U.S. Mid-Amateur Preview

The U.S. Mid-Amateur offers its champion one of the most coveted invites in golf: a spot in The Masters.

This year, 264 players will start the battle on September 13 in Scottsdale, Arizona. 5,942 players registered and tried to qualify all over the country this summer.

The Courses

• Troon Country Club: 6,977 yards/Par 71 (73.6/149)

• Troon North Golf Club: 6,952 yards/Par 71 (73.6/145)

The Schedule

• Saturday, Sept. 13 (Stroke Play, Round 1, 18 holes)

• Sunday, Sept. 14 (Stroke Play, Round 2, 18 holes)

• Monday, Sept. 15 (Round of 64, match play)

• Tuesday, Sept. 16 (Round of 32/Round of 16, match play)

• Wednesday, Sept. 17 (Quarterfinals/Semifinals, match play)

• Thursday, Sept. 18 (Championship Match, 36 holes)

The Field

Most national mid-amateur event notables start with Stewart Hagestad. The 34-year-old has played in the last five Walker Cups and is fresh off helping Team USA win at Cypress Point last week. Hagestad has won this championship three times, including the 2021 event on Nantucket at Sankaty Head and Miacomet. He also won in 2016 and 2023.

Defending champion Evan Beck had an electric 2024. He also won the Coleman and the George C. Thomas. It felt like he had a leg up on Hagestad for the Walker Cup, but he hasn’t played great this summer, and Hagestad got the nod. In 2023, Beck lost to Hagestad in U.S. Mid-Amateur final.

Will Davenport is another name to watch on the national stage. The Florida Player of the Year in 2024 reached the semi-finals in the U.S. Mid-Amateur last year. He won the Florida Mid-Amateur match play this summer and has four other top-ten finishes, including a runner-up in the Gasparilla Invitational in February.

2019 champion Lukas Michel will hop off the bulldozer in Australia and head to Arizona. He works as a green shaper for Clayton, DeVries, and Pont Design.

Walker Cup… again

Usually, the Walker Cup is held every two years. However, they want to get back into the even years, so they will hold the 51st Walker Cup at Lahinch in 2026. That means the race for the Mid-Amateur spot starts this week, and Hagestad is in the driver’s seat. A strong week from any American could go a long way in dethroning Hagestad, who has been the Mid-Amateur pick every Walker Cup since 2017.

Bay State Representatives

Eight players from Massachusetts will play in the U.S. Mid-Amateur. Seven of them qualified, and Matt Parziale, who won in 2017, is exempt until 2027.

Let’s meet them.

Max Campion - Boston, Mass.

Campion shot a 65 at Keney Park Golf Course to earn co-medalist honors in qualifying. The Harvard graduate will compete in his second U.S. Mid-Amateur. He also played at Erin Hills in 2022.

John Lazor - Boston, Mass.

Lazor played his college at Dartmouth College after growing up in Wellesley. He shot a 69 at North Kingstown Golf Course to book his slot in the U.S. Mid-Amateur. This will be Lazor’s second USGA event, he played in the 2018 U.S. Four-Ball with Patrick Frodigh.

Damon Lusk

Lusk shot a 65 at Keney Park Golf Course to earn co-medalist honors in qualifying. Lusk is 53 years old; qualifying is an exceptional accomplishment.

Conor O’Brien - Boston, Mass.

The Connecticut native and William and Mary graduate lives in Boston and will play in his second U.S. Mid-Amateur. He reached the Round of 32 in the 2023 edition at Sleepy Hollow. O’Brien shot a 70 at The Apawamis Club in Rye, New York. After posting his score early and waiting for hours, he ended up in a 2-for-1 playoff with Ben Mitchell. After shaking off the rust with a scrappy par on the first playoff hole, he made a birdie on the second one to earn his spot. He’ll have his brother-in-law, Steve Bender, on the bag this week.

Matt Parziale - Brockton, Mass.

The 2017 U.S. Mid-Amateur champion is looking good for another Mass. Player of the Year award after a T4 finish in the Mass Mid-Amateur this week. He won the Ouimet Memorial in July, finished T2 in the New England Amateur, and notched a third place in the Worcester County Amateur. He was medalist in local and final qualifying for the U.S. Amateur. He shot 76-79 at Olympic Club and missed match play.

Jake Ratti - Plymouth, Mass.

The reigning Mass. Mid-Amateur champion was the medalist at Boston Golf Club this summer when he shot a 70 to lock up a spot in Arizona. Ratti finished as the low amateur in Massachusetts Open this summer, and he reached the Mass. Amateur quarterfinals before bowing out at the hands of the eventual champion - Ryan Downes.

Sam Russell - Boston, Mass.

The 2014 Bryant University grad will play in his second U.S. Mid-Amateur, and he’s also played in a U.S. Four-Ball. This summer, Russell finished T2 in the Worcester County Amateur and reached Final qualifying for the U.S. Amateur. He shot a 68 at The Orchards in South Hadley and then survived a 3-for-1 playoff with Ben Balter and Adam Brickle. He recorded a T10 in the Mass. Mid-Amateur this week.

Ben Spitz - Milton, Mass.

An amateur golf stalwart, Spitz has had a nice summer. He reached the quarterfinals of the Mass. Amateur at GreatHorse before losing to Joey Lenane. He finished second place in the Ouimet Memorial in July, too. He’s currently fifth in the Mass. Player of the Year race. The former Mass. Amateur and Mass. Public Links champ shot 67 at The Orchards to earn his spot.

Tee times

Max Campion - 8:29am (TC)/ 1:29pm (TN)

John Lazor - 1:29pm (TN) 8:29am (TC)

Damon Lusk - 11:50am (TN) 6:50am (TC)

Conor O’Brien - 1:07pm (TN)/ 8:07am (TC)

Matt Parziale - 12:45pm (TN) 7:45am (TC)

Jake Ratti - 10:40am (TC) 8:40am (TN)

Sam Russell - 7:23am (TC) 12:23pm (TN)

Ben Spitz - 6:50am (TN)/ 11:50am (TC)

Other New England reps:

Cody Paladino (West Hartford, Conn.)

Austin Cilley (Westerly, R.I.)

Matthew Paradis (Naples, N.H.)

James Pleat (Nashua, N.H.)

Ronald Kelton (Cape Elizabeth, Maine)

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