Alpharetta’s Bob Royak will defend his championship at the U.S. Senior Amateur this week at the Country Club of Detroit. Royak beat Roger Newsom 1-up in the 2019 final at Old Chatham Golf Club in Durham, N.C., but was unable to defend his title a year ago when the event was cancelled because of COVID-19.
The tournament begins Saturday with two days of stroke play. The low 64 advance to match play, with the championship scheduled for Thursday.
Royak, 59, is a veteran of 20 USGA competitions, including five U.S. Amateurs and three U.S. Senior Opens. He is vice president of an executive search firm. He and his wife, Diane, assist in finding families for Russian orphans.
Other Georgians in the field, including 2013 champion Doug Hanzel of Savannah, Jack Hall of Savannah, Rusty Strawn of McDonough, Georgia Golf Hall of Famer Jeff Knox of Augusta and Billy Mitchell of Atlanta, the low amateur at this year’s U.S. Senior Open. Also competing are former Georgia Amateur champion Rick Cloninger, who currently lives in Rock Hill, S.C., and Fred Ridley, the 1975 U.S. Amateur champion and chairman of the Augusta National Golf Club.
Ex-Bulldog Sigg closes in on exempt status
Former University of Georgia standout Greyson Sigg already had guaranteed himself a place on the PGA Tour by his status on the season-long points list. After last week’s win in the Boise Open, the first of three Korn Ferry Tour Finals, Sigg is on the verge of earning full exempt status and a spot in the 2022 Players Championship.
Sigg planned to take this week off and return to his Augusta home to see family, but changed his mind and will be in the field for this week’s Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship in Columbus, Ohio. Currently No. 1 in points, Sigg wants to hang on to the top spot and all the goodies that come with it.
“It’s been my goal ever since I won (the Knoxville Open) to become No. 1,” Sigg said. “That’s my goal moving forward, and I have a busy two weeks ahead of me.”
Sigg won his second Korn Ferry event last week when Aaron Rai, an European Tour player, made double bogey on the final hole. That enabled Sigg to pass Stephan Jaeger, who had been No. 1 in points for the previous 15 events.
Davis is medalist at U.S. Mid-Am qualifier
Reed Davis of Dunwoody shot a 5-under 65 to win the U.S. Mid-Amateur qualifier at Cuscowilla on Lake Oconee.
Davis played at Samford and competed on various mini-tours for two years before turning to the commercial and industrial real estate business and regaining his amateur status.
The other four spots went to former UGA standout Sam Straka of Valdosta, who shot 67; Jason Lane of Alpharetta and Kyle Hammond of Alpharetta, who shot 68; and Rusty Strawn of McDonough, who shot 69 and won a four-for-one playoff for the final spot. Chris Blackburn of Evans is first alternate, and Jason Sigler of Atlanta is second alternate.
The U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship will be held Sept. 25-30 at Sankaty Head Golf Club in Siasconset, Mass.
Georgia Putting Championship begins registration
Registration is open for the inaugural Georgia Putting Championship, scheduled for Oct. 31 at the Dan Yates Putting Course at the Bobby Jones Golf Course in Atlanta.
Participation in the 18-hole competition is limited to 40 individuals, 20 doubles teams and 20 mixed-doubles teams. Registration is $50 for individuals and $100 for teams and includes a $20 gift card for the PGA Tour Superstore, a Georgia Putting Championship head cover and apparel.
The championship is a collaborative effort between the Georgia PGA, the Georgia State Golf Association and Bobby Jones Golf Course. More information is available at GaPuttingChamp.com
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