Cole Hammer from Houston, a former Legends Junior Tour Player of the Year, won the 2018 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship in late May with his partner Garrett Barber from Stuart, Fla., at Jupiter Hills Club in Tequesta, Fla. The pair of 18-year-old high school seniors combined for 10 birdies and two eagles in their dominant 4-and-3 Championship Match victory over Floridians Marc Dull and Chip Brooke.
Hammer, who will start his freshman year at Texas in the fall, made headlines in 2015 when, as a 15-year-old, he advanced through sectional qualifying to earn a spot in the U.S. Open at Chambers Bay. He was the third-youngest player to compete in the U.S. Open.
At Jupiter Hills last month, Hammer and Barber had to stave off two TGA stalwarts - 2004 Texas Amateur champion Zach Atkinson from Colleyville and Brad Gibson from Lewisville - in the Quarterfinals. The youngsters defeated their elders, 3 and 2, on the way to winning their USGA National Championship a couple days later. For more information about the 2018 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship, click here.
