Peter Williamson of Hanover said he’s on the national golf circuit for one reason.

“I want to test my golf game and see if I can compete against the highest level,” he said. “After this past weekend, I got my answer. I definitely can compete against the very best.”

The three-time Ivy-League champion from Dartmouth College captured the 112th men’s North & South Amateur Golf Championship Saturday with a 4-and-3 win over Clemson University’s Thomas Bradshaw at the famous Pinehurst No. 2 Course in Pinehurst, N.C.

Williamson shot four-under-par during the 15-hole match play final. He birdied the second, third and fourth holes, gaining a 2-up lead at the turn. The lead went to 3-up when Bradshaw bogeyed the 11th and Williamson took his commanding 4-up advantage with a birdie on the 13th hole. He parred the last two holes to etch his name along with former champions Jack Nicklaus, Curtis Strange, Hal Sutton, Francis Ouimet and Corey Pavin.

Name recognition is one thing Williamson said he isn’t shying away from.

“I want to be the best in the world and I really believe I can get there,” he said. “This is a big win for me. It’s my first on the national circuit and it’s pretty cool when people look at me and say I can play.”

There was some support in Pinehurst from the Dartmouth alumni, including former Big Green coach Bill Johnson, who served 34 years at Dartmouth before retiring in 2001.

“Bill lives in Pinehurst and it was neat to meet up with him,” said Williamson. “My host family have ties with the Dartmouth class of 1958. They knew my grandfather (the late Peter Williamson). So that was all neat.”

Williamson said for winning the North-South Amateur, he gets his own permanent locker at Pinehurst.

“I didn’t see it, but they said it will always be there for me,” said Williamson. “So I’ll check it out the next time I go back.”

Williamson arrived in Edmond, Okla. Sunday for today’s start of the Trans-Mississippi Championship.

Back home Williamson’s coach at Dartmouth, Rich Parker, said Williamson will keep marching ahead. “He’s not going to rest on that one win,” said Parker. “You’re going to hear more from him because he’s a great player and one of the best putters in the world. You wait, the best is yet to come from Peter.”

jhabib@unionleader.com