U.S. Amateur Golf Champion Announced In Bergen County

PARAMUS, NJ — A Texas A&M golfer, the No. 3 player in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, won the U.S. Amateur Golf Championship held this past week at Ridgewood Country Club in Paramus, a spokesperson for the U.S. Golf Association said.

Sam Bennett, 22, capped off the week with a one-up victory over Georgia Southern fifth-year senior Ben Carr in Sunday's 36-hole championship match.

“It means everything,” Bennett said. “It's a dream come true. It doesn't even feel real looking at all these people on the 18th green at Ridgewood."

Bennett, of Madisonville, Texas, started in a field of 312 qualifying players from around the world, and after a match-play portion, proceeded to the championship. He now joins famous American golfers Jack Nicklaus, Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods on the trophy.

"It means a lot to hold that trophy," Bennett said. "I'm sure tonight I'll take a peek at all the names, but I know Tiger Woods' name is on it three times, and to put my name beside him, I know it's something pretty special.”

Bennett received custody of the trophy for one year, a gold medal, and exemptions into the next 10 U.S. Amateur Championships, and into the 2023 U.S. Open Championship at the Los Angeles Country Club.

Runner-up Carr received a silver medal, an exemption into the 2023 U.S. Open, and a three-year exemption to the U.S. Amateur.

Ridgewood CC last hosted the championship in 1974, when Jerry Pate, who won the U.S. Open two years later, was named the winner.