The Steam Room by MidamgolfHQ

November 2024

What we are steaming on this month:

How is it already November 1st? Welcome back to another edition of the newsletter. If you enjoy this cathedral to mid-am golf, please share it with a friend during your next post-round hang and encourage them to subscribe!

October was packed with exciting mid-am events and truly was a "flavorful" (shoutout Will Davenport) month of golf. We witnessed stellar play out west at the Stocker Cup and a thrilling finish in Rochester at the Williams. We'll cover both of those later in the newsletter.

November brings the year's final big push, and we've been counting down to the East-West Cup Matches all season—the long-awaited showdown is finally here! Meanwhile, a talented group of mid-ams is taking their games back to the Devil’s Elbow and a chance to earn a start on the PGA Tour.

November also hosts the NIT at one of mid-am golf’s premier venues, The Country Club of Birmingham. There’s nothing quite like fall golf mixed with the vibes of college football in SEC country. And for those who hit the eject button in Round 1, Otey’s down the street is the perfect spot to unwind post-round!

We hope you enjoy this edition. Cheers!

2024 September Major Mid-Am Tournament Results

Stocker Cup

October 17-19, 2024

The Preserve Golf Club

Champion: Jack Schultz

Jack Schultz overcame a tough start at the 2024 Stocker Cup at The Preserve Golf Club in Carmel, California, to claim victory with a 6-under finish, winning by three strokes. After opening with a 4-over 76 in challenging windy and cold conditions, the 2023 Wisconsin State Amateur champion bounced back in the second round, tying the tournament record with a 7-under 65. He sealed his win with a final round of 3-under 69.

Reflecting on his first round, Schultz noted that while he hit 15 greens, his putting struggled due to the fast and tricky greens. However, key shots in the second round, including a birdie chip-in on No. 15 and an eagle on No. 17, turned things around. Heading into the final round, Schultz approached the game with a more experienced mindset, which helped secure the win.

Last year’s defending champion, South Texas’ own Colby Harwell, finished as runner-up. Colby seems to have a special connection with this course—if the oddsmakers ever open a line on him at the Stocker Cup, you might want to bet the farm!

The Stocker Cup holds a special place in mid-am golf, hosted at one of the most remarkable venues around, The Preserve. With Erik Stocker taking on a more formal role in the event, we expect an invitation to this tournament to remain one of the most sought-after spots on any premier mid-am golfer’s calendar.

Leaderboard
-6 | Jack Schultz | 76-65-69=210
-3 | Colby Harwell | 76-66-71=209
-2 | Four Players Tied

Full results HERE

The John R. Williams

October 3-5, 2024

Oak Hill Country Club

Champions: Matt Parziale & Nick Maccario

Well well well - always nice to see some OG supporters of the MidamgolfHQ brand find their way to the winner’s circle. Matt Parziale of Brockton, Mass., and Nick Maccario of Haverhill, Mass., stormed out of the gate with a first-round 6-under 64, taking the early lead and never looking back to win the John R. Williams Four-Ball Invitational at Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester, N.Y. The duo went wire-to-wire, posting rounds of 64-69-69 to finish at 8-under, securing a five-shot victory.

Parziale, the 2020 Massachusetts Amateur medalist and 2021 runner-up, added another impressive win to his already lenghty resume. Maccario, boasts an equally impressive track record, having made the semifinals of the 2021 U.S. Mid-Amateur and the final 16 of the 2024 U.S. Mid-Amateur.

Meanwhile, Russell Bowie and Phil Arci of Ontario made a big move with a final-round 3-under 67, jumping nine spots to finish tied for second at 3-under. They shared the runner-up spot with Ohioans Phil Bojc of Powell and Bryce Haney of Dayton, who also finished at 3-under.

It was a weekend of stellar play, but Parziale and Maccario proved unbeatable from start to finish!

Leaderboard
-8 | N. Maccario + M. Parziale | 64-69-69=202
-3 | R. Bowie + P. Arci | 70-70-67=207
-3 | P. Bojc + B. Haney | 65-70-72=207

Full results HERE

Up Next

Devils Elbow Invitational

November 7-9, 2024

Puntacana Resort

Defending Champion: Joe Deraney

The Devils Elbow Invitational stands out for offering Mid-Am golfers a rare chance to compete on the PGA Tour. The winner of the 54-hole stroke play tournament earns an invitation to the Corales Puntacana Championship, held in the spring of 2025. This prestigious event takes place at the Corales Course, known for its challenging three-hole stretch called the Devil's Elbow.

In 2023, Joe Deraney secured victory at the Devil's Elbow Invitational with a winning score of 4-under par, earning himself a spot in the PGA Tour's Corales Punta Cana Championship the following March. Deraney started the final day with a four-shot lead but stumbled early with bogeys on his first two holes. He quickly regained his composure, though, and played stellar golf over the remaining 16 holes. He notched birdies on holes 4, 7, and 10, dropping only one more shot with a bogey on the 18th when the outcome was nearly settled.

Matt Parziale, the 2017 U.S. Mid-Amateur champion from Brockton, Mass., made a strong push to finish second at 2-under par last year.

Given the strength of this year’s field, we can expect fierce competition down the stretch. With the talent and depth on display, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the eventual winner not only make the cut at next year’s Corales Punta Cana Championship but also contend at a PGA Tour event. The players in this field have shown the ability to rise to the occasion, and there's potential for one of them to grab mainstream attention. Flag planted!

Up Next

Birmingham National Invitational Tournament

November 3-5, 2023

The Country Club of Birmingham

Champion: Blake Watts

The prestigious NIT will return to the Country Club of Birmingham this November. The Country Club of Birmingham consistently provides players with an exceptional, world-class experience each year. The course offers one of the toughest challenges for Mid-Am golfers, which may explain why Bobby Jones achieved victory here during his prime.

Blake Watts emerged as the champion in 2023, finishing as the sole player under par for the week and securing a remarkable five-shot victory over Nick Maccario (oh that guy again!). Adding an interesting twist to the tournament, the 2022 champion, Hunter Hawkins, is not only a neighbor of Watts but also a former teammate on the same college golf team at UAB.

We here at mid-am golf would like to call out the membership and staff that support this event. Its truly one of the best in the country. As you may recall in our opening remarks we mentioned Oteys. While this isn’t a sponsored situation but it should - because Oteys might one of the best bars to grab one or three post-round.

2024 “Major” Mid-Am Event Schedule

Gasparilla Invitational - February 2024 - Charles Fitzsimmons

The Snedeker Memorial - March 2024 - Jordan Russell

George Coleman Invitational - April 2024 - Evan Beck

The Walter J. Travis Invitational - May 2024 - Ben Greve

John T. Lupton Memorial - May 2024 - Joe Deraney

USGA 4-Ball - May 2024 - Brian Blanchard & Sam Engel

The Huddleston Cup - June 2024 - Scott Harvey

Anderson Memorial 4-ball - June 2024 - Jim Chestnut & Scott Strickland

Carlton Woods Invitational - June 2024 - Shane Heise

George C Thomas Invitational - June 2024 - Evan Beck

Mid-Am Team Championship - August 2024 - Utah & Steele Dewald

The Picard Cup - August 2024 - Matt Vogt & Kevin O’Brien

The Valentine Invitational - August 2024 - Christian Brand

USGA Men’s Mid-Am - September 2024 - Evan Beck

USGA Women’s Mid-Am - September 2024 - Hana Ryskova

Trans-Miss Mid-Master Championship - September 2024 - Paul Mitzel

The Crump Cup - September 2024 - Andrew Price

John R. Williams 4-ball - October 2024 - Matt Parziale & Nick Maccario

The East-West Cup Matches - November 2024

Devils Elbow - November 2024

National Invitational Tournament - November 2024

The Road to Maridoe & The East-West Cup

East-West Matches
November 1-3, 2024 | Maridoe Golf Club

The teams have been set for the East-West Matches.

East Team
Captain: Nathan Smith

Mid Ams:
Jonathan Bale
Hayes Brown
Stephen Behr
Christian Cavaliere
Will Davenport
Joe Deraney
Jeronimo Esteve
Scott Harvey
Sam Jackson
Nick Maccario
Andrew Price
Brad Tilley

Seniors:
Jack Hall
Doug Hanzel
Bob Royak
Paul Simson
Rick Stimmel
Kevin VandenBerg

West Team
Captain: Brady Exber

Mid Ams:
Brian Blanchard
Denny Bull
Parker Edens
Stewart Hagestad
Michael Jensen
Drew Kittleson
Trip Kuehne
Josh Persons
Bobby Massa
Brad Nurski
Andy Sajevic
Chris Wheeler

Seniors:
Gene Elliott
Bryan Hoops
Mike McCoy
Terrence Miskell
Mark Strickland
Dan Sullivan

The Ice Bath

This week’s Ice Bath is pretty simple: Would our audience like to see us launch a podcast? Let us know by responding to this email or DM on IG!

We love to feature our passionate mid-am golf community. If you have a story, achievement, or event you'd like to share, send us a DM on our Instagram or X (formerly Twitter) @midamgolfHQ

Until next month…..