The Southeastern Amateur was created in 1922 by the man who was recommended by, and later encouraged to entertain the offer by, Mr. Robert Tyre Jones (Bobby Jones) himself. That man of course is Mr. Fred Haskins.
Since that time, the Southeastern has been held in both Match-Play and Stroke-play formats, and many records have been set along the way.
Back in that era, Mr. Haskins created the tournament then known as the Columbus Country Club Invitational. W.H. Dismuke Sr., a familiar player on the local links, won that inaugural event. The tournament was later renamed in 1938, controversial as it was at the time, to the Southeastern Amateur. Mr. Tommy Barnes was the first to have his name inscribed on the newly named trophy.