R.Jay Sigel U.S. Amateurs and three U.S. Mid-Am-ateur crowns. Sigel earned low amateur honors in the Open Championship (1980), The Masters (1981-82, 1988) and the U.S. Open (1984). He claimed the British Amateur in 1979. He won 11 Pennsylvania Amateurs and four Pennsylvania Opens. Sigel, a long-time Pine Valley Golf Club member, claimed a record-nine Crump Cups. He hoisted numerous invitational victories including the Northeast Amateur (1984-85, 1991), Sunnehanna Amateur (1976, 1978, 1988) and Porter Cup (1975, 1981, 1987). 1943 – 2025 SIGEL’S FIRST TASTE OF GAP SUCCESS came in the 1970 Joseph H. Patterson Cup at Merion Golf Club (East/West) with a four-shot victory. It resulted in his sec-ond-consecutive Silver Cross Award. He’d win six Silver Crosses (1969-70, 1972-75). The syrupy-swinging Sigel went wire-to-wire to claim his first Philadelphia Amateur in 1973 at Manufacturers’ Golf & Country Club in an 8&7 rout over Don Sowers of Reading Country Club. He add-ed one more in 1987 at one of his favorite Philadelphia courses, Torresdale-Frank-ford Country Club, now Union League Golf Club at Torresdale. “Yeah I’ve choked in this tournament before,” Sigel told Ray Didinger of the Philadelphia Bulletin after his 1973 Ama-teur win. “It seems like every year I point to the City Amateur and every year I am disappointed … I was jittery. I had a rest-less night last night. I didn’t get the sleep I did the rest of the week. This final was working on my mind.” He claimed his first Philadelphia Open Championship in record fashion in 1975 at Bidermann Golf Club. His 12-shot victory is still a tournament record. The Open in 1987 at Gulph Mills Golf Club was his last GAP victory. It was his record sixth Open title (1975, 1977-78, 1980, 1986-87). “The Philadelphia Open helped keep my game tuned,” Sigel said in the Summer 4 2024 issue of GAP Magazine highlighting the Philadelphia Open’s history. “There was extra pressure playing against the pros and I liked that. I always enjoyed it when an amateur beat a professional in golf. “To have the most victories in Phila-delphia Open history is satisfying. Those wins in the Philadelphia Open helped build confidence in my game. Look at the history of golf in Philadelphia. This area had a ton of great players back then. GAP always had great venues for the champi-onships and playing in GAP events helped me prepare for when I started playing more regional and national events. The competition was key and to be able to rise to the top of that is a great personal achievement for me.” Sigel’s national recognition began to evolve in the years following that record-setting win. His first taste of USGA success came in 1961 when he made it to the U.S. Junior Amateur Final. In 1977, Sigel, now a member of Aronimink Golf Club, received an op-portunity to play in the U.S. Amateur there, an event he desperately wanted to win. He lost to eventual champion John Fought in the semifinals. That year was the beginning of what would become Sigel’s impressive USGA resume. He com-peted in his first Walker Cup at Shinne-cock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, N.Y. He would not miss the biennial event for each of the next nine editions. He served as captain of the 1983 team at Royal Liv-erpool Golf Club in Hoylake, England and the 1985 team at Pine Valley. Sigel holds the record for most U.S. matches played with 33 and U.S. match victories with 18. “We aren’t going to see what Jay accom-plished again in amateur golf,” Jeff Kiddie, Copyright USGA Museum Jay Sigel, the Captain of the U.S. team and the trophy after winning the 1985 Walker Cup at Pine Valley. The U.S. defeated GB&I 13-11. Visit the GAP website at www.gapgolf.org for all the latest news and notes
GAP Magazine 2025 R. Jay Sigel Digital Issue: Page 4
