The United States Golf Association today announced that the Capital City Club, in Atlanta, Ga., will be the host site for the 2017 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship. This will be the first USGA championship contested at the Capital City Club. The dates of the championship are Oct. 7-12.
“The USGA is thrilled to bring the U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship to the Capital City Club for the first time,” said Diana Murphy, USGA vice president and Championship Committee chairman. “The club has hosted many significant amateur events, including Bob Jones’ Georgia State Amateur victory as a teenager. Amateur golf is central to the USGA’s mission and the Capital City Club will be an excellent host for both the players and championship.”
The Capital City Club’s Crabapple Course will be used for both stroke-play qualifying and the match-play portion of the championship. The course was designed by Tom Fazio and opened for play in 2002. The Crabapple Course hosted the 2013 NCAA Division I Men’s Golf Championship, won by the University of Alabama, which was led by Cory Whitsett and Bobby Wyatt. Max Homa, of the University of California, won the individual crown. Whitsett, Wyatt and Homa were later members of the victorious 2013 USA Walker Cup Team.
The Crabapple Course also served as the host site for the 2003 WGC-American Express Championship, won by nine-time USGA champion Tiger Woods. The course has hosted U.S. Amateur sectional qualifying four times since 2007.
The Capital City Club was the host site of the 1916 Georgia State Amateur, won by nine-time USGA champion Jones on the club’s Brookhaven Course. Five state amateurs have been played on the Brookhaven Course, which has been selected to host the Georgia State Amateur on its 100th anniversary in 2016.
Atlanta National Golf Club, in Milton, Ga., will serve as the companion course for the stroke-play qualifying rounds of the 2017 U.S. Mid-Amateur. Designed by Pete and P.B. Dye, the course opened for play in 1988. The club hosted U.S. Senior Open sectional qualifying in 2012 and the Atlanta Amateur Match-Play Championship from 1992-1998.
“On behalf of the membership of Capital City Club, we are honored to host the 37th U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship,” said general chairman Danny Yates, who won the 1992 U.S. Mid-Amateur and was a member of the 1989 and 1993 USA Walker Cup Teams. “It is personally gratifying to see the club’s rich history culminate in hosting a USGA championship. We look forward to giving back to the game of golf, and particularly celebrating career amateur players, by hosting this wonderful event.”
The 2017 U.S. Mid-Amateur will be the 28th USGA championship contested in Georgia. The Peach State most recently hosted the 2014 U.S. Amateur Championship, at Atlanta Athletic Club’s Highlands and Riverside courses.
The U.S. Mid-Amateur was first played in 1981. The championship is open to male amateurs age 25 and older with a Handicap Index® not exceeding 3.4. The 2015 U.S. Mid-Amateur will be played Oct. 3-8 at John’s Island Club, in Vero Beach, Fla. The 2016 championship will be played Sept. 10-15 at Stonewall Links, in Elverson, Pa.
Nathan Smith became the first four-time U.S. Mid-Amateur champion when he won in 2012 at Conway Farms Golf Club, in Lake Forest, Ill. Jay Sigel captured three Mid-Amateur titles in the 1980s. John “Spider” Miller, the 2015 USA Walker Cup Team captain, Tim Jackson and Jim Stuart have each won the championship twice.