Top amateur golf moments of 2018, No. 7: Mid-major
December 15, 2018 | by AmateurGolf.com Staff
see also: Kevin O'Connell, The Monroe Invitational, Monroe Golf Club
He was the only mid-am to win a major against the college kids, and will be the only one to drive down Magnolia Lane next spring.
Click here to see the whole list as it is revealed
It is extremely rare for a mid-amateur to win in a field of amateurs. Kevin O’Connell, 30, beat those odds in June when he earned a breakthrough victory at the Monroe Invitational. It was the first time the former University of North Carolina player had won a title since high school.
And it opened the door for another big one.
O’Connell made an inspiring run to the U.S. Mid-Amateur title in September in his home state of North Carolina. The Cary, N.C., native battled through the match-play bracket, eventually beating hometown hero Brett Boner in the final match. Masters, U.S. Open and U.S. Amateur starts will follow in 2019, and those are just the highlights.
O’Connell’s story is so interesting because if he hadn’t won the Mid-Amateur, he would have been on his way to European Tour Qualifying School a week later. In his early 20s, O’Connell had tried and failed to qualify for the PGA Tour three times, but later in life, wanted to give it another shot.
“It’s been a really interesting thing mentally because when we started, we were obviously talking about how I was going to Europe,” O’Connell said shortly after the Mid-Amateur. “All of a sudden that’s taken off the table. 2019 is just a completely different scene altogether for me.”
The reinstated amateur went all in on golf in 2018, and his success showed that. He laments the fact that he never won a college tournament, but this seems to be his second shot. Regardless, O’Connell can vouch for the fact that it never gets any easier.
“A lot of work goes into it, even at the mid-amateur level,” he said after winning the Monroe. “It takes a lot to win, all the players are so good, all the college kids coming out now. I would say that the fields are deeper even compared to how they were ten years ago.”
About the Monroe Invitational
The Monroe Invitational is held at Monroe Golf Club in Pittsford, NY, and is one of the oldest amateur tournaments in the United States, dating back to its first playing in 1937. The course is a Donald Ross design that is a Golfweek Top 100 Classic C...
Most Popular Articles
LIVE SCORING: 2026 Australian Men’s Amateur Championship
Feb 5, 2026Australia’s national amateur championship returns Feb. 3–6 at The Western Australian and Wanneroo.
2026 Ben Hogan Award Watch List: 35 Names to Know This Spring
Jan 29, 2026The 2026 Ben Hogan Award watch list is out—35 college golf standouts are in the early mix for the game’s top individual honor.
Titleist Fitting Philosophy: The Competitive Amateur’s Fastest Path to Lower Scores
Jan 26, 2026Competitive golf is a game of small edges. Titleist’s fitting approach combines expert human insight and honest data
NCAA Champion Michael La Sasso Turns Pro, Signs With LIV Golf
Jan 20, 2026Michael La Sasso is going LIV, joining Phil Mickelson’s HyFlyers GC and passing on the 2026 Masters.
Early Invites Announced for the 2026 Augusta National Women’s Amateur
Jan 24, 2026A running list of the first confirmed names headed to Augusta.