2001

Tim Jackson, 42 of Germantown, Tenn., sank a 15-foot putt on the 36th hole against George Zahringer, 48, of New York, N.Y., to earn a 1-up victory and capture the 21st U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship at the par-71, 6,845-yard San Joaquin Country Club in Fresno, Calif.

The match was close throughout, with Jackon holding a two-hole lead after the first 18 holes. Jackson built a three-hole lead heading to the par-3, 226-yard 34th hole, when his tee shot went far right of the green and he two-putted from 50 feet to par the hole and cut the deficit to two holes.

Zahringer then sank a 25-foot putt on the par-4, 385-yard 35th hole to cut the deficit to one heading to the final hole.

At the par-5 555-yard 36th hole, both players were on the green in three shots, Jackson 15 feet from the hole and Zahringer within eight feet. Jackson, sunk his putt and conceded Zahringer's birdie putt to halve the hole and earn the victory.

"I was lucky enough to get mine in first," Jackson said. "There's no question in my mind that he would have made that putt. He had the momentum, and I certainly didn't want to go down number one again (for extra holes.)"

It was the second Mid-Amateur title for Jackson, who captured his first in 1994 at Hazeltind National Golf Club.