October 6-8, 2022

Wil-Am October 5

CLICK HERE TO VISIT THE JR WILLIAMS TOURNAMENT WEBSITE

“I have to say that Oak Hill is the best, fairest, and toughest Championship golf course 
I’ve ever played in all my years as a tour professional” 
- Ernie Els

Tournament History

The 2022 John R. Williams Four-Ball will be contested at historic Oak Hill Country Club from the championship tees. For over 50 years the field remains composed of highly accomplished amateur golfers from the US and Canada. Oak Hill Country Club, founded on the banks of the Genesee River in 1901, moved to its current home in Pittsford in 1926. 

The majority of the Pittsford land was barren, much the way the original riverside Oak Hill site was in 1901. It was then that Dr. John R. Williams surveyed the new playground and concluded that Donald Ross' wonderful designs would be enhanced by trees - thousands upon thousands of oaks, maples, evergreens and elms, but of course, mostly oaks. Dr. Williams, already a leading research physician who had pioneered the use of insulin to treat diabetes, took up botany and horticulture as a hobby aimed at transforming Oak Hill into the landmark it is today. He once said, "The Almighty was the greatest landscape architect of all. It was his plan to have oaks at Oak Hill." Dr. Williams implemented that plan. He said he lost count at 75,000, the number of seedlings he planted, and as you walk the grounds of Oak Hill today, you can't help but gaze skyward at the majestic trees that dominate the landscape. As the trees began to grow, it became obvious that the combination of Ross' and Williams' skills had created a masterpiece. As a living tribute, in 1961, the “Oak Hill Scratch Best-Ball” was renamed in his honor. 

Former winners include Andy North, 1978 and 1985 US Open Champion; Dick Siderowf, British Amateur Champion; Don Allen, two-time Walker Cup player and six-time New York State Amateur Champion; Danny Green, 1999 US Mid-Amateur Champion, and current mid-amateur/senior stalwarts: Rick Cloninger, Dan Russo, David Hayes, Arnold Cuttrell, Frank Fairman, Rob Cowan. 

Through the years, Oak Hill has continued to host the finest professional and amateur golfers and in 2008 became the first club to have hosted the six most prestigious mens events governed by the USGA and PGA of America – the PGA Championship, the Ryder Cup, the United States Open, the United States Amateur, the United States Senior Open and the Senior PGA Championship!

Eligibility

By invitation only. Entrants in the Amateur Division must have a handicap index of 3.4 (4.0 Senior Division) or less, with the team total not to exceed 5.5 (7.0 Senior Division). Handicap index is subject to verification by the Tournament Committee. Both members of teams in the Senior Division must be 55 years of age by September 12, 2018. Invitations are sent to teams with the strongest resumes, with an emphasis on recent accomplishments against state or national level competition.

Invitations

All invitation requests (applications) this year will be accepted ONLINE ONLY at jrwilliams.org. You may submit your invitation request at any time. Please remember to submit a detailed golfing history - Failure to do so may result in your request being withdrawn.Your request must reach Oak Hill by June 30th. Invitation requests will be reviewed by the Committee and invitations will be sent by July 21st. The entry fee is $950.00 per team and will be due by August 15th from teams receiving invitations.