Top 10 amateur storylines of the decade: Major feats and new frontiers

The excitement in amateur golf can sometimes go overlooked. It rarely gets the headlines or the TV time that professional golf gets.

2. Amateur golf may never see another 57

Alex Ross with his scorecard and the glove he used the day he shot 57 at the Dogwood Invitational. (Photo by Julie Williams)

Not one college golfer fired a 59 in competition during the past decade, or at any point before in history. A college golfer, playing in a summer amateur event, did post a 57 in 2019, however.

On a 36-hole day at the Dogwood Invitational in June, Alex Ross rebounded from a morning 73 at Druid Hills Golf Club in Atlanta with an afternoon round of 15-under 57. It was a course record by three shots, and while it wasn’t enough for Ross to win the 72-hole event, it was enough to leave him on the right side of the 54-hole cut.

Ross’ round included 13 birdies and an eagle. It’s scary to think it could have been even better. Ross left his eagle putt at the par-5 ninth hole short to end his round (he had started the day on No. 10) and also missed a 10-footer for eagle at No. 7 – which he set up with a 188-yard 7-iron.