The United States Golf Association has announced that Charlotte (N.C.) Country Club will host the 2018 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship. This will be the fourth USGA championship contested at Charlotte Country Club. The dates for the championship are Sept. 22-27.
“Charlotte Country Club has supported amateur golf for more than a century and the USGA is pleased to bring the U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship to the club for the first time,” said Diana Murphy, USGA vice president and Championship Committee chairman. “We know the course will thoroughly challenge the players’ skills as they compete for the Robert T. Jones Jr. Memorial Trophy.”
Designed by Donald Ross, Charlotte Country Club opened its first nine holes in 1910, with the second nine completed five years later. In 2007, Ron Pritchard completed restoration of the course, which is located 4 miles east of uptown Charlotte, in the Plaza-Midwood neighborhood. Charlotte Country Club, which began as The Mecklenburg Club, also features a recently restored 68,000-square-foot clubhouse.
The club hosted the 1972 U.S. Amateur, which Marvin (Vinny) Giles III won by three strokes over Mark Hayes and Ben Crenshaw. Giles, a three-time runner-up in the championship before his victory, finished at 1-over-par 285. He trailed Hayes by one stroke with nine holes to play, but birdied holes 13, 14 and 16 en route to the championship.
In 2000, Bill Shean Jr. won his second U.S. Senior Amateur Championship with a 2-and-1 triumph over Richard Van Leuvan. Giles was the stroke-play medalist, 28 years after his Amateur victory, and lost in the quarterfinal round. Shean, who also won the 1998 championship, became the 12th player to win multiple Senior Amateurs.
Danielle Kang earned a 2-and-1 win over Jessica Korda to claim the 2010 U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship. Kang made a 4-footer for birdie on the 35th hole to secure the victory. She held a 2-up margin after the morning round, but Korda rallied to take the lead on the 30th hole. Kang sank a short birdie putt to square the match on the 32nd hole and converted a 5-footer for par to win No. 34 and go ahead.
Charlotte Country Club has a storied amateur championship history, having also hosted eight Carolinas Amateurs, four Carolinas Women’s Amateurs, two Southern Amateurs, five Charlotte City Amateurs and several state and Carolinas Golf Association junior amateurs.
“Charlotte Country Club is truly honored to host the 2018 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship,” said Damon DiOrio, the club’s chief executive officer. “Since 1910, our club has been deeply dedicated to providing a championship-caliber golf experience for players of all ages. Our membership, staff and the Charlotte community look forward to hosting a memorable and meaningful championship.”
Carolina Golf Club, also in Charlotte, will serve as the stroke-play co-host course for the qualifying rounds of the 2018 U.S. Mid-Amateur. Also designed by Ross, the course was restored by Kris Spence in 2008. The club hosted the 2014 North Carolina Amateur, which was won by Josh Martin, 17, the youngest champion in the event’s history.
The 2018 U.S. Mid-Amateur will be the 30th USGA championship contested in North Carolina. Pinehurst Resort & Country Club, in the Village of Pinehurst, will host the 2017 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball and the 2019 U.S. Amateur championships.
The U.S. Mid-Amateur was first played in 1981. The championship is open to amateur golfers age 25 and older with a Handicap Index® not exceeding 3.4. The 2016 U.S. Mid-Amateur will be played Sept. 10-15 at Stonewall Links, in Elverson, Pa. The 2017 championship will be played Oct. 7-12 at Capital City Club (Crabapple Course), in Atlanta, Ga.
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.
USGA CHAMPIONSHIPS AT CHARLOTTE COUNTRY CLUB
1972 U.S. Amateur: Marvin (Vinny) Giles won by three strokes over Mark Hayes, Ben Crenshaw, 285-288
2000 U.S. Senior Amateur: Bill Shean Jr. def. Richard Van Leuvan, 2 and 1
2010 U.S. Women’s Amateur: Danielle Kang def. Jessica Korda, 2 and 1