Tuesday, September 6, 2022

41st U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship - Facts and Figures

The 41st U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship kicks off this week from Erin Hills Golf Course and Blue Mound Golf and Country Club.

Erin Hills will be set up at 7,358 yards and will play to a par of 35-36–71. Blue Mound Golf and Country Club, which will serve as the stroke-play co-host course for the two days of stroke play, will be set up at 6,726 yards and play to a par of 35-35–70.

(NOTE: Yardages subject to change.)

Erin Hills Hole By Hole  

Hole 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Total

Par 4 4 4 4 4 3 5 4 3 35

Yardage 492 358 435 444 462 208 576 443 138 3,556   

Hole 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Total

Par 4 4 4 3 5 4 3 4 5 36

Yardage 455 423 437 195 594 369 185 481 663 3,802   

Blue Mound Golf & Country Club Hole By Hole  

Hole 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Total

Par 4 4 3 4 5 4 3 4 4 35

Yardage 395 415 218 389 493 327 166 476 421 3,300   

Hole 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Total

Par 4 4 4 3 4 4 4 3 5 35

Yardage 446 384 444 179 416 459 353 188 557 3,426

THE COURSES

Erin Hills, located 35 miles northwest of Milwaukee in the Kettle Moraine region, was designed by the team of Michael Hurdzan, Dana Fry and Ron Whitten. The public facility opened for play in 2006. Covering 652 acres, the area was shaped by the last glacier to cover south central Wisconsin. The course features bentgrass greens and fine fescue fairways. The design team oversaw a major renovation to the layout in 2010.

Blue Mound Golf and Country Club was designed by Seth Raynor and opened for play in 1926. The course was restored in the 1990s by Tom Doak’s Renaissance Design under the supervision of Bruce Hepner. Blue Mound, 7 miles west of Milwaukee, also served as the stroke-play co-host for the 2011 U.S. Amateur Championship.

COURSE RATING AND SLOPE

Based on the course setup for the championship, the Course Rating™ for Erin Hills is 76.2 and its Slope Rating® is 142. The Course Rating for Blue Mound Golf and Country Club is 73.2 and its Slope Rating is 137.

WHO CAN ENTER

The championship is open to any amateur golfer who is 25 years old by Sept. 10 with a Handicap Index® not exceeding 3.4.

ENTRIES

The USGA accepted a record 5,708 entries for the 2022 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship The previous record of 5,339 entries was established last year. The 5,000-mark has been surpassed three times, including 1997 when 5,271 entries were accepted.

QUALIFYING

Qualifying, conducted over 18 holes, took place between July 27-Aug. 24. There were 68 sites in 42 U.S. states and one in Mexico. California had the most, with seven qualifying sites, while Texas had four qualifiers. Wisconsin hosted two qualifiers – one in Madison on Aug. 8 at Blackhawk C.C. and one in Waukesha on Aug. 23 at The Legend at Merrill Hills.

SCHEDULE OF PLAY

Practice rounds will take place Sept. 8-9. The starting field of 264 players will play two rounds of stroke play (one round on each course), with the low 64 scorers advancing to match play. The schedule is as follows:

Sept. 10 (Saturday): First round, stroke play

Sept. 11 (Sunday): Second round, stroke play

Sept. 12 (Monday): Round of 64, match play

Sept. 13 (Tuesday): Round of 32 and Round of 16, match play

Sept. 14 (Wednesday): Quarterfinal and semifinal rounds, match play

Sept. 15 (Thursday): Championship match (36 holes)

ADMISSION

Admission is free. Tickets are not needed for this USGA championship, and fans are welcome to attend.

2021 CHAMPION

Stewart Hagestad, of Newport Beach, Calif., held off Mark Costanza, 2 and 1, to win his second U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship at Sankaty Head Golf Club, in Siasconset, Mass. Costanza, of Morristown, N.J., trailed by as many as seven holes and was 5 down after the opening 18 holes on Thursday. Temperatures in the low 60s and winds gusting to 20 mph greeted the players for the final round, which took place on Friday morning due to weather delays earlier in the week. Costanza, the 2020 Player of the Year in New Jersey and the Metropolitan Golf Association, held the honor from the first hole through the 17th, whittling his deficit to one before he failed to get up and down for birdie on the par-5 penultimate hole and Hagestad converted his own up-and-down for birdie to win the match. Hagestad became the sixth player to win multiple U.S. Mid-Amateurs as he also claimed the 2016 crown at Stonewall, in Elverson, Pa.

U.S. MID-AMATEUR NOTES

►The 41st U.S. Mid-Amateur is the fourth USGA championship to be conducted at Erin Hills

►This is the 16th USGA championship and second U.S. Mid-Amateur to be held in Wisconsin

►Erin Hills is the fifth course to host both a U.S. Open and U.S. Mid-Amateur

►17 U.S. Mid-Amateur champions have been members of the USA Walker Cup Team

►Michael McCoy (2023) and Nathan Smith (2025) will become the fifth and sixth U.S. Mid-Amateur champions to serve as captains of the USA Walker Cup Team

►Erin Hills will host the 2025 U.S. Women’s Open Championship presented by ProMedica

USGA CHAMPIONSHIPS AT ERIN HILLS – Erin Hills has previously hosted three USGA championships. Brooks Koepka won the first of his two consecutive U.S. Open Championships in 2017 with a four-stroke victory over 54-hole leader Brian Harman and Hideki Matsuyama. He fired a final-round 67 for a 72-hole total of 16-under 272. The U.S. Amateur Championship was conducted in 2011 when Kelly Kraft defeated Patrick Cantlay, 2 up, in the 36-hole final. Additionally, Tiffany Joh defeated Kimberly Kim, 6 and 5, to win the 2008 U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links Championship.

USGA CHAMPIONSHIPS AT ERIN HILLS

2008 U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links: Tiffany Joh def. Kimberly Kim, 6 and 5

2011 U.S. Amateur:  Kelly Kraft def. Patrick Cantlay, 2 up

2017 U.S. Open: Brooks Koepka (272) by four strokes over Brian Harman, Hideki Matsuyama

U.S. OPEN AND U.S. MID-AMATEUR COURSES

Bellerive C.C., St. Louis, Mo.: 1965 U.S. Open & 1981 U.S. Mid-Amateur

Cherry Hills C.C., Cherry Hills Village, Colo.: 1938, 1960, 1978 U.S. Opens & 1983 U.S. Mid-Amateur

Atlanta Athletic Club, Johns Creek, Ga.: 1976 U.S. Open & 1984 U.S. Mid-Amateur

Hazeltine National G.C., Chaska, Minn.: 1970, 1991 U.S. Opens & 1994 U.S. Mid-Amateur

Erin Hills, Erin, Wis.: 2017 U.S. Open & 2022 U.S. Mid-Amateur

USGA CHAMPIONSHIPS IN WISCONSIN

This will be the 16th USGA championship played in Wisconsin and the second U.S. Mid-Amateur contested in the state. Steve Wilson won the 2008 U.S. Mid-Amateur at Milwaukee Country Club. In 2023, the Badger State will host the 43rd U.S. Senior Open at SentryWorld, in Stevens Point.

Recent USGA Championships in Wisconsin (champion in parentheses)

1951 U.S. Amateur Public Links, Brown Deer Park G.C., Milwaukee (Dave Stanley)

1966 U.S. Amateur Public Links, Brown Deer Park G.C., Milwaukee (Lamont Kaser)

1969 Walker Cup Match, Milwaukee C.C., River Hills (USA)

1977 U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links, Yahara Hills G.C., Madison (Kelly Fuiks)

1977 U.S. Amateur Public Links, Brown Deer Park G.C., Milwaukee (Jerry Vidovic)

1986 U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links, SentryWorld G.C., Stevens Point (Cindy Schreyer)

1988 U.S. Senior Amateur, Milwaukee C.C., River Hills (Clarence Moore)

1998 U.S. Women’s Open, Blackwolf Run, Kohler (Se Ri Pak)

2007 U.S. Senior Open, Whistling Straits, Kohler, Wis. (Brad Bryant)

2008 U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links, Erin Hills, Erin (Tiffany Joh)

2008 U.S. Mid-Amateur, Milwaukee C.C., River Hills (Steve Wilson)

2011 U.S. Amateur, Erin Hills, Erin (Kelly Kraft)

2012 U.S. Women’s Open, Blackwolf Run, Kohler (Na Yeon Choi)

2017 U.S. Open, Erin Hills, Erin (Brooks Koepka)

2019 U.S. Girls’ Junior, SentryWorld G.C., Stevens Point (Lei Ye)

U.S. MID-AMATEURS IN MIDWEST REGION

Years, Courses and Winners

1981: Bellerive C.C., St. Louis, Mo. (Jim Holtgrieve)

1982: Knollwood Club, Lake Forest, Ill. (Bill Hoffer)

1988 : Prairie Dunes C.C., Hutchinson, Kan. (David Eger)

1989: Crooked Stick G.C., Carmel, Ind. (James Taylor)

1992: Detroit (Mich.) G.C. (North Course) (Danny Yates)

1994: Hazeltine National G.C., Chaska, Minn. (Tim Jackson)

1998: NCR C.C. (South Course), Dayton, Ohio (John “Spider” Miller)

1999: Old Warson C.C., St. Louis, Mo. (Danny Green)

2008: Milwaukee C.C., River Hills, Wis. (Steve Wilson)

2012: Conway Farms G.C., Lake Forest, Ill. (Nathan Smith)

EXEMPT PLAYERS: A total of 34 players are fully exempt into the 2022 U.S. Mid-Amateur based on performances in USGA championships and other elite amateur competitions, or by being in the top 40 age-eligible points leaders of the World Amateur Golf Ranking®/WAGR® as of the close of entries on July 20.

Andrew Bailey (2021 U.S. Mid-Amateur quarterfinalist)

Evan Beck (WAGR top 40 age-eligible points leader)

Stephen Behr (WAGR top 40 age-eligible points leader)

Harry Bolton (WAGR top 40 age-eligible points leader)

Brett Boner (2018 U.S. Mid-Amateur runner-up)

Hayes Brown (2021 U.S. Mid-Amateur semifinalist)

Mark Costanza (2021 U.S. Mid-Amateur runner-up, WAGR top 40 age-eligible points leader)

Christophe de Grancey (WAGR top 40 age-eligible points leader)

Joseph Deraney (2019 U.S. Mid-Amateur runner-up, WAGR top 40 age-eligible points leader)

Felix Dominguez (WAGR top 40 age-eligible points leader)

Jeronimo Esteve (WAGR top 40 age-eligible points leader)

Hugh Foley (WAGR top 40 age-eligible points leader)

Stewart Hagestad (2016, 2021 U.S. Mid-Amateur champion, 2019 U.S. Mid-Amateur semifinalist, 2022 U.S. Open qualifier, 2019 & 2021 USA Walker Cup Team, WAGR top 40 age-eligible points leader)

Scott Harvey (2014 U.S. Mid-Amateur champion)

Colby Harwell (2021 U.S. Mid-Amateur quarterfinalist)

Sam Jones (WAGR top 40 age-eligible points leader)

James Leow (WAGR top 40 age-eligible points leader)

Nick Maccario (2021 U.S. Mid-Amateur semifinalist)

Matthew McClean (WAGR top 40 age-eligible points leader)

Michael McCoy (2013 U.S. Mid-Amateur champion, WAGR top 40 age-eligible points leader)

Nate McCoy (WAGR top 40 age-eligible points leader)

Lukas Michel (2019 U.S. Mid-Amateur champion, WAGR top 40 age-eligible points leader)

Miguel Ordonez (WAGR top 40 age-eligible points leader)

Gregor Orlando (2021 U.S. Mid-Amateur quarterfinalist)

Matt Parziale (2017 U.S. Mid-Amateur champion)

Sammy Schmitz (2015 U.S. Mid-Amateur champion)

Jason Schultz (2019 U.S. Mid-Amateur semifinalist)

Christian Sease (2021 U.S. Mid-Amateur quarterfinalist)

Nathan Smith (2003, 2009, 2010, 2012 U.S. Mid-Amateur champion)

Omar Tejeira (WAGR top 40 age-eligible points leader)

Brad Tilley (WAGR top 40 age-eligible points leader)

Alejandro Villavicencio (WAGR top 40 age-eligible points leader)

Chad Wilfong (2022 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball champion)

Davis Womble (2022 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball champion)

WHAT THE CHAMPION RECEIVES

Among the benefits received by the 2022 U.S. Mid-Amateur champion are:

►A gold medal and custody of the Robert T. Jones Jr. Memorial Trophy for the ensuing year

►An exemption from final qualifying for the 2023 U.S. Open Championship (if still an amateur)

►An exemption from qualifying for the 2023 and 2024 U.S. Amateur Championships

►An exemption from qualifying for the next 10 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championships

►An exemption from qualifying for the 2023 Amateur Championship, conducted by The R&A

►A likely invitation to the 2023 Masters Tournament

CHAMPIONSHIP TROPHY

When the USGA announced its intention to hold a U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship in 1981, the Atlanta Athletic Club graciously donated a decorative, sterling silver trophy from its most famous member – Bob Jones. The ornate, three-handled cup, originally named the Davis & Freeman Golf Trophy, was first used as the prize for a junior tournament at Atlanta Athletic Club. The trophy was awarded beginning in 1909 and ending with three consecutive victories by Bob Jones in 1917, 1919, and 1920. The Freeman trophy was formally donated by the Atlanta Athletic Club and Georgia State Golf Association, and officially named the Robert T. Jones Jr. Memorial Trophy. With his 1981 Mid-Amateur victory at Bellerive Country Club in St. Louis, Jim Holtgrieve became the first to receive the Jones Memorial Trophy. The original U.S. Mid-Amateur Trophy is on display at the USGA Museum in Liberty Corner, N.J.

CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY

This is the 41st U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship. The U.S. Mid-Amateur, for amateur golfers of at least 25 years of age, provides a formal national championship for the post-college amateur, for whom the game is truly an avocation.

Played at Bellerive Country Club in St. Louis, Mo., in 1981, the first U.S. Mid-Amateur drew 1,638 entries. The field included three U.S. Amateur champions: Gary Cowan (1966, 1971), Marvin “Vinny” Giles III (1972) and Fred Ridley (1975). Jim Holtgrieve, 33, of Des Peres, Mo., defeated fellow 1981 USA Walker Cup Team member Bob Lewis Jr., 37, of Warren, Ohio, in the final, 2 up.

In 2017, the USGA began awarding a full exemption into the following year’s U.S. Open Championship to the U.S. Mid-Amateur champion.

FUTURE U.S. MID-AMATEUR HOST SITES

Sept. 9-14. 2023: Sleepy Hollow Country Club, Scarborough, N.Y., and Fenway Golf Club, Scarsdale, N.Y.

Sept. 21-26, 2024; Kinloch Golf Club, Manakin-Sabot, Va., and Independence Golf Club, Midlothian, Va.

Sept. 13-18, 2025: Troon Country Club and Troon North Golf Club, Scottsdale, Ariz.

Sept. 14-19, 2030: Bel-Air Country Club, Los Angeles, Calif.

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