1971 U.S. Amateur: Gary Cowan wins at Wilmington Country Club (South Course)
Gary Cowan won the 1971 U.S. Amateur at Wilmington Country Club (South Course) in Wilmington, Delaware with 72-hole stroke play, scoring 280, 3 strokes ahead of Eddie Pearce.
Updated October 21, 2026
Walk this draw in the U.S. Amateur room.
- Edition
- 71st
- Dates
- September 1, 1971 to September 4, 1971
- Course
- Wilmington Country Club (South Course), Wilmington, Delaware
- Format
- 72-hole stroke play
- Champion
- Gary Cowan · age 32 · Canada
- Champion's title
- 2nd U.S. Amateur
- Runner-up
- Eddie Pearce · age 19
- Winning score
- 280 (margin: 3)
- Defending champion
- Lanny Wadkins
- Entries
- 2,327
What happened at the 1971 U.S. Amateur
Leading Eddie Pearce by one on the 72nd tee, Cowan hooked into trees and high grass, then holed a 9-iron from about 135 yards out of the rough for an eagle 2 to win by three
Cowan, whose 1966 title was dismissed by some as 'the one Beman lost', became a two-time champion five years later
Final round, Gary Cowan v. Eddie Pearce, Cowan 280, Pearce 283. Cowan had let a three-stroke lead shrink to one; on the 18th he hooked his drive behind trees, was refused a look at the scoreboard by USGA president Phil Strubing, and holed a 9-iron of about 130-135 yards for an eagle 2 while Pearce watched from beside the green.
No draw: stroke play
From 1965 to 1972 the U.S. Amateur was 72 holes of stroke play, so there is no bracket for 1971.
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
- Long Beach Independent Press-Telegram 1971-09-05 (UPI) (archive.org independent-press-telegram-1971-09-05)
- Long Beach Independent Press-Telegram 1971-09-05 (UPI) (archive.org independent-press-telegram-1971-09-05)
- Appleton Post-Crescent 1971-09-05 (AP) (archive.org appleton-post-crescent-1971-09-05)
- Sports Illustrated 1971-09-13 'Look what Gary found in the cup!' (archive.org Sports-Illustrated-1971-09-13)
- USGA U.S. Amateur Record Book 2026
- Long Beach Independent Press-Telegram 1971-09-05 (UPI) (archive.org independent-press-telegram-1971-09-05)
- Sports Illustrated 1971-09-13 'Look what Gary found in the cup!' (archive.org Sports-Illustrated-1971-09-13)
- Hope Star 1971-09-06 (AP) (archive.org hope-star-1971-09-06)
- Hope Star 1971-09-06 (AP) (archive.org hope-star-1971-09-06)
- Sports Illustrated 1971-09-13 'Look what Gary found in the cup!' (archive.org Sports-Illustrated-1971-09-13)