Sam Bennett

Two months after finishing joint 49th in the US Open, Bennett captured the US Amateur Championship at The Ridgewood Country Club in New Jersey in August.

The Texas A&M University student went into the event third on the World Amateur Golf Rankings and knocked out three other top-10 players before defeating the 70th-ranked Ben Carr on the final green of the 36-hole final.

He looked to be heading for a comfortable victory when he stood five-up, but only when he parred the 464-yard last could he celebrate and hold aloft a trophy whose previous winners include Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Tiger Woods, Bobby Jones, Phil Mickelson, Mark O’Meara, Justin Leonard and more than 100 years ago England’s Harold Hilton, all of whom got their hands on the Claret Jug as well.

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

A year earlier he lost his father and tattooed on his left arm is “Don’t wait to do something,” which was the last thing Mark Bennett wrote to him.