Jeff Thomas (1994)

Jeff Thomas’s 1994 season began with a practice round at August National with Arnold Palmer and ended with him winning the highest honor an amateur golfer can receive in the Met Area, for the second time.

While he won only one major local tournament, the New Jersey State Amateur (his eighth win in 13 years), Thomas broke records with his points total, finishing with 1,311. He achieved this with consistency from round to round and tournament to tournament.

Thomas’s name was always on the leaderboard throughout the season. He tied for second in the MGA/Metlife Public Links, reached the Semi-finals of the Met Amateur, and finished low amateur, tying for eighth, in the Met Open. Overall, he posted 10, top-10 finishes in tournaments that counted toward the Player of the Year standings.

Thomas shined on the national stage as well, reaching the third round of match play at the U.S. Mid-Am, and the second round of the U.S. Public Links. He was even ranked as high at 7th in the Titleist/Golfweek National Amateur Rankings.

While other big names in the Met Area gave Thomas a fight, his consistency and performances locally and nationally gave him what he needed to capture Player of the Year for the second time.