Profiles
Of The Eight U.S. Mid-Amateur Quarterfinalists
Jeff
Wilson,
41, Fairfield,
Calif.
• Tied
Randy Sonnier
and Jay
Sigel
for most times being medalist at
Mid-Amateur at three.
• Low amateur at the 2000 U.S.
Open at Pebble Beach
.
• Co-medalist at the 2000 U.S.
Amateur at Baltusrol Golf Club
• Semifinalist at the 2001
and 2002 U.S.
Mid-Amateur.
• Quarterfinalist at 2000 U.S.
Mid-Amateur, where he was co-medalist. Defeated by eventual champion
Greg Puga,
2 and 1
• Played professionally from
1986-94, including one season on the PGA
Tour where he earned $70,011 in
28 events. Played 25 events on the Nike Tour in 1992, earning $16,871
and 21 Nike Tour events in 1994, earning 15,685.
• Got his amateur status back
in 1997.
• Now works as a sales manager
at a car dealership in Vallejo,
Calif.
• Played college golf at University
of Pacific,
where he earned third-team All-America
honors in 1983 and '84.
Wright
Waddell, 42, Columbus,
Ga.
- Competing in his fifth U.S. Mid-Amateur.
- Has
also competed in four U.S. Amateurs and one U.S. Junior, where he
reached the semifinals in 1979 at Moss Creek in Hilton
Head Island , S.C.
- Attended
the University
of Georgia,
where he graduated in 1984
- Four-time Southeastern Amateur champion
(1989, '94, '98 and 2000)
- Two-time Georgia State Golf Association
Mid-Amateur champion (1990 and '99)
Austin
Eaton III,
35, New London, N.H.
- Competing in his fifth USGA event.
Has played in on Amateur Public Links, one U.S. Amateur - both in
1998 - and three Mid-Amateurs. Reached the quarterfinals of the 2002
Mid-Amateur at Stanwich Club.
- Wife Pamela is serving as his caddie
this week.
- Played college golf at University
of New Hampshire where he graduated in 1991.
- Works in the family home-building
business where he serves as an on-site supervisor
- Won the New Hampshire Amateur in 2003
- Grew up as an avid skier and was ranked
in the top 10 as a racer in high school.
Kevin
Marsh, 31, Las Vegas, Nev.
- Competing in first U.S. Mid-Amateur
- Got his amateur status back in December
of 2002 after a three-year professional career. Played two years on
the Hooters Tour in 1997 and 1998.
- Was
an Al l-American
at Pepperdine University
- Reached
the round of 16 at 1993 U.S. Amateur (lost to Notah Begay III).
Missed the match-play cut at the 1994 U.S. Amateur
- Involved in commercial real estate
in Las Vegas
- Won the 1996 Southern California Golf
Association Amateur
- Won the 2004 Santa Barbara City Championship.
- Served as interim coach at 1997 NCAA
Division I Championship when Pepperdine head coach John Geiberger
came down with the chicken pox days before the event. Pepperdine won
the title.
William
Johnson, 26, San Francisco, Calif.
- Competing in first USGA championship
after trying to qualify some 18 times since the age of 16.
- Younger brother, Tom, has played in
eight USGA championships and just completed his eligibility at Northwestern
University. Tom is serving as William's caddied this week
- Just quit his marketing/public relations
job in San Francisco. Works as a caddie at San Francisco Golf Club.
- Played college golf at UC Davis
- Caddied for his brother, Tom, when
he qualified for a Nationwide Tour event earlier this year.
- Is an Eagle Scout
- Second-team
Division II All-American
in 2000
Richie
Taylor, 33, Snellville, Ga.
- Competing in just his second USGA
competition and first U.S. Mid-Amateur. Missed the match-play cut
at the 1992 U.S. Amateur when he lost out in a playoff for the final
spots.
- Played college golf at Division II
Mississippi College
- Sells chicken for a living as he works
for Pilgrim's Pride Inc., a poultry company.
- Lowest
competitive score is a 63 at Auburn (Ala.)
Links
- One of two Georgia residents still
alive in the championship (other is Wright Waddell).
Josh
Dennis, 27, Birmingham, Ala.
- Competing in his first USGA event.
Qualified for the Mid-Amateur by shooting 68 at Greystone Golf &
Country Club
- Played collegiately at Auburn University,
where he graduated in 1999
- Partner in Marketing Solutions, Inc.
- Off the golf course, he enjoys flying
airplanes
- Rallied from a three-hole deficit
with five to play to defeat Mark Thompson in the third round, 1 up
John
McClure, 45, Austin, Texas
- Competing in fifth U.S. Mid-Amateur.
Best previous finish was the second round in 1992. Playing first Mid-Amateur
since 1997.
- His 24-hole second-round victory over
Arnold Cutrell was the longest of this year's championship.
- Has competed in four U.S. Amateurs,
but never made the match-play cut. Lost in a playoff for match play
in 1993 at Champions Club.
- Attended the University of Oklahoma.
Graduated in 1981
- Is a reinstated amateur (1985)
- Involved in real estate investment
in Austin.
- Father,
Jay McClure, is a PGA
professional.
- Competed in the 1999 AT&T Pebble
Beach Pro-Am
- Had a hole-in-one at Shinnecock Hills'
famous No. 7 (Redan) hole.
Profiles compiled by David Shefter, USGA staff writer.
