Game on!

Top amateurs from around the country will play Shadow Hills December 18-21.

Agave Amateur returns to Indio’s Shadow Hills Golf Club in December

Southern California has long been a region that develops some of the top golfers in the world, thanks in part to the favorable year-round weather and bevy of incredible courses from the coast to the desert. And many of the best collegiate players from SoCal and surrounding areas will tee it up in December at one of the most competitive amateur events in the region.
 
From December 18-21, a field of 112 players will compete at Indio’s Shadow Hills Golf Club in the fourth annual Agave Amateur, part of the prestigious Troon Saguaro Amateur Series. 

---

---

Defending champion Steve Sugimoto.

The level of play is always exceptional at Saguaro Amateur Series events, and the Agave will be no exception. Eligible players include the top 250 golfers from the final 2019-20 Golfweek or Golfstat Collegiate Rankings, all 2019 or 2020 champions of major state amateur golf tournaments, and those who qualify through a number of other amateur ranking systems. 
 
“With most college kids starting their holiday break, we found that this was a time of year when there really wasn’t a high quality competitive event in Southern California, so we took the opportunity to add this event to the Saguaro Amateur Series,” said Rolland Vaughn, the General Manager of Shadow Hills. “The quality of play is really amazing every year.”
 
The Agave Amateur will feature practice rounds on December 18, followed by 54 holes of stroke play competition with no cut December 19-21. The field is already full, but players can be added to a waitlist in case there are withdrawals. 

---

---

---

Steve Sugimoto will return to defend his title in the Agave Amateur. Last year, the Rancho Bernardo High School product and current member of San Diego State’s men’s golf team shot 203 (71-67-65) to edge Ryan Bisharat of Cal State San Marcos by one stroke. 
 
The Troon Saguaro Amateur Series was the brainchild of University of Colorado men’s golf coach Roy Edwards, Wyoming men’s golf coach Joe Jensen and Brady Wilson, the general manager of Ak-Chin Southern Dunes near Phoenix. Started in 2014 with one event at Southern Dunes, the series currently consists of 10 tournaments played at Troon courses throughout the Southwest, many in the fall and winter months.
 
Throughout its short history, the series of tournaments has consistently attracted top players. A handful of current touring pros have played in the events, including World No. 7 Xander Schauffele and Palm Desert product Charlie Reiter.

Shadow Hills Golf Club in Indio will be on full display during the Agave Amateur.

“It started as the one event at our facility, and it’s really just a way to give collegiate golfers more opportunities to play and compete between their fall and spring golf seasons,” said Wilson, whose club will host the Saguaro Amateur the first week in January as the championship event of the series.

“Our event pretty much took off the first year, and it developed as one of the premier amateur events that time of year. After a couple years of success, we looked at whether we could expand it. It has just continued to grow, and Coach Roy probably deserves the lion’s share of the credit - he has really taken it to the next level. Hosting all the events at Troon properties makes a big difference too, because we’re trying to put on high-quality events where the players walk away feeling they had a great experience, and a large part of that is the facility.”

---

---

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

This Inland Empire golf course has earned its stellar reputation

Southern California golfer shoots his second career round of 58

Improve your bunker play with help of SCPGA Teacher of the Year