George Zahringer

George Zahringer, 49, of New York, N.Y., became the oldest champion in the 22-year history of the U.S. Mid-Amateur when he defeated Jerry Courville Jr., 43, of Milford, Conn., 3 and 2, in the 36-hole match play final at The Stanwich Club (par 72, 6,893 yards) in Greenwich, Conn.

"I consider the crowning achievement in my amateur career," Zahringer said of winning his first USGA championship. "I am thrilled beyond words is really the best way to express it. I know that may not be great copy, but it was just a great day. I worked hard to try and stay focused. It's easy while playing a 36-hole match to let your mind race ahead."

Zahringer, the first medalist to win the title and a member at Stanwich, took a 1-up lead after the morning 18 and built his advantage to 3-up after 20 holes. However, Courville, the 1995 champion playing in his third Mid-Amateur final, won the next three holes to square the match. Courville, who was hampered by a sore back, held only one lead, 1-up, after 11 holes.

"It felt like I was playing with a straitjacket on out there," said Courville of the muscular troubles in his back.

Zahringer and Courville, who hold a total of 14 combined Metropolitan Golf Association Player of the Year Awards, agreed that the critical point in the match was the 27th hole, Stanwich's 576-yard, par-5 15th.

Courville three-putted for bogey and Zahringer made a 6-foot par putt to win the hole. It also marked the beginning of a stretch of holes in which Zahringer won four of the next five to fashion a 4-up lead.

"I think that was an important turning point because Jerry had just holed out on No. 8 from the bunker on the 26th hole," said Zahringer of Courville's birdie from the sand that squared the match.

The players halved the 32nd hole with par. Courville, who set the Mid-Amateur mark with 33 career match play wins, then won the par-4 33rd with an unlikely birdie from an adjacent fairway. With a 3-up lead with three holes to play, Zahringer hit the green on the par-3 34th (16th) and won the championship with a par to halve the hole.

On a rainy and chilly day, the two highly regarded players, who both reside 35 miles from Stanwich, tried to find the single-mindedness needed to win.

"I just tried not to get distracted by thinking about what does it mean to win and all that stuff," said Zahringer, only the second player to reach two consecutive finals. "That creeps into your mind. It's something that has to be managed."

In the semifinals, Zahringer defeated Jeff Wilson, 39, of Suisun, Calif., 5 and 4, and Courville notched a 2-up win over defending champion Tim Jackson, 43, of Germantown, Tenn.