AmateurGolf.com is pleased to announce a partnership with one of the nation’s oldest and most prestigious tournaments - the Southwestern Amateur.
The tournament, which was cancelled in 2020 due to Covid-19, is coming back in June of 2021 with both Men's and and brand new Women's Championship divisions. It will be contested over four days at Desert Mountain Golf Club in Scottsdale.
For the past 104 years, the Southwestern Amateur has been a men’s-only event that has attracted some of the nation’s finest amateur players. Past champions include Craig Stadler, Jay Haas, Mark O’Meara, Ryan Palmer, Nick Watney and JT Poston, winner of the 2013 event.
John Ranslem, executive director of the Southwestern Golf Association which conducts the event, said the women's division was added “after careful consideration of changes in the game, and the recognition of the increasing impact that women are having on the game.”
AmateurGolf.com is looking forward to being a big part of the tournament starting in 2021. Our company will manage the website, and registrations. Current AG members that are selected by the committee for entry will be provided with a registration code. From there they will need just a few clicks to pay for and secure their spot in the field. Non-members will be provided with a complimentary trial so they can register quickly, and check out the deep content on the AmateurGolf.com website.
In addition to the administration of registrations and online marketing, we will provide updates on the Southwestern Amateur before, during, and after the event. A reporter from our organization will be onsite at Desert Mountain doing daily write-ups, social media posts, player interviews, and more.
A RICH HISTORY, AND BRIGHT FUTURE AHEAD
For more than 90 years, the Southwestern Amateur was contested at clubs throughout the southwestern United States. In 2020, tournament officials and the management of the Desert Mountain Club signed a five-year agreement for the club to host the event on two of its Jack Nicklaus-designed courses in extreme northeast Scottsdale offering dramatic Sonoran Desert scenery at the foot of the McDowell Mountains.
One of the premier golf clubs in the entire world, Desert Mountain has also been the home to multiple professional tournaments including the Champions Tour Charles Schwab Cup in 2012 and 2014-2016.
The 2021 event – scheduled to be played June 16-19 – will be contested on Desert Mountain’s Outlaw course, which is recognized for its risk/reward par-5s, dramatic rock outcroppings and stunning views to the south of the greater Phoenix area. The setup promises to be challenging, yet fair for both the Men's and Women's fields.
Dana Dormann, the head women’s coach at San Jose State University, was pleased to hear about the Southwestern Amateur's new Women's Division. “Out-of-the-box thinking has not always been a hallmark for amateur golf – especially when it pertains to women players. Over the course of the last few years, the Augusta National Women’s Amateur and the Golf Channel’s coverage of the women’s NCAA championships have markedly increased the exposure of our sport. The Southwestern Amateur’s new format is another great opportunity for us to showcase the talents of the many outstanding female amateurs from throughout the country.”
With a field size of 144 players, the Southwestern Amateur will be a highly selective event, with male applicants having a maximum index of 1.4 and a 3.2 index for women.
Related:
ABOUT THE
Southwestern Amateur
72-hole stroke play championship for national-level
amateurs with a handicap index of
1.4 or better. After 36 holes, the field will be
cut to the low 36 and ties. The
SWGA Selection Committee will select players
to
compete based upon
exemptions, playing resume and rankings.
The SWGA reserves the right to invite
amateurs of national and international
reputation, as well as other amateurs "of
note", to enter into the tournament.
Applicants are urged to submit their entries
with golf resumes of accomplishment in
major tournaments and other competitive
record
information.
View Complete Tournament Information