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Will we ever see an amateur win a PGA Event again?

Mmaynard11

Mmaynard11

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As I was going through emails came across an article regarding will we ever see an amateur win a PGA event again? The last to achieve this feat was Phil Mickelson 30 years ago this week @ the Northern Telecom Open as a 20 year old.

We've had some young guns win fairly quickly after turning pro such as Hovland, Wolff & Morikawa...

So the question is...do you think we will ever see an amateur win before turning pro? If not why?
 
I'm not sure we ever will. I think it hinges upon the number of amateurs we see in PGA events now. Not to mention competing on that level is grueling. However it begs the question as to why Hovland, Wolff & Morikawa were able to win so early after turning professional.
 
I think we will. There is another young "tiger" out there somewhere that will take the world by storm and give us something to cheer for. Might be possible it happens on the LPGA first.
 
Snickerdog said:
I think we will. There is another young "tiger" out there somewhere that will take the world by storm and give us something to cheer for. Might be possible it happens on the LPGA first.
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Anyone hear of this young "tiger" out there yet?
 
mmaynard11 said:
Anyone hear of this young "tiger" out there yet?
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How about Daly's boy? He has some game and heading to college. Charlie woods will be a force I recon if he stays with it.
Haven't really seen anyone jump out lately, I just think there is a little one out there somewhere that is upand coming
 
It is possible but I doubt it. I mean never is a long time but I don't recall Tiger winning a PGA event as an am and he won pretty quickly as a pro. I think it is tough to drop into a tour event from your college/amateur life and win. The guys that won quickly had transitioned to the tour life and gotten comfortable playing out there.
 
mmaynard11 said:
I'm not sure we ever will. I think it hinges upon the number of amateurs we see in PGA events now. Not to mention competing on that level is grueling. However it begs the question as to why Hovland, Wolff & Morikawa were able to win so early after turning professional.
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The amateur would have to get the PGA tour starts. If it were to be done, and I wouldn't have a person in mind, I think it would have to be the accomplished amateur or college player who is holding off on turning pro. It could be a US Am winner who wants to play in the Masters and then turn pro.
 
Bernoulli said:
The amateur would have to get the PGA tour starts. If it were to be done, and I wouldn't have a person in mind, I think it would have to be the accomplished amateur or college player who is holding off on turning pro. It could be a US Am winner who wants to play in the Masters and then turn pro.
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Agreed. All about the amount of starts available to amateurs. It would be cool if the accomplished Am won in their first PGA start though at the Masters, however unlikely.

I wonder if Amateurs are allowed to try to "play-in" to regular tour events like the pros can at Monday-qualifiers (as far as I'm aware)? This would mean potentially more opportunities, but I think at that point why not turn pro.
 
I don't think we will but I wouldn't rule out the possibility of it happening. A lot of the great college players like those guy were have all the tools needed to win. It would just take one of them getting hot for those 4 days.
 
Evolvingwildes said:
Agreed. All about the amount of starts available to amateurs. It would be cool if the accomplished Am won in their first PGA start though at the Masters, however unlikely.

I wonder if Amateurs are allowed to try to "play-in" to regular tour events like the pros can at Monday-qualifiers (as far as I'm aware)? This would mean potentially more opportunities, but I think at that point why not turn pro.
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Yes they can. My buddy played in a Monday Qualifier for the Shell Houston Open last year. He nuked a 4 iron long on a downhill shot and tripled the hole. A double would have gotten him in.
 
It would be a great story if it did happen.
 
Never say never and it is possible
 
I think one of the main reasons we wont see it again, is primarily because they are all turning pro so much younger. I just dont see it unless its someones drive to do so as an amateur. Then again.....if your good enough to win it as an amateur, you might as well get paid to win it, no?
 
I don't see why not. These high level am's are amateur in name only. Between USGA events, invitational's etc. some of these guys play more tournaments a year than Tiger.
 
My guess is no. I would imagine winning as an amateur would be a giant bummer. Can you imagine winning and not getting paid? LOL
 
I'm not going to say no. There's someone out there that'll do it.
 
Raiderboost said:
Yes they can. My buddy played in a Monday Qualifier for the Shell Houston Open last year. He nuked a 4 iron long on a downhill shot and tripled the hole. A double would have gotten him in.
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Wow that sucks...hopefully he's still going for it as he obviously has the skill to get there
 
I don't know about a PGA Tour-only Event, but I could see it happening in the British Open. Amateurs always get exemptions into at least 3 of the majors, and if you get a quirky, windy Open, it can really open the tourney up to amateurs used to playing in those conditions.
 
I think it's possible, but I don't see anybody in the wings ready to do it right now. With the success of some of the young guns, it would just be a matter of somebody coming along who's right on the brink of turning pro and having a hot week. Golf is an unpredictable game - look at the guys who win a tournament one week, then miss the cut the following week.
 
mmaynard11 said:
...do you think we will ever see an amateur win...
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I've often wondered if an amateur could ever win a one year Grand Slam.
There would be nothing to stop them from entering/winning the Masters, the US Open and the Open, but the PGA Championship seems to require PGA membership and professional status.
What is the PGA afraid of?
:cool:
 
I actually think it's possible. There are so many capable and great players in the college ranks now. Look how fast Morikawa, Wolf, and Hovland won. I think it's only a matter of time.
 
Ever is a long time for anyone to say it will never happen.
 
I think we will.
 
Snickerdog said:
I think we will. There is another young "tiger" out there somewhere that will take the world by storm and give us something to cheer for. Might be possible it happens on the LPGA first.
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I thought Lydia Ko won several events as an am. Way more likely as the window of being mature enough to compete with top level people will be a bit longer for women.
 
I don't think so. I think the money available now as a pro is high enough that they go pro as soon as they think they can play well enough to get into the money. Maybe someone could have reason to stay amateur long enough to have a chance, but I don't think so.
 
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