Preston Summerhays makes history by winning prestigious Sunnehanna Amateur

Preston Summerhays, of Scottsdale, Ariz., holds a trophy while wearing the ceremonial green jacket after winning the Sunnehanna Amateur Tournament for Champions in Johnstown, Pa., Friday, July 24, 2020. (John Rucosky/The Tribune-Democrat via AP) | AP

SALT LAKE CITY — Two-time Utah Men’s Amateur champion Preston Summerhays won the prestigious Sunnehanna Amateur Friday in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, and in the process tied the tournament record of 14-under par, while becoming the youngest winner in the 67-year history of the event.

Summerhays, who just turned 18 earlier in the week, fired a final-round 65 at the Sunnehanna Country Club to finish with a four-day total of 266, three shots ahead of Texas golfer Travis Vick, who shot a final-round 63. Last summer, Summerhays, who lives in Scottsdale, Arizona, but spends his summers in Utah, won another big national tournament, the U.S. Junior Amateur.

“This is definitely one of the bigger amateur events with a great field and a great course,” Summerhays said. “To win an event that other great players have won and gone on to do good things means a lot to me.”

Top golfers such as Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson have played in the Sunnehanna Amateur and past champions include Rickie Fowler, Webb Simpson and Ben Crenshaw.

Summerhays will play in the U.S. Amateur at Bandon Dunes in Oregon in two weeks and will defend his title at the Utah Amateur in early September at Jeremy Ranch Golf and Country Club. Then later that month, he’ll compete at the U.S. Open at Winged Foot in New York.

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