U.S. Mid-Amateur Golf Championship

The U.S. Mid-Amateur, often called the Mid-Am for short, is the leading annual golf tournament in the United States for post-college amateur golfers, organized by the USGA.

It was first played in 1981 at Bellerive Country Club in Creve Coeur, Missouri, near St. Louis. The Mid-Am was the first new USGA championship in 19 years, since the U.S. Senior Women's Amateur was added in 1962.

Qualifications for the Mid-Am are similar to those for the U.S. Amateur, except for the following:

  • Competitors must be at least 25 years old as of the opening day of the main tournament.
  • Competitors must have a USGA handicap index of 3.4 or lower, as opposed to 2.4 or lower for the U.S. Amateur.

The U.S. Mid-Amateur does not have a gender restriction, but there has never been a female champion. The USGA's analogous event for women only is the U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur, first played in 1987.

The USGA specifically intended the Mid-Am as a championship for post-college golfers who were not pursuing golf as a career, as virtually all golfers who pursue a professional career decide to do so no later than their early twenties. This was most likely a response to the fact that less than half of all U.S. Amateur qualifiers are 25 or older, and most older golfers found themselves disadvantaged in competing against college golfers who typically play much more often.

Like the U.S. Amateur, the Mid-Am consists of two days of stroke play, with the leading 64 competitors then playing a knockout competition held at match play to decide the champion. The profile of Mid-Am champions, with respect to age, is somewhat similar to that of U.S. Amateur champions before World War II. In that era, more top-level golfers chose to remain amateur, and the average age of U.S. Amateur Champions was higher.

While the list of winners is considerably less illustrious than that of the U.S. Amateur, one notable winner was Jay Sigel, a three-time winner of this event and a two-time U.S. Amateur champion who went on to play the Champions Tour. The winner receives an automatic invitation to play in the Masters Tournament and the U.S. Open (starting in 2018).

Winners
YearVenueWinnerCountryScoreRunner-up
2020Kinloch Golf ClubCanceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic[1]
2019Colorado Golf ClubLukas Michel Australia2 & 1 Joseph Deraney
2018Charlotte Country ClubKevin O'Connell United States4 & 3 Brett Boner
2017Capital City Club
Atlanta National Golf Club		Matt Parziale United States8 & 6 Josh Nichols
2016Stonewall LinksStewart Hagestad United States37 holes Scott Harvey
2015John's Island ClubSammy Schmitz United States3 & 2 Marc Dull
2014Saucon Valley Country ClubScott Harvey United States6 & 5 Brad Nurski
2013Country Club of BirminghamMike McCoy United States8 & 6 Bill Williamson
2012Conway Farms Golf ClubNathan Smith (4) United States1 up Garrett Rank
2011Shadow Hawk Golf ClubRandal Lewis United States3 & 2 Kenny Cook
2010Atlantic Golf ClubNathan Smith (3) United States7 & 5 Tim Hogarth
2009The Kiawah Island ClubNathan Smith (2) United States7 & 6 Tim Spitz
2008Milwaukee Country ClubSteve Wilson United States5 & 4 Todd Mitchell
2007Bandon Dunes Golf ResortTrip Kuehne United States9 & 7 Dan Whitaker
2006Forest Highlands Golf ClubDave Womack United States1 up Ryan Hybl
2005The Honors CourseKevin Marsh United States10 & 9 Carlton Forrester
2004Sea Island Golf ClubAustin Eaton III United States1 up Josh Dennis
2003Wilmington Country ClubNathan Smith United States9 holes* Bryan Norton
2002The Stanwich ClubGeorge Zahringer United States3 & 2 Jerry Courville, Jr.
2001San Joaquin Country ClubTim Jackson (2) United States1 up George Zahringer
2000The HomesteadGreg Puga United States3 & 1 Wayne Raath
1999Old Warson Country ClubDanny Green United States2 & 1 Jerry Courville, Jr.
1998NCR Country ClubJohn "Spider" Miller (2) United States1 up Chip Halcombe
1997Dallas Athletic ClubKen Bakst United States1 up Rick Stimmel
1996Hartford Golf ClubJohn "Spider" Miller United States3 & 2 Randal Lewis
1995Caves Valley Golf ClubJerry Courville, Jr. United States1 up Warren Sye
1994Hazeltine National Golf ClubTim Jackson United States1 up Tommy Brennan
1993Eugene Country ClubJeff Thomas United States1 up Joey Ferrari
1992Detroit Golf ClubDanny Yates United States1 up David Lind
1991Long Cove ClubJim Stuart (2) United States1 up Bert Atkinson
1990Troon Golf & Country ClubJim Stuart United States1 up Mark Sollenberger
1989Crooked Stick Golf ClubJames Taylor United States4 & 3 Bill Hadden
1988Prairie Dunes Country ClubDavid Eger United States2 & 1 Scott Mayne
1987Brook Hollow Golf ClubJay Sigel (3) United States20 holes David Lind
1986Annandale Golf ClubBill Loeffler United States4 & 3 Charles Pinkard
1985The Vintage ClubJay Sigel (2) United States3 & 2 O. Gordon Brewer, Jr.
1984Atlanta Athletic ClubMichael Podolak United States5 & 4 Bob Lewis
1983Cherry Hills Country ClubJay Sigel United States1 up Randy Sonnier
1982Knollwood ClubWilliam Hoffer United States3 & 2 Jeffrey Ellis
1981Bellerive Country ClubJim Holtgrieve United States2 up Bob Lewis

* Match was conceded due to injury

Multiple winners
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References
  1. "U.S. Open to cancel qualifying, have all-exempt field; 4 more USGA events nixed". Golfweek. May 18, 2020.
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