Never Late to the Game: Greg Sanders continues his path, this time at the U.S. Senior Open

by Tom Cade, Editor

It seems a bit of a long road from Missouri to Anchorage to a USGA national championship held in the Midwest, but for Greg Sanders it all seems perfectly natural, much like his golf game, which has propelled him to compete in the game’s high-profile events, most recently the U.S. Senior Open.  

Greg grew up in Missouri and attended what is now called the Missouri Institute of Science and Technology. He met his wife Lisa there, and right after graduation in 1986 they moved to Anchorage where Greg began a 35-year career as a petroleum engineer.  

He had played competitive tennis in college, but only dabbled recreationally in golf. “It wasn’t until I was 30 years old that I played in my first golf tournament,” he says. That tournament was the Alaska State Amateur, and over the next 25 years Greg would win 11 titles in that championship.  

“I remember trying to qualify for the U.S. Amateur when I was younger, but there was never a qualifier held in Alaska in those days, so I had to travel elsewhere to try, which wasn’t often,” he recalls.  

He retired as an engineer at age 55, and it is not a coincidence that his golf game improved immediately.  

“I knew that I was now in the ‘senior’ age group, so I wanted to see what I could do,” he says.  

Then in 2025, at age 61, his cup runneth over. By winning his 11th Alaska State Amateur in July 2025, he earned an exemption into the U.S. Amateur, held the following month at the historic Olympic Club in San Francisco, where he was easily the oldest competitor in a field dominated by college players.  

He also qualified to play in that year’s U.S. Senior Amateur, held at Oak Hills Country Club in San Antonio, Texas, and announced himself to the golf world by finishing runner-up, finally bowing to Mike McCoy in the final match, 3 and 2.  

“That opened a whole lot of doors,” he said.  

With that runner-up finish, he earned a fistful of exemptions into other USGA national championships – the 2025 U.S. Mid-Amateur, the 2026 U.S. Senior Open, and still to come later this season are the 2026 U.S. Amateur and the 2026 U.S. Senior Amateur.  

“I guess you could say this is my ‘Summer of USGA,’” Greg said. “It’s been pretty great.” 

The exemption into the 2026 U.S. Senior Open, which was held July 2-5 at Scioto Country Club in Columbus, Ohio, was extra special for Greg.

“Because I knew I’d be playing in it so long in advance, there was a lot of built-up excitement, looking toward it,” he said. “It was really a special thing, because it might be the only time I get to play in it, and I really wanted to soak it all in.” Greg had been an alternate last year, but didn’t make it in.  

“There were grandstands, TV towers, a gallery,” he says of being on site at Scioto. “A whole different atmosphere.” 

Greg says the most fun he had during the week was the practice rounds. “I got to play with some of the greats of the game,” he said. “And being a practice round, everyone was loose and friendly. Being up close and personal with these guys was great.” 

He played practice rounds with Stuart Appleby, Justin Leonard, and Darren Clarke, among others. “Darren tried to fix my swing,” Greg said with a laugh. 

Greg didn’t make the cut after two rounds at the U.S. Senior Open. “Playing in these national championships is really hard,” he says. “The rough in incredible. The course wasn’t too long, but I kept missing fairways, and you can’t reach the green from the rough. And the heat and humidity in Ohio was really oppressive – we had to wear long pants, and walking every day. It was tough.” 

He says even if he’d had his A game, he might not have made the cut. “But it was such a great experience, just to be there, competing with those guys.” 

Greg, now 62, divides his time between his home in Anchorage and a warm-weather home in Anthem, Arizona. He considers Anchorage Golf Course to be his home club, as well as Anthem Golf and Country Club. He and Lisa spend time traveling, visiting their two sons and four grandkids.  

“I’m hoping last year wasn’t my only good year,” he says. “At my age, things do become harder, and my game has been a little off this year.”  

You wouldn’t know it, from looking at his current golf schedule.