The 104th annual Southwestern Amateur, one of the country’s leading events for top-ranked amateurs and the longest-running men’s tournament of its kind in the Southwestern U.S., is scheduled June 12-15 on the par 70, 6,883-yard Jack Nicklaus Signature Cochise course at the Desert Mountain Club in Scottsdale, Arizona. 

The tournament is free to spectators. All rounds get underway between 7:30 a.m. and 9:36 a.m. daily. Desert Mountain, which has hosted the event for the past six years, is located at 37700 N. Desert Mountain Parkway (at Cave Creek Road), Scottsdale. 

The Southwestern Amateur is sponsored by the Southwestern Golf Association, a nonprofit organization that promotes amateur golf in the Southwest. “We have seen some stellar young players participate in this tournament through the years,” said John Ranslem, executive director of the event. “We’re proud that the organization has been able to support amateur golf for more than 100 years.” 

There will be a full field of 84 players from a range of colleges and universities across the country including University of Alabama, Arizona State University, University of Arizona, Baylor, University of California, University of Colorado, Loyola Marymount, Texas Tech, San Diego State and others. Player ages range from 18 to 33. 

Auburn sophomore Wells Padgett birdied the second playoff hole to win the 2018 tournament over defending champion Jino Sohn, a senior at Arizona State University, in one of the tournament’s most dramatic finishes. University of Wisconsin senior Jordan Hahn placed third and Sean Carlon of the University of New Mexico, finished fourth. 

Past tournament winners include Nick Watney, Mark O’Meara, Corey Pavin, Craig Stadler, Tom Pernice, Jr., Jay Haas and Ted Purdy. Recent champions now on the PGA Tour include J.T. Poston and Kyle Jones; and Kevin Dougherty is on the Web.com Tour. 

The format is a 72-hole stroke play competition conducted over four consecutive days with no cut. An awards ceremony will be held immediately after the final round. 

“Judging by the comments made by past players, I think the 2019 field will really enjoy competing on Cochise,” said Ranslem, adding that one of the highlights of the course is a double-island green shared by the par three seventh hole and the par five 15th hole. 

For more information about the tournament, visit www.swga.net or follow the tournament on Twitter @SouthwesternAm.