The first US Amateur in history was held in 1895. It was played at the Newport Country Club and the winner was Charles B. McDonald, who defeated Charles Sands by 12 and 11. American final. Since then, the tournament has always been held except for the years of World War I and II, 1917, 1918, 1942, 1943, 1944 and 1945. As you can imagine, in 123 editions held there has been time to develop all kinds of traditions. One of the most curious and unknown has to do with food.
The USGA invites each of the two finalists to order whatever they want for breakfast and lunch. That is, there is no usual food buffet, the usual one that occurs in top-level tournaments, but the players are granted the grace to choose what they want. À la carte. It should be remembered that the US Amateur finals are played over 36 holes, so after the first 18 a brief break is made where the golfers take the opportunity to eat something quick.
Well, this Sunday’s request from Josele Ballester, the first Spanish golfer in history to play the final of this tournament has been the following: for breakfast he has chosen a beef steak and fried eggs and for lunch he has ordered chicken Alfredo fettuccini. This will be Ballester’s menu for his date with history in the US Amateur final.
Beyond this curious anecdote, not very well known, this Sunday the Havemeyer trophy is at stake, in honor of the first president of the USGA, Theodore A. Havemeyer. However, the prize that Ballester, hopefully, or Kent, will lift will not be the original, as it was destroyed in a fire in 1925, but the one that has been awarded since 1926. Interestingly, a replica of the first one was not made, but a new one, with a wider base for the inscription of the winners’ names and gold-plated, instead of the silver of the original.
The other great award is to play the Masters and the US Open, although there is a small distinction, not minor, between the winner and the finalist. Both are invited to play both Majors, but the champion can play the US Open even if he turns professional before (the finalist does not have that privilege, he must remain as an amateur) and, in addition, he qualifies for the Open Championship, where, as in the Masters, he should remain as an amateur. Similarly, the winner receives a commemorative gold medal, while the runner-up takes a silver one.
Ballester or Kent will therefore be this Sunday, the successors of Nick Dunlap, champion a year ago, double winner of the PGA Tour already and currently second in the FedEX St Jude Championship with one day to go. The US Amateur has an excellent list of winners, including Tiger Woods, who won it in three consecutive editions, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer or Bobby Jones, to name just a few of the greatest.
