Q&A: SF City Sr champ Jim Williams

12 Mar 2014
by Benjamin Larsen of AmateurGolf.com
see also: , Jim Williams Profile
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Jim Williams is a well-known member of AmateurGolf.com.

Among the earliest members of the site and a seven-time winner on the AmateurGolf.com Tour, it’s hard not to know Williams if you’re a regular on the site.

That’s why his second win in three tries at the San Francisco City Senior Championship this past weekend at Presidio Golf Course seems to hold a bit more weight than some of the other feats we’ve seen this year on the amateur golf circuits.

After all, Jim Williams is San Francisco golf.

He proved that yet again with an impressive victory over Steve Schroeder on Sunday. In three years in the Senior Division, Williams has won twice and lost in the final match last year, going 14-1 in match play during the span. Not a bad start to what will surely be an impressive run of senior golf both in the Bay Area and beyond.

The victory is another, rather meaningful, line item on an impressive golf resume (his personal resume isn’t too bad, either), which includes more than 16 club championships, first-team All-Conference honors while at USC and, of course, a stint on the USGA’s Executive Committee.

AmateurGolf.com caught up with Williams following his most recent victory to chat about this year’s ‘City’, his time with the USGA and what the future holds:

For starters, take us through the final match.

Once we got to match play, I played pretty well but during qualifying, I was lousy. I putted like a complete idiot. I was lucky to get it going in match play. I made five birdies and was 3-up after the first 18. I went on to win 9, 10, 11 and 12 and just like that, the match was over. I played well and was lucky to win. Steve is a really good player and played well. We played together a few other times in the tournament and we had a fun day.

How does this win compare with your first in 2012?

The first one was unexpected. I made the finals last year and got a silver medal and then, to win it again was amazing. If you would’ve told me before I played that I’d have this much success in the first three years, I wouldn’t have believed you. Winning the first one was extraordinarily special. Sandy Tatum is a good friend of mine and he was out there and that was very special. I remember I had to make a putt to win it on the last hole and it was great. This time, winning it for the second time on a new course, which I had actually never played, was fantastic. I really liked the course and my wife was able to be there for the end and the awards ceremony. It was special. They had a really nice ceremony with several luminaries of San Francisco and West Coast golf.

With your USGA post complete, will that free you up for more competitive golf?

I hope so! I’m still involved with the USGA on special projects and it was a great commitment and service to the game. I just couldn’t continue to serve. Hopefully that gives me a bit more time to play.

What does your schedule look like for the rest of the season?

I’ll hopefully try to qualify for the U.S. Senior Amateur and play in the Northern California Senior Amateur and California State Senior. The key for me is the U.S. Senior Amateur.