1970 U.S. Amateur: Lanny Wadkins wins at Waverley Country Club
Lanny Wadkins won the 1970 U.S. Amateur at Waverley Country Club in Portland, Oregon with 72-hole stroke play, scoring 279, 1 stroke ahead of Tom Kite.
Updated October 22, 2026
Walk this draw in the U.S. Amateur room.
- Edition
- 70th
- Dates
- September 2, 1970 to September 5, 1970
- Course
- Waverley Country Club, Portland, Oregon
- Format
- 72-hole stroke play
- Champion
- Lanny Wadkins · age 20 · United States · Wake Forest University
- Champion's title
- 1st U.S. Amateur
- Runner-up
- Tom Kite · age 20
- Winning score
- 279 (margin: 1)
- Defending champion
- Steve Melnyk · made the cut; finish position unknown (shot 68 in round 2)
- Entries
- 1,853
What happened at the 1970 U.S. Amateur
Kite led by six at the 17th tee in round 3 but bogeyed 17 and 18 while Wadkins holed a 60-yard wedge for an eagle 3 at the 18th, cutting the lead to two
Final round: Wadkins took the lead when Kite double-bogeyed the 15th; both birdied the 18th (Wadkins from 20 feet, Kite from 10) for a one-stroke Wadkins win
Third round, Lanny Wadkins v. Tom Kite, Kite lead cut from six to two. Kite stood on the 17th tee six strokes ahead; he bogeyed 17 and 18 while Wadkins lofted a 60-yard wedge into the cup for an eagle at the 18th.
No draw: stroke play
From 1965 to 1972 the U.S. Amateur was 72 holes of stroke play, so there is no bracket for 1970.
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.
Sources
- USGA U.S. Amateur Record Book 2026
- Sports Illustrated 1970-09-14 'Big amateur shoot-out at Generation Gap' (archive.org Sports-Illustrated-1970-09-14)
- Appleton Post-Crescent 1970-09-06 (AP) (archive.org appleton-post-crescent-1970-09-06)
- Appleton Post-Crescent 1970-09-06 (AP) (archive.org appleton-post-crescent-1970-09-06)
- Sports Illustrated 1970-09-14 'Big amateur shoot-out at Generation Gap' (archive.org Sports-Illustrated-1970-09-14)
- USGA U.S. Amateur Record Book 2026
- Appleton Post-Crescent 1970-09-06 (AP) (archive.org appleton-post-crescent-1970-09-06)
- Sports Illustrated 1970-09-14 'Big amateur shoot-out at Generation Gap' (archive.org Sports-Illustrated-1970-09-14)