Two AJGA alumni battled it out this past weekend at the 121st U.S. Amateur at Oakmont. James Piot of Canton, Michigan, and Austin Greaser of Vandalia, Ohio, squared off over 36-holes in a back and forth match on Sunday, August 15th.
Piot rallied from a three-hole deficit late in the match to take home the biggest title in amateur golf. The fifth year Michigan State University senior won 2&1 over Greaser with Michigan State assistant coach, Dan Ellis, on the bag as his caddie. The Michigan native became the first Michigander to hoist the Havemeyer trophy. With his win Piot received a 10-year exemption into the U.S. Amateur (should he stay an amateur), and exemptions into the 2022 U.S. Open, Open Championship at St. Andrews and the Masters Tournament.
From 312 to 1️⃣.@jamespiot1 is the 121st #USAmateur champion! pic.twitter.com/e43aj2LfVG
— USGA (@USGA) August 15, 2021
In Piot's five year AJGA career, he was a two-time champion of the Randy Wise Junior Open (2016, 2017) in his own backyard in Michigan. He competed in seven AJGA invitationals including the Polo Golf Junior Classic in 2015.
US Amateur runner-up Austin Greaser competed in 13 AJGA events in his three year AJGA career. Greaser was twice named a Rolex Junior All-American and took home two AJGA champion titles including the 2018 Strategic Communications / Justin Thomas Junior Championship presented by Phocus. He competed in five AJGA invitationals including the Polo Golf Junior Classic in 2018. His best invitational finish came in 2018 at the Wyndham Invitational presented by Truist .
As runner-up, Greaser will receive a three year exemption in the U.S. Amateur Championship and exemptions into the 2022 U.S. Open and Masters Tournament.
AJGA alumni swept the honors at the U.S. Amateur. Mark Goetz of Greensburg, Pennsylvania, took home the medalist honors after the completion of the stroke play portion of competition. He went 8-under-par 132 over 36 holes of stroke play competition. With his medalist honors he entered the match play portion of the competition as the No. 1 seed. Goetz fell in the round of 64 to David Nyfjall of Sweden, 1-down.
Goetz competed in three AJGA events during the 2015 and 2016 seasons. His best finish was T7 at the Preseason Junior at Chesapeake Bay presented by Golf Performance Center.
Nice start to the week for Mark Goetz!
— USGA (@USGA) August 12, 2021
The 2019 Western Pennsylvania Amateur champion turned 23 on Tuesday and earned #USAmateur medalist 🏅 honors on Wednesday.