In 2002, Mike Sposa made a hole-in-one at the famous 16th hole at TPC Scottsdale ― one of just 12 golfers to pull off that feat at the Phoenix Open.
That PGA Tour event 24 years ago was one of the 174 that Sposa competed in as a professional. He also has a win on the pro development circuit now known as the Korn Ferry Tour.
On Thursday, Sposa took the U.S. Senior Amateur title, winning the final match 3 and 2 over Todd White at Baltimore Country Club’s East Course. Sposa is a reinstated amateur who was on the victorious U.S. side in the 1991 Walker Cup. After claiming the trophy Thursday, Sposa jumped on a plane to Lahinch in Ireland for the 2026 Walker Cup, which begins Saturday.
reinstatement rules
White, meanwhile, was the 2015 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball champion with current U.S. Walker Cup captain Nathan Smith. White opened Thursday's final with a birdie to take an early 1-up lead, but Sposa made par on the second and then won four of the next five holes to take control. He was up 4 through seven holes and never looked back. He would close it out with a par on the par-5 14h hole.
“Todd is such a steady player,” said Sposa. “He has a great mental game, and his short game is really second to none, so to come out ahead is — I’m lucky, honestly.”
Sposa earned a spot in the 2027 U.S. Senior Open Championship at Oak Tree National in Edmond, Oklahoma, with this win.
Todd Kelly is an assistant managing editor at Golfweek.
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Mike Sposa, former PGA Tour golfer, wins 2026 U.S. Senior Amateur
