Ben Keefer: Like Vlahakis, Keefer is a two-time mid-amateur winner (2009, 2019). The Hermitage Country Club member finished 70th out of 80 players in the qualifying round of last year’s amateur championship, but recovered by winning the third flight.
Ryan Bishop: Although he finished 29th in qualifying and then lost in the first round of the championship flight in 2020, Bishop was involved in the 2019 championship game with Rosenstock.
Tournament format
The tournament begins on Thursday with a qualifying round in which the entire field is represented. This stroke play round determines which 32 players will be promoted to the championship flight and which others will be placed in the remaining three flights.
From there, match play will determine the winner of each head-to-head matchup for rounds two, three, four and five. The championship game (round six) takes place on Sunday morning.
This year’s course
The Federal Club has hosted The Signature, along with the Amateur Championship, both of which attract some of the best amateur players in the state.
“It’s a tough, challenging golf course,” said Wilson. “It will have pretty fast greens and lots of bunkers.”