By the time the final groups turned for home at Ocean Forest Golf Club, the 22nd Jones Cup still felt unanswered. The leaderboard was packed tight, and the win could have been for anyone. But for William Sides? This was an unexpected endeavor. He didn’t arrive at the back nine as the favorite. He was just another name, but he left with a moment that will define him for years to come.

The 22-year-old SMU senior was crowned Jones Cup Invitational champion on Sunday, taking amateur golf’s most significant title home.

Sides finished at 7-under par in an event that was shortened to 36 holes due to the weather. Initially, a 54-hole event, officials brought in the change due to the fog delays on the final day. Interestingly, this was only the second time something like this happened at this tournament. Last time it was 2019, and Akshay Bhatia went on to win the cup. This time, there was a different name on the script.

Sides signed for back-to-back rounds of 69 and became the only player in the 84-man field to break 70. On both days. When he was on the final nine holes, his score was even par. Several other players had a realistic chance of winning. But the separation came quickly.

He delivered back-to-back birdies from holes 11 through 13. He walked off with a two-shot victory.

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For Sides, this Jones Cup was more than just a strong week. He entered the tournament as No. 50 in the WAGR. This victory makes it his signature amateur win to date. Along with the Jones Cup, William Sides took home the Layne Williams Medal, an RSM Classic invitation, and, naturally, a boost in the rankings.

Apart from him, the other notable performances belonged to Mike Russell. Joining from Florida, he is a top-ranked junior golfer in the world. But in this event, he ended up finishing tied for second at 5-under after a final round of 69. Besides him was South Carolina’s Frankie Harris, who closed with a 4-under 68. It was Harris who delivered the tournament’s notable moment – a hole-in-one on the par-3 ninth. Yet, it was Sides who took home the accolades.

For William Sides, the Jones Cup win fits neatly into his career progression.

A steady career over the years

William Sides grew up in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He went to Cascia Hall Preparatory School, where he was a four-year letterwinner under coach Brian Rahilly. Williams was an All-State selection and a key member of the 2021 state championship. He had also won the Rolex All-American title twice and the Cascia Medal, which is his school’s highest academic honor. This prodigious nature runs in his blood. His grandfather, Billy Hughes, played football at the University of Tulsa, while his great-uncle, Randy Hughes, suited up for the Dallas Cowboys.

When he went to SMU, Sides instantly became a fixture in the lineup. He earned all-conference honors in his first two seasons. During his 2024-25 campaign, his average was 71.15, and he logged 21 rounds at par or better. His resume kept solidifying itself with the Jackson T. Stephens Cup in 2024 and 2025, a runner-up finish at the Vaqueros Intercollegiate, and a top-10 at The Goodwin.

By September, he was No. 8 in the PGA Tour university rankings, taking a seven-spot jump. Now with this Jones Cup win, he has paved the pathway for his 2026 season by joining the elite list of Ludvig Åberg (2021), Davis Thompson (2020), and Akshay Bhatia (2019), all of whom achieved PGA Tour success shortly after.