The Steam Room by MidamgolfHQ

December 2023

What we are steaming on this month:

Welcome to the first edition of The Steam Room!

We are embarking on a journey to establish a reliable source for monthly updates on the world of mid-amateur golf. Alongside these updates, you can expect insightful commentary for some of the prominent events.

Furthermore, each issue will feature a dedicated section titled “The Ice Bath” where we will delve into various topics and trends within the mid-am golf scene.

In this inaugural issue, we will offer a concise recap of the major mid-amateur events that took place during the fall season. As we progress into 2024, our plan is to provide more comprehensive coverage, including detailed results from state mid-am championships and similar competitions.

We sincerely hope that you find our content enjoyable and informative. Thank you for joining us on this exciting journey!

2023 Major Fall Mid-Am Tournament Results

USGA Men’s Mid-Am Championship

September 9-14, 2023

Sleepy Hollow Golf Club & Fenway Golf Club

Champion: Stewart Hagestad

Recap: The mid-am golf world witnessed another epic finish as Stew secured his third USGA Mid-Am title, earning himself another coveted spot at Augusta. With this victory, Stew is solidifying his presence in the realm of mid-am greatness. There’s little more to say - he is reaching GOAT status.

Finals
Stewart Hagestad 3&2 over Evan Beck

Semifinals
Stewart Hagestad 1 Up over Sam Jackson
Evan Beck 2&1 over Brett Patterson

Quarterfinals
Stewart Hagestad 2&1 over Parker Edens
Evan Beck 2&1 over Sam Jones
Sam Jackson 1 Up over Stephen Behr Jr.
Brett Patterson 2&1 over Bobby Massa

Stroke Play Medalist
Jeronimo Esteve

Full Results

USGA Women’s Mid-Am Championship

September 7-12, 2023

Stonewall

Champion: Kimberly Dinh

Recap: In a thrilling final match with a spot in the U.S Women’s Open at stake, Kimberly Dinh staged a remarkable comeback from three down, clinching victory on the 18th hole against Kelsey Chugg. Hailing from Midland, Michigan, and working as a chemical engineer, Dinh has now become only the second left-handed champion in the history of the event.

Finals
Kimberly Dinh 2 Up over Kelsey Chugg

Semifinals
Kimberly Dinh 4&3 over Gretchen Johnson
Kelsey Chugg 1 Up over Jackie Rogowicz

Quarterfinals
Kimberly Dinh 3&2 over Alexandra Austin
Kelsey Chugg 1 Up over Taryn Walker
Gretchen Johnson 4&2 over Judith Kyrinis
Jackie Rogowicz 3&2 over Lauren Greenlief

Stroke Play Medalists
Jackie Rogowicz | Courtney Dow | Jessica Spicer

Full Results

The Crump Cup

September 21-24, 2023

Pine Valley Golf Club

Champion: Stewart Hagestad

Recap: Stew maintained his impressive performance, securing a victory in the Crump Cup, which was abbreviated due to rain. It was a challenging win for Stew, as he defeated one of the best mid-ams worldwide, Stephen Behr, on the first playoff hole. The Crump Cup remains arguably the most coveted invitational tournament in mid-am golf circles.

Leaderboard
+3 | Stewart Hagestad | 73*
+3 | Stephen Behr Jr. | 73
+5 | Matthew McClean | 75
+6 | Evan Beck | 76
+6 | Brad Nurski | 76
*Won in Playoff

Stroke Play Medalist
Evan Beck

Full Results

The Ladies National Golf Association Mid-Am

October 17-19, 2023

The Golf Club at Champions Circle

Champion: Julia Potter-Bobb

Recap: Julia cruised to an impressive eight-shot victory in Fort Worth, TX, claiming her inaugural LNGA title. The win adds to her already notable resume, which boasts two USGA Women’s Mid-Am titles. The 2022 champion Gretchen Johnson, settled for second behind Potter-Bobb.

Leaderboard
+3 | Julia Potter-Bobb | 71-75-73=219
+11 | Gretchen Johnson | 79-76-72=227
+13 | Meghan Stassi | 77-79-73=229

Full Results

The Berkeley Cup

October 20-22, 2023

Berkeley Hills Country Club

Champion: Taylor Smith

Recap: The Berkeley Cup is rapidly emerging as a top-tier event for mid-ams in the fall lineup. Taylor Smith, the 2018 Georgia Mid-Am champion, clinched this year’s title with a rare wire-to-wire victory in an exciting finish down south.

Leaderboard
-4 | Taylor Smith | 68-71-73=212
-1 | Matt Epperson | 72-72-71=215
E | Daniel Keddie | 71-74-71=216
+1 | Nick Maccario | 71-74-72=217
+2 | Jack Larkin Jr | 73-71-74=218

Full Results

The Stocker Cup

October 21-23, 2023

The Preserve Golf Club

Champion: Colby Harwell

Recap: The Stocker Cup stands out as one of the most distinctive events in mid-am golf. Its unique format pairs an elite mid-am (A player) with a low-to-middle single-digit handicap player (B player) in a team format that runs concurrently with the individual competition. Colby Harwell, a seasoned mid-am and Texas native, claimed the individual title this year, bringing an end to Michael Jensen’s consecutive titles in 2021 and 2022.

Leaderboard
-9 | Colby Harwell | 71-66-70=207
-7 | Jimmy Castles | 70-67-72=209
-6 | Jack Barber | 70-70-70=210
-5 | Michael Jensen | 70-69-72=211
Three Tied at -4

Full Results

Birmingham National Invitational Tournament

November 3-5, 2023

The Country Club of Birmingham

Champion: Blake Watts

Recap: The Country Club of Birmingham goes above and beyond, offering the players a truly world-class experience every year. The course itself presents one of the most challenging tests for mid-ams annually, perhaps explaining why Bobby Jones triumphed here in his prime. Blake Watts emerged as the last man standing this year. He was the only player to finish under par for the week running away with a five-shot win over Nick Maccario. In an intriguing footnote to the tournament, the 2022 champion, Hunter Hawkins, happens to be next-door neighbors with Blake Watts, and they were also teammates on the same college golf team at UAB.

Leaderboard
-5 | Blake Watts | 72-67-69=208
E | Nick Maccario | 71-70-72=213
+1 | Andy Sajevic | 71-71-72=214
+2 | Jeff Reuter | 72-72-71=215

Full Results

Devils Elbow

November 9-11, 2023

Punta Cana Resort & Club

Champion: Joseph Deraney

Recap: Devil’s Elbow is a newer event to the mid-am scene and has already made a big splash. The event offers the winner a PGA Tour exemption into the Corales Punta Cana Championship. Joe Deraney punched his ticket to a PGA Tour event with his win in the Dominican. He had to fend off a hard-charging Matt Parziale who ended up taking 2nd place.

Leaderboard
-4 | Joseph Deraney | 72-68-72=212
-2 | Matt Parziale | 75-71-68=214
-1 | Ryan Terry | 76-68-71=215
+1 | Jeronimo Esteve | 72-73-72=217
+1 | Hunter Hawkins | 72-73-72=217

Full Results

The Ice Bath

The Ice Bath will be an opportunity for us to discuss some of the trending topics and issues in mid-am golf. We may even feature guest writers along the way. Before scaring off our new readership with takes about raising the minimum age for mid-ams or banning white belts - we will let everyone enjoy this first issue in peace.

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…..