Bruce Fleisher

Bruce Fleisher, 19, of Miami, Fla., became the fourth youngest winner since the Amateur Championship began in 1895. He scored a record 284 for 72 holes at the Scioto Country Club, Columbus, Ohio, and won by one stroke over Marvin Giles, III. It was the second consecutive year that Giles lost the Championship by one stroke.

Fleisher was one month short of his 20th birthday. Robert A. Gardner won the 1909 Championship at the age of 19 years 5 months; Jack Nicklaus won in 1959 at 19 years 8 months; and Louis N. James won in 1902 at 19 years, 10 months. Fleisher was the second player to win in his first attempt since the Championship was converted to stroke play in 1965.

Fleisher had rounds of 73-70-71-70, and was never more than two strokes off the lead. Michael Bonallack, the British Amateur Champion from Thorpe Bay, England; Jack Veghte, of Clearwater, Fla. and Allen Miller, III, of Pensacola, Fla., shared the first-round lead at 71, one over par.

Fleisher and Hubert M. Green, of Birmingham, Ala., were tied at 143 after two rounds, and Fleisher held a two-stroke lead over Green after the third round, 214-216. Giles was then six strokes behind with 220.

Fleisher played the first nine holes of the final round in 34 and seemed an easy winner, for he was then four strokes in front of Giles and Green. Giles played the first nine in 32, and by the 17th hole he was within one stroke of Fleisher. The issue wasn't settled until Fleisher made a par 4 at the 18th. Giles scored 65 in the final round, setting a tournament and course record.

The best previous 18-hole score in an all-stroke-play Amateur was 67 by Gary Cowan and Deane Beman in 1966, and by Jack Ewing in 1967. The best previous 72-hole score was 285 by Cowan and Beman in 1966, and by Robert B. Dickson in 1967. The entry of 2,057 set a record.