LAS VEGAS, NV (July 7, 2025)—Joe Sawaia (Medalist) and Jerry Pearsall topped a field of 42 players and qualified for the 2025 U.S. Senior Amateur. The one-day qualifier was held July 7, 2025, at Red Rock Country Club. The two will move on to the 2025 U.S. Senior Amateur which will be held Aug. 23-28, 2025, at Oak Hills Country Club in San Antonio, TX.—by Bill Bowman, LasVegasGolfInsider.com
John Turk was the first alternate and James Corey was the second alternate.
Medalist-Joe Sawaia
Joe Sawaia had a bogey-free, seven-under-par 65 to grab medalist honors.
It will be Sawaia’s second national tournament having qualified for this event last year where he lost in the first-round match-play portion.
“I felt really good today,” said Sawaia, who coached golf at Coronado High School for 21 years and is currently working with the SNJGA. “I’ve been working hard on my game ever since qualifying last year for this event. I just wanted to get back and play in it again.”
He said his game-plan going into the qualifier played out well.
“I just wanted to limit mistakes and play a clean round,” he said. “Any time you play bogey-free you’re going to have a solid day but add in birdies and it becomes a very good round.”
He said his play on the green was key. He had streaks of three birdies in a four-hole stretch and four birdies in a five-hole stretch.
“The putter got hot,” he said. “I stole one on No. 7 when I made one from 35 or 40 feet and that’s when the putter really started to heat up.”
Now, it’s on to the big show…and Sawaia can’t wait.
“I’ve had this circled on my calendar since last year,” he said. “I’m thrilled to get back there. With these big USGA events, you just want to get back and experience everything these tournaments have to offer. I just hope to make it a little deeper than last year.”
Despite losing in the first round of match play in 2024 Sawaia said it was a good learning experience.
“Making it to match play was great,” he said. “But then I ran into a guy who was playing well and I also gave a few holes away which didn’t help.”
He said making it back, he’s ready for the next challenge.
“My game’s in better shape,” he said. “I was also nursing a hip injury last year but now I’m healthy and ready to go. I’ve also got a year under my belt and that’s never a bad thing.”
Qualifier-Jerry Pearsall
Jerry Pearsall made the trip from Billings, MT., in the attempt to qualify and a one-under-par 71 earned him a spot in the U.S. Senior Amateur.
Pearsall played his first 11 holes in two-under-par, putting two birdies and nine pars on the scorecard.
“My ball-striking was spot-on for most of the day,” said Pearsall, a financial planner in Billings.
Pearsall said he made the trip to Vegas because of a couple of factors.
“There was nothing really close to Billings,” he said. “It was either Salt Lake, Denver or Las Vegas. With the flights and dates, the best option was Las Vegas and it turned out it was a good choice.”
Pearsall has qualified for a big-time event in the past as he was in the field for the 2008 U.S. Amateur which was played in Tulsa, OK. He said he hopes to improve his outcome.
“Those courses were too hard for me,” he said with a laugh. “I was 46 and playing against the young bombers. I didn’t make it to match play but what a great experience just to qualify for that tournament.”
He said he now knows what to expect at the tournament.
“I’m sure I’ll be a little less nervous,” he said. “Now that I’ve been there once, I won’t be as star-struck with the atmosphere. I’m also more comfortable in my game knowing if I play well, I can advance.”
And advancing to match play is his next goal.
“It’s going to be one step at a time,” he said. “Getting through the 36 holes of stroke play and to match play is going to be a challenge because the talent level will be very high. But I think my game is in a good enough spot that I can get to match play. And once you get there, anything can happen.”
