Sunnehanna Country Club history

Less than 10 years from the opening of Sunnehanna, the great depression of the 1930’s had a strong negative effect on the operations of the Club.

A member of the United States Walker Cup Team and the 1953 Canadian Amateur Champion, Cherry was a noted cabaret singer in the casinos of Las Vegas.

After four rounds of play, another Walker Cupper and the 1954 National Intercollegiate Champion, Hillman Robbins, Jr., of Memphis, Tennessee defeated Cherry by a stroke.

The most notable player not to participate in 1956 was Bill Campbell, the playing captain of the United States Walker Cup team.

In late 1957, Charles Kunkle received a letter of inquiry from the USGA regarding the operation of the tournament.

He returned in 1958 and the future Masters champion from Gainesville, Georgia won the Sunnehanna Amateur!

The 1961 Canadian Amateur champion, he went on to win two US Amateur titles.

Driven by a rejection letter from the tournament in 1964, he hung the offending note on the wall next to his bedroom desk.

In 1971, Simons was named NCAA Player of the Year at Wake Forest, reached the finals of the British Amateur and, several weeks later, lead the US Open at Merion by two strokes after 54-holes.

Until 1974 the 147 acres of land incorporated in the golf course was leased from the Bethlehem Steel Corporation.

Jay Sigel returned to Johnstown for the tenth time in 1976.

In 1979, John Cook returned a final time after announcing his intentions to turn professional at the conclusion of that year’s United States Amateur.

In 1983, Verplank, upon the conclusion of his freshman year at Oklahoma State, competed in his first Sunnehanna Amateur after being named a second team All-American.

In 1984, he arrived in Johnstown as a pre-tournament favorite having won the Big Eight Championship and been named first team All-American.

In the spring of 1986, Scott Verplank’s amateur career came to a fitting end.

His most remarkable performance came in 1992 winning the tournament by a record 13 strokes.

His amateur career at Sunnehanna spanned four decades before turning professional in 1994.

The following year, Lucas Glover began a new tradition with his victory in 2001 as a Clemson Tiger would win the Sunnehanna Amateur the next four years.

Johnstown, PA: Privately Printed, 2004.

In 2006, Australian, Michael Sim became the tournaments third international champion joining Brazilian, Jamie Gonzalez, and Canadian, Gary Cowan.

His goal at the beginning of the summer of 2007: earn a coveted spot on that years US Walker Cup team.

In 2008, he returned to defend his title, his game in fine form having finished fourth the week before at the NCAA tournament.