It didn’t take long for a historic moment to happen in the Richmond City Amateur Golf Tournament.
The first tourney at Forest Hills Country Club ended in a three-way tie and was decided by a playoff.
As the competitors prepare for Saturday’s opening round at Highland Lake Golf Course, there have been many moments worth some reflection as the event enters its 89th year.
“It’s a pretty rich and cool history,” said Skip Runnels, who is the tournament’s all-time leader with 18 victories.
Playoffs are part of the mystique of the event that began in 1931. There have been eight times that extra holes were required to decide a champion.
The first three times an 18-hole playoff at a later date was used to determine the winner in 1931, 1953 and 1966.
During the other five overtime situations, the issues were resolved with one to three extra holes on the same day.
The Most Wins
Dave Thurman is third on the city championship winning list with eight victories from 1966 to 1987, but he was never the all-time leader thanks to Bob McClure.
McClure won a dozen championships during a 35-year run from 1938 to 1973. He would hang on to the top spot until Runnels won his 13th title in 2007.
Runnels and McClure share a mark for winning in five different decades. Runnels won his 18 championships over a 36-year period from 1977 to 2013.
The Only One?
Records have not been kept of all of the special moments.
However, it is believed by many area golfers that Mike Mullin is the only player to ever record an ace in the 89-year history of the tournament.
Mullin accomplished the feat with an eight iron at Highland on the 11th hole in 1983.
Richmond City Amateur Tournament Playoff History
1931 – The first day of the Richmond City Amateur Tournament ended with a three-way tie between Mark Porter, Ray Jones and Stuart Mann. The trio scored 160 in two rounds at Forest Hills during the day on Sunday, Sept. 20. Porter carded a 76 to claim the title, while Jones finished with an 82 and Mann had a 95. Porter would go on to win four more championships, while Jones picked up a victory in 1933.
1953 – The second playoff in the history of the event ended with McClure winning for the third time in his career after shooting a 69 during the extra round at Forest Hills. Defending champion Leo Bruck recorded a 74 to finish second. Both had a 139 to reach the playoff.
1966 – McClure became the only person to win a second playoff for the title. In what was the last 18-hole extra session for a championship, McClure carded a 72 as he and Scott Porter played the back nine at Forest Hills before moving the front nine at the Elks Country Club. The playoff came down to the final hole as McClure beat Porter’s 73 by one stroke.
1978 – Bob Daugherty won for the third time in his career as he beat Scott Porter and Ray (Cracky) Davis in what turned out to be a one-hole playoff. Daugherty had a birdie on the 18th hole at the Elks to join the extra session and then won it on the next hole.
1980 – Scott Porter joined his uncle Mark Porter on the list of playoff winners as he beat defending champion Scott Klute, after both had a 144 in regulation at the Elks. It took two extra holes as Porter earned his second championship.
1983 – This event altered the history of the tournament as Runnels won his third career championship with a birdie on the first hole at Forest Hills. Runnels, Gary Moorehead, Darrell Perry and Dave Thurman each carded at 147 in championship flight. However, Phil Beck, who had been placed in the A Flight, also finished with a 147. As a result of the flight situation that year, it was determined that the winner would always come from the championship flight.
1996 – Pete Holm won his second straight title as he survived one extra hole with a par on No. 1 at Forest Hills. With a 148 during regulation, Holm was just one shot better than Runnels and Rick Schneidewind in the playoff.
2005 – A year after finishing second to Runnels, C.D. Hockersmith was able to claim the title on the third extra hole at the Elks. Hockersmith and Runnels finished regulation play with scores of 140.
Players with Multiple Championships in the Richmond City Amateur Tournament
Skip Runnels 18 (1977, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013)
Bill McClure 12 (1938, 1940, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1958, 1959, 1963, 1966, 1967, 1970, 1973)
Dave Thurman 8 (1968, 1969, 1971, 1972, 1975, 1981, 1984, 1987)
Mark Porter 5 (1931, 1932, 1934, 1935, 1937)
Gene Coulter 5 (1949, 1950, 1951, 1956, 1957)
Bob Daugherty 4 (1965, 1974, 1978, 1997)
Earl (Shorty) Thomas 3 (1936, 1943, 1944)
Bob Mackay 3 (1942, 1945, 1946)
Jack Clements 2 (1939, 1941)
Leo Bruck 2 (1952, 1960)
Phil Beck 2 (1961, 1962)
Scott Porter 2 (1964, 1980)
Pete Holm 2 (1995, 1996)
Del DeMao 2 (2001, 2003)
Jeff Mullin 2 (2006, 2009)
Tyler Pearson 2 (2017, 2018)