First Published by AmateurGolf.com
From national championships, course records, outstanding performances and improbable shots, there was no shortage of memorable moments in 2022.
The Top-10
Anna Davis wins Augusta National Women’s Amateur
Anna Davis, a relatively unknown 16-year-old high schooler from Spring Valley, Calif., defeated the game’s top collegians to capture the 2022 Augusta National Women’s Amateur. The left-hander shot a final-round 69 to finish at 1-under for a one-stroke victory over LSU teammates Latanna Stone and Ingrid Lindblad. “I’m speechless. I can’t even fathom what just happened,” said Davis, who entered the ANWA ranked 100th in the Women’s World Amateur Golf Ranking and as one the youngest players in the field.
Texas’ “comeback tour” ends with a NCAA Championship
The Texas Longhorns overcame injuries to two of their top players to win the 2022 NCAA Men’s Golf Championship over Arizona State at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz. Playing without the services of Parker and Pierceson Coody for much of the season, the Longhorns got healthy at the right time and rode a heater all of the way to Scottsdale, where they won a pair of tightly contested matches against Big 12 rival Oklahoma State and top-seeded Vanderbilt before downing the Sun Devils to secure the program’s fourth national championship.
Ingrid Lindblad makes history at the U.S. Women’s Open
Playing alongside her idol and fellow Swede Annika Sorenstam, Ingrid Lindblad, a 22-year-old junior at LSU, shot an opening round 6-under 65 at the U.S. Women’s Open at Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club, which was the lowest round by an amateur in any USGA championship. She was tied for fourth entering the final round before ultimately finishing tied for 11th to claim low medalist honors.
Lee and Moore win titles at the inaugural U.S. Adaptive Open
There were no losers at the inaugural U.S. Adaptive Open, the 15th championship in the USGA’s portfolio open to males and females, professionals and amateurs, with either physical impairment, sensory impairment (vision), or intellectual impairment. The inaugural U.S. Adaptive Open held at Pinehurst produced two inspiring champions, Simon Seungmin Lee of the Republic of Korea and Kim Moore of Portage, Mich. Lee, who was born with congenital autism developmental disorder, defeated Felix Normann of Sweden after the pair tied at 3-under-par 213 for 54 holes, while Moore, the head women’s golf coach at Western Michigan University who was born without a right foot, posted an eight-stroke victory in the women’s overall competition.
Saki Baba rolls to U.S. Women’s Amateur title
Saki Baba’s 11-and-9 victory over Monet Chun in the championship match of the U.S. Women’s Amateur held at Chambers Bay culminated in one of the most dominating performances in the history of the championship. She played 106 match-play holes during the championship, which were tied for the second-fewest by a champion since 1973, matching Morgan Pressel (2005) and behind only Carolyn Hill (103) in 1979. From the sixth hole in her quarterfinal match, the 17-year-old from Tokyo won 28 of the last 49 holes she played, losing only four in that span and in match play, her cumulative score was 24 under par, including 9 under in the championship match. Baba became the first Japanese player to hoist the Robert Cox Trophy in 37 years, since Michiko Hattori won it in 1985 at 16.
Sam Bennett: Top dog at the U.S. Amateur
“They’re great players, but I’m a better player. I’m the dog in this race.” Those were the words of Sam Bennett after his quarterfinal win at the U.S. Amateur over Stewart Hagestad, who was one of a slew of highly-ranked players that Bennett left in his wake en route to the title. Bennett’s road to the championship took him through a gauntlet of highly-touted players, as the No. 3 amateur in the world from Texas A&M recorded five wins against players at No. 27 or better in the world rankings, including three opponents ranked in the top-10. The dog ultimately had his day at Ridgewood, as Bennett defeated Ben Carr, 1 up, to claim the Havemeyer Trophy.
Rusty Strawn’s two weeks of glory
Rusty Strawn had a month of September he’ll never forget, as the Georgian won both the U.S. and Canadian Senior Amateur championships in consecutive weeks. Nine days after defeating fellow Georgian and longtime friend Doug Hanzel, 3 and 2, at the U.S. Senior Amateur at The Kittansett Club, Marion, Mass. for his first USGA championship, Strawn claimed the Canadian Senior Amateur with a three-stroke victory over Mike Lohner at Red Deer Golf and Country Club.
Irish eyes were smiling at U.S. Mid-Amateur
In an all-Irish final, Matt McClean, a 29-year-old optometrist from Belfast, out-dueled his fellow countryman Hugh Foley, 3-and-1, to win the U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship at Erin Hills. With the win, McClean joined Graeme McDowell (U.S. Open 2010), Rory McIlroy (U.S. Open 2011) and Pádraig Harrington (U.S. Senior Open 2022) as Irish golfers to have won a USGA championship.
Semikawa makes history at the Japan Open
Taiga Semikawa, the world’s No. 1 ranked amateur, made history when he became the first amateur to win the Japan Open in the 95-year history of the tournament. It also marked the 21-year-olds third professional victory in as many starts after wins at the Panasonic Open Golf Championship and Japan Create Challenge prior to his home open title.
Emotional win for Willett at Massachusetts Amateur
Just days after his father passed away unexpectedly, Conner Willett, a 19-year-old from Wellesley, defeated Ryan Downes in the 36-hole championship match of the Massachusetts Amateur, 4&2 at Concord Country Club. Only needing to tie the 16th to win the match, Willett made a 15-foot birdie putt to close out the match to complete one of the most inspirational runs in Massachusetts Amateur Championship history.
