Matthew McClean will look to defend his 2022 title (USGA Photo)
WHO’S HERE – Among the 264 golfers in the 2023 U.S. Mid-Amateur field, there are:
Oldest Competitors: Michael McCoy (60, born 11-21-62), Dan Sullivan (56, born 4-25-67), Jon Lindstrom (56, born 9-3-67), Todd White (55, born 11-7-67), Eric Rustrand (54, born 11-14-68), Mark Strickland (54, born 3-28-69)
Youngest Competitors: Brice Wilkinson (25, born 7-25-98), Alex Butler (25, born 2-18-98), Christian Cavaliere (25, born 2-6-98), Conor O’Brien (25, born 1-22-98), Adam Gray (25, born 1-8-98)
Average Age of Field: 35.39
Field breakdown by age:
25-29: 56 competitors30-34: 83 competitors35-39: 56 competitors40-49: 61 competitors50-60: 8 competitors
U.S. States Represented – 41 states are represented in the 2023 U.S. Mid-Amateur: California (23), Texas (20), Florida (15), North Carolina (14), Massachusetts (13), Illinois (9), Georgia (9), New York (9), Pennsylvania (8), Alabama (7), Arizona (7), Missouri (7), Colorado (6), Minnesota (6), New Jersey (6), Ohio (6), Tennessee (6), Maryland (5), South Carolina (5), Washington (5), Connecticut (4), Mississippi (4), Oklahoma (4), Virginia (4), Wisconsin (4), Arkansas (3), Indiana (3), Iowa (3), Michigan (3), Nebraska (3), Idaho (2), Nevada (2), New Mexico (2), Oregon (2), Kentucky (1), Louisiana (1), North Dakota (1), Rhode Island (1), South Dakota (1), Utah (1) and Vermont (1).
International – 20 countries are represented in the 2023 U.S. Mid-Amateur: United States (236), Canada (5), Australia (2), Colombia (2), Northern Ireland (2), Puerto Rico (2), Argentina (1), Austria (1), Bahamas (1), Brazil (1), Denmark (1), Dominican Republic (1), England (1), Germany (1), Guatemala (1), Republic of Ireland (1), New Zealand (1), Panama (1), Scotland (1), Venezuela (1) and Wales (1).
USGA Champions (12): Stewart Hagestad (2016, 2021 U.S. Mid-Amateur), Scott Harvey (2014 U.S. Mid-Amateur, 2019 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball), Matthew McClean (2022 U.S. Mid-Amateur), Michael McCoy (2013 U.S. Mid-Amateur), Lukas Michel (2019 U.S. Mid-Amateur), Kevin O’Connell (2018 U.S. Mid-Amateur), Matt Parziale (2017 U.S. Mid-Amateur), Sammy Schmitz (2015 U.S. Mid-Amateur), Nathan Smith (2003, 2009, 2010, 2012 U.S. Mid-Amateur, 2015 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball), Todd White (2015 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball, 2023 U.S. Senior Amateur), Chad Wilfong (2022 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball), Davis Womble (2022 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball)
USGA Runners-Up (7): Evan Beck (2008 U.S. Junior Amateur), Mark Costanza (2021 U.S. Mid-Amateur), Joseph Deraney (2019 U.S. Mid-Amateur), Hugh Foley (2022 U.S. Mid-Amateur), Scott Harvey (2016 U.S. Mid-Amateur), Brad Nurski (2014 U.S. Mid-Amateur), Cody Paladino (2007 U.S. Amateur Public Links)
Players in Field with Most U.S. Mid-Amateur Appearances (2023 included) – Michael McCoy (24), Nathan Smith (18), Scott Harvey (14), Brad Nurski (10)
Played in 2022 U.S. Mid-Amateur (50): Jason Bataille, Evan Beck, Stephen Behr Jr., Nathan Bertsch, Harry Bolton, Hayes Brown, Jimmy Castles, Mark Costanza, Matthew Cowgill, Ian Davis, Preston Dembowiak, Joseph Deraney, Josh Dupont, Torey Edwards, Jeronimo Esteve, Hugh Foley, Mitchell Ford, Kevin Grady, Stewart Hagestad, Bryce Hanstad, Scott Harvey, Sam Jackson, Sam Jones, Chris Kamin, Nick Maccario, Bobby Massa, Matthew McClean, Craig McCoy, Michael McCoy, Nate McCoy, Lukas Michel, Matthew Naumec, Brad Nurski, Miguel Ordonez, Cody Paladino, Matt Parziale, Andrew Paysse, Josh Persons, John Quigley, Andrew Sajevic, Sammy Schmitz, Jack Schultz, Nathan Smith, Brad Tilley, Alex Turner, Scott Turner, Alejandro Villavicencio, Chad Wilfong, Daniel Wittlinger, Davis Womble
Played in 2021 U.S. Mid-Amateur (46): Stephen Behr Jr., Nico Bollini, Hayes Brown, Mark Costanza, Joseph Deraney, Marc Engellenner, Jeronimo Esteve, Stewart Hagestad, Joseph Harney, Michael Jensen, Taylor Klopp, Jacob Koppenberg, Thomas Lee, Nick Maccario, Michael McCoy, Nate McCoy, Lukas Michel, Jamie Miller, Erick Morales, Andrew Morgan, Michael Mulieri, Brad Nurski, Miguel Ordonez, George Ordway, Cody Paladino, Matt Parziale, Andrew Paysse, Rhadames Pena, Andrew Price, Andrew Sajevic, Sammy Schmitz, Andres Schonbaum, Brady Shivers, Nathan Smith, Sam Straka, Brad Tilley, Abbie Valentine, Brett Viboch, Alejandro Villavicencio, Dan Walters, Blake Watts, Chad Wilfong, Charles Winegardner, Davis Womble, Juan Yumar, Alexander Zannes
Played in 2019 U.S. Mid-Amateur (31): Harley Abrams, Doug Albers, Nico Bollini, Benjamin Conroy, Mark Costanza, Brian Csipkes, William Davenport, Joseph Deraney, Marc Engellenner, Jeronimo Esteve, Darin Goldstein, Stewart Hagestad, Scott Harvey, Michael Jensen, Jacob Koppenberg, Jesse Larson, Michael McCoy, Lukas Michel, Brad Nurski, Kevin O’Connell, Jon Olson, Matt Parziale, Andrew Price, Andres Schonbaum, Nathan Smith, Dan Sullivan, Scott Turner, Troy Vannucci, Alejandro Villavicencio, Todd White, Chad Wilfong
Played in 2018 U.S. Mid-Amateur (31): Ian Bangor, Stephen Behr Jr., Marc France, Darin Goldstein, Keith Guest, Stewart Hagestad, Bryce Hanstad, Mark Harrell, Scott Harvey, Michael Johansen, Chris Kamin, Taylor Klopp, Jacob Koppenberg, Thomas Lee, Michael McCoy, Derek Meinhart, Jamie Miller, Brad Nurski, Kevin O’Connell, Matt Parziale, Andrew Pranger, Andrew Sajevic, Sammy Schmitz, Andres Schonbaum, Nathan Smith, Dan Sullivan, Brad Tilley, Brett Viboch, Chad Wilfong, Charles Winegardner, Daniel Wittlinger
Played in 2023 U.S. Open (2): Christian Cavaliere, Matthew McClean
Played in 2023 U.S. Senior Open (1): Mark Strickland
Played in 2023 U.S. Amateur (19): Evan Beck, Christian Cavaliere, Chris Devlin, Hugh Foley, Nate Gahman, Patrick Grady, Stewart Hagestad, Michael Jensen, Bobby Massa, Matthew McClean, Cole Nygren, Cody Paladino, Brett Patterson, Andrew Paysse, Henry Shimp, Nicholas Solimene, Mark Strickland, Dan Walters, Jonah Wasserstrom
Played in 2023 U.S. Senior Amateur (2): Jon Lindstrom, Todd White
Played in 2023 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball (24): Evan Beck, Stephen Behr Jr., Chip Brooke, Hayes Brown, Joseph Deraney, Torey Edwards, Marc France, Darin Goldstein, Joshua Goldstein, Kevin Grady, Scott Harvey, Tucker Jenkins, Taylor Klopp, Jamie Miller, Matt Parziale, Evan Russell, Nathan Smith, Brad Tilley, Troy Vannucci, Dan Walters, William Wellons, Todd White, Chad Wilfong, Davis Womble
Played in 2023 Walker Cup Match (2): Stewart Hagestad, Matthew McClean
Played in 2021 Walker Cup Match (1): Stewart Hagestad
Played in 2019 Walker Cup Match (1): Stewart Hagestad
Played in 2017 Walker Cup Match (1): Stewart Hagestad
Played in 2015 Walker Cup Match (2): Scott Harvey, Michael McCoy
Played in 2013 Walker Cup Match (2): Nathan Smith, Todd White
PLAYER NOTES:
Anthony Alex, 28, of Fort Lee, N.J., is an operations development manager for a customer service and logistics company. He was one of the last players added to the U.S. Mid-Amateur field as the first alternate from the Albuquerque, N.M., qualifier. His older sister, Marina, has won twice on the LPGA Tour and has played in nine U.S. Women’s Opens. Alex competed professionally on PGA Tour Latinoamerica and the Minor League Golf Tour before being reinstated as an amateur. His played college golf at Florida State, where he earned a B.A. in finance and a master’s in business administration.
Jason Aspelund, 36, of Fife, Wash., is in his second year as senior manager of Amazon Air’s network control center in Kentucky. He previously worked for more than eight years as Alaska Airlines’ senior manager of airline operations in his home state. Aspelund will play in his second U.S. Mid-Amateur after earning medalist (73) in the Anchorage, Alaska, qualifier on Aug. 7. He earned a B.S. in aeronautics, aviation, aerospace science technology from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Arizona, where he scored 91 career goals for the school’s NAIA soccer program.
Chase Baldwin, 40, of Jacksonville, Fla., is playing in his third U.S. Mid-Amateur. He reached match play in his previous two appearances (2017, 2018). Baldwin, a roofing contractor whose business has grown to 30 employees and two locations, has also advanced to match play in two U.S. Amateur Public Links Championships (2002, 2005). He competed as a professional for nearly a decade, primarily on the Hooters Tour before being reinstated as an amateur. His grandfather, J.C. Goosie, joined the PGA Tour in 1957 and competed in three U.S. Opens and seven U.S. Senior Opens.
Evan Beck, 32, of Virginia Beach, Va., is competing in his second U.S. Mid-Amateur after reaching the Round of 32 last year at Erin Hills. Beck, an analyst for an investment group, has played in nine USGA championships, including four U.S. Amateurs, and was runner-up in the 2008 U.S. Junior Amateur. He was chosen Virginia State Golf Association Player of the Year in 2021 and 2022. Beck was a two-time All-Atlantic Coast Conference selection while playing at Wake Forest University. He was the runner-up in this year’s George L. Coleman Mid-Amateur at Seminole Golf Club.
Stephen Behr Jr., 30, of Atlanta, Ga., works in global sales for a multinational software company. He is competing in his fourth U.S. Mid-Amateur. He reached the Round of 16 in the 2021 U.S. Mid-Amateur, where he lost to eventual champion Stewart Hagestad in 23 holes. Behr also advanced to the Round of 16 in 2018, when he was the stroke-play medalist. He won the 2022 Crump Cup and tied for fourth in this year’s Georgia Amateur. Behr, who earned a degree in accounting from Clemson University, was a second-team All-American and a first-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference selection for the Tigers in 2016. His father, Steve, is the head golf professional at Florence (S.C.) Country Club.
Nico Bollini, 40, of Costa Mesa, Calif., is competing in his second U.S. Mid-Amateur. He advanced to match play in 2021. Bollini played in the 2003 U.S. Amateur at Oakmont (Pa.) Country Club and three U.S. Junior Amateurs. The insurance broker played briefly on PGA Tour Latinoamerica and the European Challenge Tour before regaining his amateur status seven years ago. The 2002 South American Amateur champion has conducted golf clinics and outings and is known for his swing imitations of various pros. He earned All-Pac-10 Conference honors at the University of Southern California.
Hayes Brown, 34, of Charlotte, N.C., has played in two U.S. Mid-Amateurs, advancing to match play last year and to the semifinal round in 2021. He became the first No. 64 seed to reach the Mid-Amateur semifinals thanks to an eagle hole-out on the second stroke-play playoff hole. Brown, who works in asset management for a real estate company, reached the U.S. Amateur Four-Ball quarterfinals with partner Jack Larkin in 2018 and the championship’s Round of 32 this year. Brown, who played college golf at Wofford, won the John T. Lupton Memorial and was seventh in the Azalea Invitational in 2023.
Christian Cavaliere, 25, of Katonah, N.Y., will play in his first U.S. Mid-Amateur after he qualified for this year’s U.S. Open at The Los Angeles Country Club. He shot rounds of 67 and 69 at Canoe Brook Country Club in final qualifying on June 5. Cavaliere, who has competed in five U.S. Amateurs, founded Tremont Sporting Company, which manufacturers golf accessories. He is a three-time winner of the Westchester Amateur and captured the 2016 Metropolitan Golf Association Junior title. Cavaliere was an All-Northeast Region and All-New England selection at Boston College.
Michael Cochrane, 53, of Scarsdale, N.Y., will compete in his first USGA championship after advancing from a 6-for-5 playoff in a qualifier at Sunningdale Country Club on Aug. 14 in his hometown. He is the director of platform tennis, pickleball and tennis at Saucon Valley Country Club, which hosted the 2014 Mid-Amateur. Cochrane, who was recently chosen Coach Developer for the U.S. Platform Tennis Association, worked at Sleepy Hollow Country Club for one year as the head platform tennis professional. He was an All-Ivy League placekicker at Cornell University, where his brother was a quarterback.
Mark Costanza, 34, of Morristown, N.J., was the runner-up to Stewart Hagestad in the 2021 U.S. Mid-Amateur at Sankaty Head Golf Club. He advanced to the Round of 16 last year at Erin Hills. Constanza is a two-time Metropolitan Golf Association player of the year (2020, 2021). In 2020, he won the New Jersey State Open and the MGA Met Amateur. Costanza, who is an investment banker for an independent firm, played his college golf at St. John’s and Southern Methodist (SMU). He tied for third in this year’s George L. Coleman Invitational at Seminole Golf Club.
Joseph Deraney, 40, of Tupelo, Miss., has played in four U.S. Mid-Amateurs and was the runner-up to Lukas Michel in 2019 at Colorado Golf Club. He won his third Canadian Mid-Amateur on Aug. 24 with a 72-hole score of 10-under 278. Deraney has also captured the 2019 Mississippi State Amateur and three Mississippi Mid-Amateurs (2020, 2021, 2022). A two-time Mississippi Golf Association Player of the Year, Deraney also won the 2016 and 2017 Kentucky Mid-Amateurs. Deraney, a stay-at-home father to three children, reached the Round of 16 in this year’s U.S. Amateur Four-ball. His wife, Sarah, is a diagnostic radiology specialist.
Chris Devlin, 48, of Hoover, Ala., will play in his first U.S. Mid-Amateur after advancing from a 4-for-1 playoff for the final spot in the Little Rock, Ark., qualifier on Aug. 9. Devlin, a healthcare executive, has battled a muscular disease and had open heart surgery in 2006. He played professionally for 10 years, primarily on the European and Web.com tours. A three-time Conference USA player of the year at the University of Alabama-Birmingham, he gave up part of his scholarship so that Graeme McDowell, who went on to win the 2010 U.S. Open, could join the program. Devlin has played in two U.S. Amateurs (2021, 2023).
Parker Edens, 33, of Brookings, S.D., is in his second season as head men’s golf coach at South Dakota State University. He previously worked at Colorado State University, his alma mater, as an assistant for three years. Edens, who played in the 2010 and 2012 U.S. Amateurs, qualified for his first U.S. Mid-Amateur at the Sioux Falls, S.D., site. He earned medalist with a 66 on Aug. 13 at Minnehaha Country Club. He won six times on mini tours and had Web.com conditional status as a professional before being reinstated as an amateur. In 2023, he won the South Dakota Golf Association Mid-Amateur and Colorado Golf Association Four-Ball and was runner-up in the Colorado Open.
Jeronimo Esteve, 42, of Puerto Rico, is vice president and general manager of an automobile group and a driving instructor for high-performance racing cars. Esteve has driven in a 25-hour endurance race and has built cars to compete at that level. He has played in 10 USGA championships, including seven U.S. Mid-Amateurs, advancing to match play three times. Esteve, who lives in Windermere, Fla., and played golf at Dartmouth College, has competed in seven Latin America Amateur Championships and four World Amateur Team Championships. He finished eighth in this year’s LAAC, his best finish in the event.
Stewart Hagestad, 32, of Newport Beach, Calif., is one of six players to win multiple U.S. Mid-Amateurs (2016, 2021). Hagestad, who has played in 28 USGA championships, has been a member of four winning USA Walker Cup Teams (2017, 2019, 2021, 2023) and won a gold medal in the mixed team competition of the 2019 Pan American Games. Hagestad also reached the semifinals in both the 2018 and 2019 U.S. Mid-Amateurs and owns a 22-4 match-play record in the championship. He was the low amateur in the 2017 Masters Tournament, becoming the first invited Mid-Amateur champion to make the 36-hole cut. Hagestad, a financial analyst, has competed in four U.S. Opens and 14 U.S. Amateurs.
Hunter Hamrick, 33, of Pike Road, Ala., is playing in his ninth USGA championship and his first U.S. Mid-Amateur. He was co-medalist (66) in qualifying at Montgomery (Ala.) Country Club on Aug. 16. Hamrick, who works in insurance, spent the last two years as assistant golf coach at the University of Alabama, his alma mater, where he tutored 2023 U.S. Amateur champion Nick Dunlap. Hamrick, who tied for 46th in the 2012 U.S. Open, played professionally for eight years before regaining his amateur status in January 2023. He earned All-America and All-Southeastern Conference honors as a player at Alabama.
Ben Hogan, 42, of Wellington, Ohio, is a retired police officer who was on the force for 12 years after training at the San Diego Police Academy. Hogan, who retired due to medical reasons and now works as a volunteer at a local department, played as a professional on the Golden State, Pepsi and Gateway tours prior to 2006. Hogan, who was reinstated as an amateur in 2015, qualified for his first USGA championship on Aug. 3. He advanced from a 5-for-1 playoff when he eagled the first extra hole with a 150-yard, 9-iron approach. He survived making bogey and double bogey on holes 16 and 17 that led to a 70 at Kirtland Country Club, in Willoughby, Ohio.
Scott Harvey, 45, of Greensboro, N.C., has competed in 37 USGA championships, including 13 U.S. Mid-Amateurs. He won the 2014 U.S. Mid-Amateur at Saucon Valley Country Club, in Bethlehem, Pa., and was the runner-up to Stewart Hagestad in 2016. Harvey, a self-employed property manager, has a 23-11 match-play Mid-Amateur record and was a member of the 2015 USA Walker Cup Team. In 2019, he won the U.S. Amateur Four-Ball with partner Todd Mitchell at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort. Harvey advanced to his first U.S. Open in 2017 at Erin Hills when he shot a 63 in the first round of final qualifying. He won the 2021 Carolinas Amateur, his 10th Carolinas Golf Association title.
Scott Kalamar, 32, of Hellertown, Pa., qualified for his first USGA championship when he advanced from a 4-for-2 playoff at the Exton, Pa., site. He birdied the first extra hole at Whitford Country Club on Aug. 14. Kalamar played college baseball at Seton Hall and was a minor league outfielder in the Arizona Diamondbacks organization until 2017. He later competed in World Long Drive competitions, with his longest drive measured at 456 yards. Kalamar, who regained his amateur status in 2022, is employed by a Lehigh Valley bank and works with mortgage loans.
Matthew McClean, 30, of Northern Ireland, defeated Hugh Foley of the Republic of Ireland to claim last year’s U.S. Mid-Amateur at Erin Hills in his first USGA championship. McClean, who is the second international player to win the Mid-Amateur, played in this year’s U.S. Open and Masters and was a member of the Great Britain and Ireland Walker Cup Team. In 2023, he also advanced to match play in the U.S. Amateur and the semifinals of the Western Amateur. McClean, a self-employed optometrist, represented Ireland in the 2022 World Amateur Team Championship. He was runner-up in the Irish Men’s Amateur Open and third in the Brabazon Trophy last year.
Michael McCoy, 60, of Des Moines, Iowa, served as captain of the victorious 2023 USA Walker Cup Team after playing on the 2015 squad. He has competed in 67 USGA championships, including a record 23 U.S. Mid-Amateurs. In 2013 at age 50 he became the second-oldest winner of the Mid-Amateur when he defeated Bill Williamson in the 36-hole final at the Country Club of Birmingham (Ala.). McCoy, who has a 27-13 Mid-Amateur match-play record, was the low amateur in the 2014 and 2015 U.S. Senior Opens. McCoy, whose son, Nate, is also in this year’s field, won the 2022 British Senior Amateur. He works in the insurance business and is a member of the Iowa Golf Hall of Fame.
Nate McCoy, 33, of Ankeny, Iowa, is the director of handicapping and course rating for the Iowa Golf Association. He has competed in two U.S. Mid-Amateurs (2021, 2022) and two U.S. Amateurs (2009, 2019). McCoy, whose father, Michael, is also in this year’s U.S. Mid-Amateur field and is captain of the 2023 USA Walker Cup Team, played at Iowa State University. He earned All-Big 12 Conference recognition and was the first Cyclone to advance to the NCAA Championship since 1980. McCoy, who made 37 starts on PGA Tour Canada, was reinstated as an amateur in 2018. He won the Iowa Amateur, Iowa Masters and Iowa Match Play in 2022.
Lukas Michel, 29, of Australia, became the first international player to win the U.S. Mid-Amateur when he defeated Joseph Deraney in the 2019 final at Colorado Golf Club. Michel, who earned a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Melbourne, grew up playing with Curtis Luck (2016 U.S. Amateur champion) and Oliver Goss (2013 U.S. Amateur runner-up). His father, Ivor, immigrated from Czechoslovakia in the late 1960s. Michel, who works as a golf course architect for a London-based group, finished eighth in this year’s Australian Men’s Amateur, including a second-round 66.
Jamie Miller, 38, of Silver Creek, N.Y., is a part of a decorated golf family. His father, Allen, was a member of the 1969 and 1971 USA Walker Cup Teams and won on the PGA Tour. His mother, Cindy, competed on the LPGA Tour from 1979-81 and played in five U.S. Women’s Opens. Jamie is competing in his 11th USGA championship, a list that includes three U.S. Mid-Amateurs. Miller, who works as a financial advisor, has won two New York State Mid-Amateurs. He serves as first vice-president of the New York State Golf Association.
Brad Nurski, 44, of St. Joseph, Mo., is a conductor and switchman for Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Railway. He was the runner-up to Scott Harvey, with whom he shared medalist honors, in the 2014 U.S. Mid-Amateur and has played in 19 USGA championships. The left-hander has also advanced to the Round of 16 three times in the Mid-Amateur (2017, 2021, 2022). Nurski has won three Missouri Golf Association (MGA) State Amateur Championships. A member of the Missouri Western State University athletic hall of fame, Nurski has won consecutive Missouri Stroke Play titles (2022, 2023).
Cody Paladino, 34, of West Hartford, Conn., was the runner-up in the 2007 U.S. Amateur Public Links. He has played in 11 USGA championships, including this year’s U.S. Amateur. He was reinstated as an amateur in April 2020 after playing professionally for five years on four tours and in 22 countries. Paladino, who works in the healthcare industry, was the runner-up in this year’s Connecticut State Amateur and finished fourth in the Connecticut Open. He won the 2021 New England Amateur. His older brother, Brent, is the senior director of championship administration for the USGA.
Matt Parziale, 36, of Brockton, Mass., won the 2017 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship at Capital City Club’s Crabapple Course. Parziale became the first Mid-Amateur champion to earn a full exemption into the following year’s U.S. Open. A former firefighter who now works for an insurance brokerage firm, Parziale shared low-amateur honors with Luis Gagne in the 2018 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills. He has reached match play six times in eight U.S. Mid-Amateurs played. Parziale, who has competed in 21 USGA championships, was the runner-up in the 2021 Massachusetts State Amateur.
Andrew Paysse, 28, of Temple, Texas, is the brother-in-law of PGA Tour player Scottie Scheffler, who won the 2022 Masters Tournament and 2023 Players Championship. Paysse, who is an account executive for the family’s insurance company, married Callie Scheffler, who played golf at Texas A&M University and competed in the 2012 U.S. Girls’ Junior. Paysse earned All-Central Region honors in 2017-18 as a senior at Texas A&M when he posted four top-10 finishes. Paysse advanced to last year’s U.S. Mid-Amateur quarterfinals and qualified for this year’s U.S. Amateur. His brother, William, was a senior on Texas A&M’s 2022-23 team and has competed in two U.S. Amateurs.
Jeff Scohy, 46, of Bellbrook, Ohio, served several years on active duty as an U.S. Air Force acquisitions officer and is now a colonel in the Air Force Reserves. He is the Bellbrook High School head boys’ and girls’ golf coach. Scohy has competed in 13 USGA championships, including six U.S. Mid-Amateurs. He is a two-time All-Air Force champion and three-time All-Armed Forces winner. He finished runner-up in the 2004 Ohio Amateur and in three Ohio Mid-Amateurs (2004, 2008, 2011). Scohy earned Mountain West Conference all-academic honors while playing at the U.S. Air Force Academy, from 1998-2000.
Derek Smith, 38, of Fayetteville, Ark., is a PGA Tour caddie who currently works for Denny McCarthy, who has played in four U.S. Opens and was the runner-up in this year’s Memorial Tournament. Smith was the medalist in the Channahon, Ill., qualifier on July 27, shooting a 67 at Heritage Bluffs Golf Club. Smith played college golf at Wichita State (2003-04) and Texas Tech (2004-05). He previously competed in two USGA championships, the 2000 and 2001 U.S. Junior Amateurs.
Nathan Smith, 45, of Pittsburgh, Pa., is a four-time U.S. Mid-Amateur champion (2003, 2009, 2010, 2012) and will serve as captain of the 2025 USA Walker Cup Team. Smith, who is tied for second in career Mid-Amateur match-play wins (34) behind Jerry Courville Jr.’s 36, also won the 2015 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball title with partner Todd White. A member of three USA Walker Cup Teams (2009, 2011, 2013), Smith works in property and casualty insurance. He has played in 51 USGA championships, including 17 U.S. Mid-Amateurs. Smith, who has won two Pennsylvania State Amateurs, has been inducted into Western Pennsylvania Golf and Allegheny College halls of fame.
Sam Straka, 30, of Valdosta, Ga., is the twin brother of PGA Tour player Sepp Straka, who has competed in three U.S. Opens and two U.S. Amateurs and is a member of the 2023 European Ryder Cup Team. Sam, who works in real estate, qualified for his second U.S. Mid-Amateur at the Gainesville, Fla., site on Aug. 2. He advanced to the Round of 32 in his first Mid-Amateur in 2021. He also reached match play in the 2010 U.S. Junior Amateur and 2013 U.S. Amateur Public Links. Sam and Sepp were members of the University of Georgia team from 2012-15. The family moved from Austria to the U.S. when the brothers were age 14.
Brad Tilley, 40, of Easton, Conn., was the stroke-play medalist and advanced to the quarterfinals in the 2017 U.S. Mid-Amateur. He has played in 11 USGA championships, including four Mid-Amateurs and four U.S. Amateurs. Tilley, who works in food and beverage imports, competed on professional tours for eight years before regaining his amateur status. In 2022, Tilley won championships on both host courses for this year’s U.S. Mid-Amateur. He claimed the MGA Met Amateur, held at Fenway Golf Club, and captured the Westchester Open title at Sleepy Hollow Country Club. He earned first-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors while playing at the University of Virginia.
Matt Vogt, 32, of Indianapolis, Ind., qualified for his first U.S. Mid-Amateur on Aug. 8 at Rock Hollow Golf Course, in Peru, Ind. He played in the 2021 U.S. Amateur as the first alternate from qualifying. The championship was played at Oakmont (Pa.) Country Club, where he was once was a caddie. Vogt, a practicing dentist and oral surgeon, played golf at Butler University and later earned his DDS in dental surgery from Indiana University. Vogt, who grew up in the Pittsburgh, Pa. suburbs and stands 6-foot-5, helped his team to the 2009 Class 4A state high school basketball semifinals and was fourth in the state golf championship. He finished 13th in this year’s Indiana State Amateur.
Travis Wadkins, 36, of Dallas, Texas, will play in his first U.S. Mid-Amateur after he was medalist with a 5-under 67 at Rockwall (Texas) Golf & Athletic Club on Aug. 7. His father, Lanny, won 21 PGA Tour events including the 1977 PGA Championship, played in 20 U.S. Opens and won the 1970 U.S. Amateur. His uncle, Bobby, competed in 14 U.S. Opens and recorded four PGA Tour Champions victories. Travis played college golf at Wake Forest from 2006-10 and had a brief professional career before being reinstated as an amateur four years ago. He is battling alcoholism and has been in recovery for one year.
Todd White, 55, of Spartanburg, S.C., won the 2023 U.S. Senior Amateur Championship on Aug. 31 at Martis Camp Club, in Truckee, Calif. He and partner Nathan Smith also claimed the inaugural U.S. Amateur Four-Ball title in 2015. White has competed in seven different USGA championships and 35 overall. A member of the victorious 2013 USA Walker Cup Team, he played in one U.S. Open (1995) and two U.S. Senior Opens (2021, 2022). He advanced to the U.S. Mid-Amateur semifinals in 2012 and quarterfinals in 2014 and 2015. White is a history teacher and golf coach at Spartanburg High School.
Chad Wilfong, 42, of Charlotte, N.C., has played in five U.S. Mid-Amateurs and advanced to the quarterfinals last year at Erin Hills. He partnered with Davis Womble to win the 2022 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship. Wilfong, a financial consultant who was reinstated as an amateur in 2016, played in 23 tournaments on the Web.com Tour from 2003-06. Wilfong, who also competed on the Hooters and eGolf tours, earned All-America recognition at Wake Forest University. In 2021, he won the Carolinas Mid-Amateur and reached the semifinals of the North & South Amateur.
Jake Yount, 36, of Danville, Calif., is competing in his second U.S. Mid-Amateur. He advanced in a 3-for-1 playoff for the final spot in the Santa Rosa, Calif., qualifier on Aug. 21. Yount, who is playing in his seventh USGA championship, is vice president of sales for a software company. He competed in two U.S. Amateur Four-Balls with partner Tim Mickelson, the brother of six-time major professional champion Phil Mickelson. Tim was Yount’s head coach at the University of San Diego from 2005-09. As a collegian, Yount won the 2008 West Coast Conference individual championship at Chambers Bay.
Alexander Zannes, 35, of Albuquerque, N.M., is a retail broker for properties in New Mexico and was previously the associate vice president of communications and public affairs for the Hawaii Chamber of Commerce. He will play in his second U.S. Mid-Amateur after earning medalist (67) at the Albuquerque qualifier on Aug. 1. Zannes competed in Ninja Warrior at Universal Studios in 2018 and is also an amateur body builder. He made the University of New Mexico golf team as a walk-on and qualified for this year’s Mid-Amateur on the program’s home course.