Jay Sigel, 42, of Berwyn, Pennsylvania, defeated O. Gordon Brewer of Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania, 3 and 2, at The Vintage Club in Indian Wells, California. Sigel had now won four USGA Championships in the last four years: the 1982 and 1983 Amateur and the 1983 and 1985 Mid-Amateur.

Dennis Saunders of Mesa, Arizona, was the medalist with a 137 but was defeated in the first round of match play by Seth Knight of Atlanta, Georgia, 4 and 2.

Knight then faced Sigel and was four up with five holes to play. Sigel played the next five holes in five under par, however, to force the match to extra holes, then birdied the 19th hole to win. Sigel reached the final by defeating Mark Davis, of Mesa, Arizona, 3 and 2.

Brewer was taken to 21 holes by Larry Seligmann of Houston, Texas, in the second round, but had little trouble after that. He downed Mike Haney of Glendale, California, 1 up, to reach the final.

In the final, Sigel won the first hole with a birdie and the second with a par to go 2 up, but Brewer won the fourth and Sixth with birdies to square the match. Sigel regained his two-hole advantage by winning the eighth and ninth holes.