser won the individual title at the NCAA DivisionContinue reading#16 – Jess Sweetser

Born in Kirkland, Washington, a suburb east of Seattle, “The Great Gundy” (as she was known before she married Don Carner) remained an amateur until age 30. In 1960, whileContinue reading#17 – JoAnne Gunderson Carner

Joe Carr was the greatest Irish champion of all time who captured the 1953, ’58 and ’60 British Amateur titles, his parents were stewards of Portmarnock GC, in twelve EastContinue reading#18 – Joe Carr

Born to Lithuanian immigrants in South Omaha, Nebraska, Goodman was orphaned at the age of 14. Sadly, his mother died when he was 11, after giving birth to her 13thContinue reading#19 – “Box Car” Johnny Goodman

Born and raised in Santa Cruz, California, Juli Simpson Inkster graduated from Harbor High School in 1978 and played college golf at San Jose State, which was close to herContinue reading#20 – Juli Inkster

Sweeny, winner of the 1937 British Amateur, was born in California, raised in New York, and followed his older brother Charles to Oxford. With his combination of golfing genius, easyContinue reading#21 – Robert Sweeny

Born in San Diego, California, to parents Philip Mickelson (an airline pilot and former naval aviator) and Mary Mickelson.  Phil was raised there and in Scottsdale, Arizona. Although otherwise right-handed,Continue reading#22 – Phil Mickelson

Marvin M. “Vinny” Giles III (born January 4, 1943) is an American amateur who won both the U.S. Amateur and the British Amateur. Giles, a native of Virginia, graduated fromContinue reading#23 – Vinny Giles

Willie Turnesa was born in Elmsford, New York, just north of New York city, and lived most of his life there. He was one of seven famous golfing brothers; Phil (1896-1987), FrankContinue reading#24 – Willie Turnesa

William Cammack Campbell (May 5, 1923 – August 30, 2013), often known as Bill Campbell or William C. Campbell, served two terms as the President of the United States GolfContinue reading#25 – Bill Campbell

Coe won the U.S. Amateur in 1949, beating Rufus King 11 & 10 in the finals, and won it again in 1958 with a 5 & 4 victory over TommyContinue reading#26 – Charlie Coe

A 1966 graduate of Miss Porter’s School and a 1970 graduate of Hollins University in Roanoke, Virginia, she defeated Anne Quast to win the 1973 U.S. Women’s Amateur at theContinue reading#27 – Carol Semple Thompson

Frank Stranahan, the premier amateur of his era who contended for majors and was the first notable player to make fitness a regimen in golf.  He was nicknamed “The ToledoContinue reading#28 – Frank Stranahan

C.B. (Charles Blair) Macdonald was both an accomplished amateur as well as golf course architect.  He had his hand in shaping the game of golf in its infancy and createdContinue reading#29 – C.B. Macdonald

Billy Joe Patton was born in Morganton, North Carolina and graduated from Wake Forest University in 1943.  For better or worse, he was best known for almost winning the 1954 MastersContinue reading#30 – Billy Joe Patton

Cyril Tolley was victorious twice in The Amateur Championship, in 1920 and 1929. In the 4th round in 1930 at St Andrews he lost to Bobby Jones on the 19thContinue reading#31 – Cyril Tolley

Dick Chapman (March 23, 1911 – November 15, 1978) was an American amateur golfer. Time Magazine crowned Chapman “the Ben Hogan of amateur golf.” Chapman was a native of Greenwich,Continue reading#32 – Dick Chapman

THREES ARE WILD: These three women are fitting for #33 as each of them won three consecutive U.S. Amateurs in a row and they all were victorious prior to theContinue reading#33 – Beatrix Hoyt, Alexa Stirling, Virginia Van Wie

In 1975, Florida Gator Golfer Fred Ridley set his career in motion by winning the U.S. Amateur, the preeminent amateur golf tournament in the United States, on the James RiverContinue reading#34 – Fred Ridley

Frederick Guthrie Tait (11 January 1870 – 7 February 1900) was an amateur golfer and Scottish soldier. He won the Amateur Championship twice, in 1896 and again in 1898, byContinue reading#35 – Freddie Tait

Dick Siderowf was one of the greatest career amateurs of the second half of the 20th Century. The Duke Blue Devil is best know for winning the British Amateur twiceContinue reading#48 – Dick Siderowf

Johnny Laidlay is one of the greatest yet least recognized Scottish golfers. If history had been written differently, his name may have been much more familiar to the modern golfer.Continue reading#49 – Johnny Laidlay