I couldn't agree more regarding Jim Nugent’s advocacy for Jay Sigel to be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame (“Amateur icon deserves spot in Hall of Fame,†March 13 GGP).
I had the chance to play with Sigel several times at the Northeast and Sunnehanna amateurs in the ’70s. It is obvious from his record that he was a superb player, the best amateur in the world at the time and perhaps one of the greatest in history. What was more remarkable to me was what a delight he was to play with. He was the very essence of the gentleman golfer: polite, thoughtful, a great competitor and a real credit to the sport.
Tom Evans
Bronxville, New York
Great article on Jay Sigel (“Amateur icon deserves spot in Hall of Fame,†March 13 GGP). I agree that he deserves to be in the WGHOF.
Great amateurs have made the game what it is today. As a kid, I caddied for Willie Turnesa, Ed Tutwiler and Bill Hyndman among others. They have done so much for the game. Keep on pushing.
Also, how is it that Butch Harmon has not been selected? There has never been a teaching pro who did more for professional golfers' success than Butch. Why are they letting him get old without the recognition?
Keep up the great work.
John Hoffman
Santa Clarita, California
I 100 percent agree with Jim Nugent regarding Jay Sigel. His amateur career is absolutely World Golf Hall of Fame-worthy (“Amateur icon deserves spot in Hall of Fame,†March 13 GGP).
Nugent mentioned Chick Evans getting in based upon his amateur career, but the article fails to mention Bobby Jones and Francis Ouimet, both of whom were part of the inaugural class in 1974.
Unlike Evans, Jones, and Ouimet, Sigel doesn’t have a major championship on his résumé, but he obviously played in a completely different era, when majors were dominated by professionals. An amateur hasn’t won a major since Johnny Goodman won the U.S. Open in 1933. So, I don’t think you can really hold that against Sigel.
As Nugent pointed out, Sigel has won just about every major amateur tournament. There have been better amateurs over the years (e.g., Tiger Woods), but no one since the days of Jones can match Sigel’s record as a career amateur (disregarding his turning pro as a senior).
Ken Shaw
Greenville, South Carolina
I know Jay Sigel from golf in Philadelphia, and when I served as president of the Pennsylvania Golf Association we instituted a state match-play event named for him. This year will be the 20th year of the event. Given his record in USGA match-play events, and especially the Walker Cup, he was a natural choice to honor.
Thank you, Jim Nugent, for the article (“Amateur icon deserves spot in Hall of Fame,†March 13 GGP). Jay Sigel certainly deserves to be recognized as one of the greatest amateur golfers of the 20th century.
Frank Rutan
Daniel Island, South Carolina
I was interested to read Jim Nugent’s article about Jay Sigel (“Amateur icon deserves spot in Hall of Fame,†March 13 GGP).
Nugent also could have mentioned that Sigel won the silver medal at the Open Championship at Muirfield in 1980. He and his wife, Betty, stayed with friends of mine in Aberlady, Scotland, for the championship. There was quite a party on the Sunday evening, as you can imagine. On the Monday, believe it or not, he played a mixed foursome at Gullane with my friends and me.
Not many people would go out for a friendly after such a success.
A delightful man, indeed.
Lorna Robey
London, England
I read with interest your column about the great Jay Sigel (“Amateur icon deserves spot in Hall of Fame,†March 13 GGP). I have had the pleasure to play with Jay in three Senior Tour (now Champions) pro-ams. From the friendship that developed between us as a result, I was invited by Jay to play in his charity golf tournament that he hosts each year at his home course, Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania.
I have been very active in golf in my home state of Indiana for nearly 30 years, including being a past president of the Indiana Golf Association and a founding member of the Indiana Golf Foundation. I have played in many local amateur events and have the highest respect for Jay’s amateur record. Nine Walker Cup teams? Simply amazing; no other way to describe it.
I am choosing to write you to ask your thoughts on what I can do to help get the WGHOF criteria changed so that an amateur as distinguished as Jay could get inducted as a competitor. I nominated John “Spider†Miller for induction into the Indiana Golf Hall of Fame after he won his second U.S. Mid-Amateur. Jay and Spider know each other well, and I feel confident I could get Spider to support Jay’s induction as a competitor. Your very detailed and compelling article is a good step in the process of creating the awareness that a change of induction criteria/terminology needs to occur.
Please know that I stand willing to assist your efforts in this cause to get Jay inducted into the WGHOF via the proper terminology of “competitor†that he so overwhelmingly deserves.
Gary F. Myers
Seymour, Indiana
The argument put forward by Rory McIlroy and others in favor of limited-field, no-cut events is that the fans want to see the superstars competing at the weekend (“State of the PGA Tour,†March 7 GGP+).
Seriously? Who wants to see the top players having one of their occasional bad events but miss out on the journeyman challenging for his first win?
Given that those who are cut take home no money, the prize fund could be the same as for the designated events, so it doesn't impact the rewards.
Looks like desperation to me.
Terry Wall
Winchester, England
I’ll bet that Rory McIlroy can’t wait until next year when the PGA Tour has a no-cut rule so that he still can play on the weekend (“McIlroy misses cut, points to Augusta,†March 13 GGP).
LIV Golf versus the PGA Tour: What’s the difference now?
Rich Wierman
Woodstock, Georgia
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