1962 U.S. Amateur: Labron Harris Jr. wins at Pinehurst Country Club (No. 2 Course)

Labron Harris Jr. won the 1962 U.S. Amateur at Pinehurst Country Club (No. 2 Course) in Pinehurst, North Carolina, beating Downing Gray 1 up in the final.

Updated October 22, 2026

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Edition: 62nd
Dates: September 17, 1962 to September 22, 1962
Course: Pinehurst Country Club (No. 2 Course), Pinehurst, North Carolina
Format: match play (sectional qualifying only)
Champion: Labron Harris Jr. · age 20 · United States · Oklahoma State University
Champion's title: 1st U.S. Amateur
Runner-up: Downing Gray · age 24
Final: 1 up
Losing semifinalists: Billy Joe Patton and Charles Coody
Defending champion: Jack Nicklaus · did not play
Entries: 2,044

What happened at the 1962 U.S. Amateur

Final: Gray led by five holes early in the afternoon; Harris played the 19th-26th in one under par, winning six holes to draw even, took the lead on the 28th, chipped from 80 feet to save par at the 33rd after shaking hands with Gen. Eisenhower, birdied the 34th to go 2 up, lost the 35th, and holed a 4-foot putt on the 36th to win 1 up.

Round of 32: Homero Blancas beat 1960 champion Deane Beman on the 24th hole with a 15-foot putt after Beman missed three putts of under 5 feet in the five extra holes (record book: longest 18-hole match of 1962).

Semifinal, Downing Gray v. Charles Coody, 3 & 2. Gray was 7 up after seven afternoon holes; Coody won five of the next seven, but Gray holed a four-footer for a three on the 15th and won with a par five on the 16th.

Semifinal, Labron Harris Jr. v. Billy Joe Patton. Patton, two down with six to go, birdied the 31st after putting on a floppy rain hat and a different pair of glasses, squared at the 32nd, then half-topped a 3-iron at the 33rd and Harris closed him out.

The draw

Every match is recorded through the quarterfinal; earlier rounds are partial (round of 16 (6 of 8 matches with players and result; 8 rows); round of 32 (3 of 16 matches with players and result; 4 rows)).

The final, 1962 U.S. Amateur

Winner		Beaten	Result
Labron Harris Jr.	def.	Downing Gray	1 up

Semifinals, 1962 U.S. Amateur

Winner		Beaten	Result
Labron Harris Jr.	def.	Billy Joe Patton	3 & 1
Downing Gray	def.	Charles Coody	3 & 2

Quarterfinals, 1962 U.S. Amateur

Winner		Beaten	Result
Labron Harris Jr.	def.	Homero Blancas	2 & 1
Billy Joe Patton	def.	Jim Gabrielsen	7 & 6
Downing Gray	def.	Paul Desjardins	1 up
Charles Coody	def.	Bill Newcomb	2 up

Round of 16, 1962 U.S. Amateur

Winner		Beaten	Result
Billy Joe Patton	def.	John McKey Jr.	2 & 1
Jim Gabrielsen	def.	Bob Littler	5 & 4
Homero Blancas	def.	Dave Marad	1 up
Paul Desjardins	def.	Charlie Smith	3 & 1
Bill Newcomb	def.	Perky Cullinane	2 up
Labron Harris Jr.	def.	R. H. Sikes	3 & 2
Downing Gray	def.	unknown	unknown
Charles Coody	def.	unknown	unknown

Round of 32, 1962 U.S. Amateur

Winner		Beaten	Result
Homero Blancas	def.	Deane Beman	won on 24th hole
Perky Cullinane	def.	Harvie Ward	2 up
Charlie Smith	def.	Don Harmon	unknown
Downing Gray	def.	Marion Methvin Jr.	3 & 2

How this was built

Every value is shown as recorded in GNN's U.S. Amateur data set (research collected through October 20, 2026). "unknown" means no source confirmed it; nothing is estimated. Where sources disagree, the USGA's own record is used.

Data: us-amateur.json.