U.S. Am Notebook: The ball doesn't know Zahringer's age
George Zahringer on day one of the U.S. Amateur
(USGA Photo)
LOS ANGELES, California (August 14, 2017) --
George Zahringer did the unthinkable this year when he became the oldest player to go through
36-hole qualifying and advance to the U.S. Amateur.
We said it was unthinkable, but think about it -- a 64-year-old playing the same course and tees as college, high school, and mid-am bombers picks his way around a meticulous New York Country Club in 4-under 140 to earn his place in the 312-player field of the biggest amateur tournament in the world.
Sure, it is going to be a challenge for Zahringer (a longtime AmateurGolf.com member and supporter) to qualify for match play, with only a few mid-am golfers traditionally making it to the final 64. But after a first round 75 you never know. And we, along with all fans of our "lifetime sport" are cheering for you George. View our chat with George after his round today below.
ABOUT THE
US Amateur
The U.S. Amateur, the oldest USGA
championship, was first played in 1895 at
Newport Golf Club in Rhode Island. The
event,
which has no age restriction, is open to
those
with a Handicap Index of .4 (point four) or lower. It is
one
of 15 national championships conducted
annually by the USGA.
A new two-stage qualifying process went into effect in 2024, providing exemptions through local qualifying for state amateur champions and top-ranked WAGR playres. See the USGA website for details -- applications are typically placed online in the spring
at www.usga.org.
View Complete Tournament Information