U.S. Mid-Amateur starts Saturday at Stonewall Links
ELVERSON, PA (September 8, 2016) -- For the
second
time in U.S. Mid-Amateur history the event is
heading
to Pennsylvania, this time to
Stonewall
Links.
The USGA
previously came to the Keystone state in
2014 when Scott Harvey won at Saucon Valley
Country
Club.
The 2016 edition will feature 264 players with two
courses set to be used. The two rounds of stroke-
play
qualifying will be split between the Old and North
Course while match
play will be contested only on the Old Course.
Both courses were designed by Tom Doak; the Old
Course opened in 1993 and is a par-70 (35-35) track
that plays at 6,387 yards while the North Course is
another par-70 (35-35) that is a bit longer at 6,735
yards.
Over the years Stonewall Links has hosted many
major
events within the state of Philadelphia including two
Open's, a pair of Amateurs and two Mid-Amateurs.
SCHEDULE OF PLAY Day |
Format
|
Saturday |
Round
One Stroke-Play | |
Sunday |
Round Two Stroke-Play | |
Monday | Round of 64 | |
Tuesday | Round of 32/Round of
16 | |
Wednesday |
Quarterfinals/Semifinals | |
Thursday | Championship |
|
*Viewers Note: Television coverage will be
available
on
Wednesday and Thursday on Fox Sports 1 from
3:00-
5:00 p.m. EST
Last year Sammy Schmitz won the U.S. Mid-Amateur
title 3&2 over Marc Dull. The highlight of the match
came on the par-4 33rd hole when Schmitz
registered
only the second known hole-in-one in the long
history of
USGA championship play on a four par.
Joining the defending champion in the field are many
of
the best mid-amateurs in the country. Here is a look
at
a few players to keep an eye on:
PLAYERS TO WATCH Player
|
Accomplishments
|
David Bolen |
Made it to the semifinals last year. | |
Marc Dull |
A caddie at Streamsong, Dull reached the finals
at
the 2015 U.S. Mid-Amateur before falling to Sammy
Schmitz. | |
Gene Elliot | One of the hottest
players
coming in, Elliot has won the Iowa Senior Amateur
and
Briarwood Amateur within the last month. He also
won
the Iowa Senior Match Play this year. | |
Edward Fryatt | A former PGA Tour
player, Fryatt recently captured his second
consecutive
Nevada Mid-Amateur title. He also won the Nevada
Match Play in 2015 and finished tied for second at
the
Carlton Woods Invitational. | |
Doug Hanzel | The 2013 U.S. Senior
Amateur winner is putting together another
impressive
season. Hanzel has claimed five victories in
AmatuerGolf.com ranking events and finished in the
top-10 in two others. | |
Scott Harvey |
The U.S. Mid-Amateur champion in 2014 and
medalist winner last year, Harvey is currently ranked
second in the AmateurGolf.com Mid-Amateur
rankings.
Harvey has played in eight AmateurGolf.com ranking
events this year, finishing in the top-5 five times,
including winning once at the George C. Thomas
Invitational. Last month Harvey made it to the
Round of
64 at the U.S. Amateur and nearly upset medalist
winner Alex Smalley. | |
Randal Lewis | Lewis took home the
U.S. Mid-Amateur title in 2011 and usually finds his
way
into the field of 64. Last year Lewis earned medalist
honors at the U.S. Senior Amateur. | |
Chip Lutz | Lutz was the lone
amateur
to make the cut at the U.S. Senior Open this year
and
he also claimed his third British Senior Amateur. In
2015 Lutz broke through and won his first U.S.
Senior
Amateur. Lutz has also won at Stonewall Links,
claiming
the 2007 Pennsylvania Mid-Amateur. | |
Brad Nurski |
Two years ago Nurski finished as the U.S. Mid-
Amateur runner-up. |
| Nathan Smith | Nobody has had
more
success in this event then Smith who has hoisted the
trophy four times. Smith teamed with Todd White to
win
the Inaugural U.S. Amateur Four-Ball in 2015. Smith
captured the Western Pennsylvania Mid-Amateur on
Tuesday. |
| Patrick Tallent |
Tallent won the 2014 U.S. Senior Amateur and
then went across the pond a year later and claimed
the
British Senior Amateur. In his title defense this year
Tallent finished tied for eighth. |
| Brad Valois | One of the top players
in
New England, Valois has twice won the Rhode Island
Stroke Play and usually finds his name at the top of
regional leaderboards. |
| Todd White | A quarterfinalist each
of
the last two years, White will be looking to go further
in
2016. White made his deepest run in 2012 when he
reached the semifinals. In 2015 White teamed with
Nathan Smith to win the Inaugural U.S. Amateur
Four-
Ball. |
| Brad Wilder | Wilder finished
runner-up
at this years Walter J. Travis Invitational and is
coming
off a semifinal appearance in the 2015 U.S. Mid-
Amateur. |
| Steve Wilson | Wilson won the U.S.
Mid-Amateur in 2008 and made a run to the
quarterfinals in his title defense year. |
| Dave Womack | In 2006 Womack
captured the U.S. Mid-Amateur championship. |
|
-The USGA contributed to this story
ABOUT THE U.S. Mid-Amateur
The U.S. Mid-Amateur originated in 1981 for the
amateur golfer of at least 25 years of age, the
purpose of which to provide a formal national
championship for the post-college player. 264
players
begin the championship with two rounds of sroke
play
qualifying held at two courses, after which the low
64
(with a playoff if necessary to get the exact number)
advance to single elimination match play.
View Complete Tournament Information