The Honors Course, Ooltewah, Tennessee: Site of the 117th Southern Amateur ChampionshipOOLTEWAH, TN (July 18, 2023) – 156 of the world’s top male amateur golfers will compete at The Honors Course in Ooltewah, Tennessee, on July 19-22, 2023, for the 117th Southern Amateur Championship.
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This year marks the fourth time that The Honors Course plays host to the Southern Amateur Championship (1986, 2004, 2014). With a commitment to “honoring amateur golf,” the course has hosted an impressive list of premiere competitions, ranging from NCAA Championships to U.S. Amateur and U.S. Junior Amateur Championships.
61 of the top 150 amateurs in the world are set to compete in this year’s Southern Amateur Championship. Receiving a new record of 1,012 entries in 2023 ranging from past champions to first-time players, the stage is set for the best amateurs in the world to compete on the Pete Dye designed layout that was recently restored by Gil Hanse.
David Ford of Peachtree Corners, Georgia, and Wyatt Plattner of Sarasota, Florida, are the two 2022 Southern Golf Association champions in the field. Ford is the defending Southern Amateur Champion, and Plattner is making his Southern Amateur debut after winning the 50th Southern Junior Championship last year in Charleston, SC.
Defending Southern Amateur Champion, David Ford has fond memories of his time competing last year at Sea Island Golf Club. “I think the week was really memorable. I hadn’t won in a while. To know that I had a chance to win, was really special. The field that the Southern Am put together that year was really strong.”
For Ford, the path to this year’s Southern Amateur is met with a unique set of opportunities along with some previous challenges. One very familiar player that Ford will compete against at the Southern Amateur is his own twin brother, Maxwell. “He’s playing really good golf right now and ranked about 100 spots higher than he was this time last year,” David Ford explained. Ford hopes to find himself in the same pairing as his brother for at least one round of the tournament.
In February 2021, Ford faced one of his toughest obstacles yet. With several puzzling injuries, he was unsure if a future in golf was even possible. Despite those setbacks, he has been able to overcome them and shift his mindset. “I can’t take golf for granted. Golf isn’t guaranteed,” he said.
In addition to competing for the Southern Amateur title this year, Ford will be one of ten amateurs representing the United States on the 2023 Walker Cup team, further establishing his already impressive resume. “It’s overwhelming how cool it is,” commented Ford.
Despite his demanding schedule and consistently high WAGR® ranking, Ford tries to stay grounded and keep the pressure low. He has clear expectations for his week at The Honors Course. “My goal is not results-based. The only goal I have is to have fun,” Ford said.
For Plattner, winning the Southern Junior Championship in 2022 “was a surreal experience,” proving to himself he “could really take golf to the next level” after narrowly making the cut just one year prior. Plattner won the championship by three strokes, carding a 54-hole total of nine-under 207 at the Country Club of Charleston.
After a year of playing collegiate golf at the University of Cincinnati, he is feeling confident in his abilities to make the jump from the Southern Junior to the Southern Amateur. Despite this being his first year competing in the championship, Plattner’s sights are set on the hardware. “[Winning] is always my goal going into every tournament.”
2023 also marks the second year of the Elite Amateur Golf Series. Designed to challenge “the best of the best” in amateur golf, the Elite Amateur Golf Series (EAGS) aligns the top amateur championships in a collective competition, the Elite Amateur Cup. In addition to the Southern Amateur, the Elite Amateur Golf Series hosts the Sunnehanna Amateur, Northeast Amateur, North & South Amateur, Trans-Mississippi Amateur, Pacific Coast Amateur, and Western Amateur. For more information about the Elite Amateur Golf Series, visit the EAGS website.
Exemptions
● Players extended a Bobby Jones Invitation by the SGA Amateur Competition Committee are exempt from sectional qualifying.
Championship Facts
Yardage: 7527 yards
Course/Slope Rating: 77.3/154
Format
● 72 holes of stroke play.
● The field will be cut to the low 66 players and ties after 36 holes.
● The lowest score for 72 holes will be the Champion.
● In the event of a tie for the Championship, a “sudden-death” hole-by-hole play-off will be held immediately following play. The play-off holes and their order of play will be determined by the Rules Committee.
● Initial groupings will be for the first two rounds; the field will be cut and grouped by score after the second round for the third round; grouped by score after the third round for the fourth round.
Eligibility
Entries are open to any male amateur golfer who has a current Handicap Index® not exceeding 3.4 under the World Handicap System as of the close of entries.
Championship Schedule (all times in E.T.)
Tuesday, July 18
● 6:30 a.m.–7:00 p.m.: Practice Facilities open. TrackMan representative on-site.
● 7:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.: Player Registration on Clubhouse Back Patio.
● 7:30 a.m.–3:00 p.m.: Practice Rounds.
● 11:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.: Hosted Player Lunch – Dining Room.
Wednesday, July 19
● 6:00 a.m.–9:00 a.m.: Hosted Player Breakfast – Dining Room.
● 6:30 a.m.–7:00 p.m.: Practice Facilities open.
● Round 1: Tee times begin at 7:30 a.m. & 12:45 p.m. off #1 & #10 tees. 18 holes of Stroke Play.
● 11:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.: Hosted Player Lunch – Dining Room.
Thursday, July 20
● 6:00 a.m.–9:00 a.m.: Hosted Player Breakfast – Dining Room.
● 6:30 a.m.–7:00 p.m.: Practice Facilities open.
● Round 2: Tee times begin at 7:30 a.m. & 12:45 p.m. off #1 & #10 tees. 18 holes of Stroke Play.
● 11:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.: Hosted Player Lunch – Dining Room.
● Field cut to low 66 scores and ties after 36 holes.
Friday, July 21
● 6:00 a.m.–9:00 a.m.: Hosted Player Breakfast – Dining Room.
● 6:30 a.m.–7:00 p.m.: Practice Facilities open.
● Round 3: Tee times begin at 7:30 a.m. off #1 & #10 tees. 18 holes of Stroke Play.
● 11:00 a.m.– 3:00 p.m.: Hosted Player Lunch – Dining Room.
● Field re-grouped according to score.
Saturday, July 22
● 6:00 a.m.–9:00 a.m.: Hosted Player Breakfast – Dining Room.
● 6:30am: Practice Facilities open.
● Round 4: Tee times begin at 7:30 a.m. off #1 & #10 tees. 18 holes of Stroke Play.
● 11:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.: Hosted Player Lunch – Dining Room
● Awards ceremony immediately following play at scoreboard (weather permitting).
For more information about the Southern Amateur Championship, visit the Southern Golf Association website.
About the Southern Golf Association (SGA)
The Southern Golf Association, founded in 1902, is one of the oldest golf organizations and serves member clubs over a 15-state area. Recognized by the United States Golf Association (USGA) and Regional Golf Associations as one of the leaders in the promotion of Amateur Golf, SGA championships are selected for inclusion as criteria for selecting players for USGA and State team competitions. Through the years, SGA Champions have been chosen to represent various state golf associations in selected team competitions, including the Walker Cup and World Amateur. The SGA is host to the Southern Junior Championship as well as the Southern Amateur Championship each year.
For more information about the Southern Golf Association, visit www.southerngolf.org
Media Contact:
Savannah Russo
Manager of Media, Marketing & Communications
Southern Golf Association
205-803-6524
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