1985 U.S. Amateur: Sam Randolph wins at Montclair Golf Club
Sam Randolph won the 1985 U.S. Amateur at Montclair Golf Club in West Orange, New Jersey, beating Peter Persons 1 up in the final.
Updated October 22, 2026
Walk this draw in the U.S. Amateur room.
- Edition
- 85th
- Dates
- August 27, 1985 to September 1, 1985
- Course
- Montclair Golf Club, West Orange, New Jersey
- Stroke-play co-host
- Montclair Golf Club (other nines), West Orange, New Jersey
- Format
- stroke-play qualifying (36 holes) + match play
- Champion
- Sam Randolph · age 21 · United States · University of Southern California
- Champion's title
- 1st U.S. Amateur
- Runner-up
- Peter Persons · age 22
- Final
- 1 up
- Losing semifinalists
- Jack Kay Jr. and Chip Drury
- Stroke-play medalist
- Sam Randolph (134)
- Defending champion
- Scott Verplank · lost in quarterfinals (to Jack Kay Jr., 1 up)
- Entries
- 3,816
What happened at the 1985 U.S. Amateur
Final: Persons took his first lead since the 10th at the 31st; Randolph birdied the 32nd, birdied the 35th from two feet and saved par from a bunker on the 36th to win 1 up.
Randolph, playing through back spasms, was medalist with 134 (record-tying) and was never taken to the 18th hole after his first match.
Round of 16, Todd Hamilton v Duffy Waldorf, 8 & 7. Hamilton beat future tour winner Waldorf by a record round-of-16 margin
The draw
Every match is recorded through the round of 64.
The final, 1985 U.S. Amateur
| Winner | Beaten | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sam Randolph | def. | Peter Persons | 1 up |
Semifinals, 1985 U.S. Amateur
| Winner | Beaten | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sam Randolph | def. | Jack Kay Jr. | 4 & 3 |
| Peter Persons | def. | Chip Drury | 3 & 1 |
Quarterfinals, 1985 U.S. Amateur
| Winner | Beaten | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sam Randolph | def. | Jay Sigel | 2 & 1 |
| Jack Kay Jr. | def. | Scott Verplank | 1 up |
| Chip Drury | def. | Todd Hamilton | 1 up |
| Peter Persons | def. | Sam Farlow | 1 up |
Round of 16, 1985 U.S. Amateur
| Winner | Beaten | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sam Randolph | def. | Steven Serotte | 5 & 4 |
| Jay Sigel | def. | Mike Blewett | 4 & 2 |
| Jack Kay Jr. | def. | Michael Bradley | 1 up |
| Scott Verplank | def. | Bob Lewis | won on 19th hole |
| Todd Hamilton | def. | Duffy Waldorf | 8 & 7 |
| Chip Drury | def. | Kevin Johnson | 5 & 3 |
| Sam Farlow | def. | Mike Podolak | 5 & 3 |
| Peter Persons | def. | Paul Simson | 4 & 3 |
Round of 32, 1985 U.S. Amateur
| Winner | Beaten | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sam Randolph | def. | Mark Trauner | 2 & 1 |
| Steven Serotte | def. | Mitchell Perry | 1 up |
| Mike Blewett | def. | Richard Bendall | 1 up |
| Jay Sigel | def. | Karl Zoller | 1 up |
| Jack Kay Jr. | def. | Carter Fasick | 4 & 3 |
| Michael Bradley | def. | Leonard Hartlage | 6 & 5 |
| Bob Lewis | def. | Allen Doyle | 5 & 4 |
| Scott Verplank | def. | James Benepe III | 3 & 1 |
| Duffy Waldorf | def. | Lamar Haynes | 1 up |
| Todd Hamilton | def. | Billy Andrade | won on 20th hole |
| Kevin Johnson | def. | Buddy Marucci | 2 up |
| Chip Drury | def. | Jim Sorenson | 3 & 2 |
| Sam Farlow | def. | Jeff Maggert | won on 20th hole |
| Mike Podolak | def. | Jeffrey Wilson | 4 & 3 |
| Paul Simson | def. | Andy Stephen | 4 & 3 |
| Peter Persons | def. | David Jackson | 2 up |
Round of 64, 1985 U.S. Amateur
| Winner | Beaten | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sam Randolph | def. | Mike Schuchart | 1 up |
| Mark Trauner | def. | Thomas Lape | won on 19th hole |
| Steven Serotte | def. | David Brookerson | 6 & 4 |
| Mitchell Perry | def. | Woody Austin | 2 & 1 |
| Richard Bendall | def. | Brandt Jobe | 4 & 3 |
| Mike Blewett | def. | Robert Hughes | 2 & 1 |
| Jay Sigel | def. | Kirk Triplett | 2 & 1 |
| Karl Zoller | def. | Jerry Haas | won on 19th hole |
| Carter Fasick | def. | Patrick Fogarty | 2 & 1 |
| Jack Kay Jr. | def. | Howard Logan Jr. | won on 19th hole |
| Leonard Hartlage | def. | Len Mattiace | 3 & 2 |
| Michael Bradley | def. | James Guerra | 4 & 2 |
| Allen Doyle | def. | Wesley Mohr Jr. | 1 up |
| Bob Lewis | def. | Pat Herzog | 2 & 1 |
| Scott Verplank | def. | Randy Sonnier | won on 20th hole |
| James Benepe III | def. | Dean Paulson | 6 & 4 |
| Duffy Waldorf | def. | Roger Brown | 5 & 4 |
| Lamar Haynes | def. | Jim Carter | 1 up |
| Todd Hamilton | def. | Mike Ketcham | 2 & 1 |
| Billy Andrade | def. | James Brown | 3 & 2 |
| Buddy Marucci | def. | James Estes | 1 up |
| Kevin Johnson | def. | Clark Burroughs | 1 up |
| Chip Drury | def. | Peter Baker | 3 & 2 |
| Jim Sorenson | def. | Louis Brown | 5 & 4 |
| Sam Farlow | def. | Kevin Whipple | won on 19th hole |
| Jeff Maggert | def. | John Schoonover | 1 up |
| Mike Podolak | def. | Jim Holtgrieve | 5 & 3 |
| Jeffrey Wilson | def. | Tim Robinson | 2 & 1 |
| Paul Simson | def. | Donald Bliss | 1 up |
| Andy Stephen | def. | John Grace | won on 21st hole |
| David Jackson | def. | Bret Burroughs | 2 up |
| Peter Persons | def. | Frank Ford | 2 & 1 |
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.