USGA

U.S. MID-AMATEUR
CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW

U.S. MID-AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
September 25-30, 1999
Old Warson Country Club, St. Louis, Mo.

PAR AND YARDAGE - Old Warson Country Club will play at 7,047 yards and par 35-36-71. Bellerive Country Club, which will be used for the first two days of stroke play, will play at 7,047 yards and par 35-36-71.

OLD WARSON COUNTRY CLUB - Renowned architect Robert Trent Jones Sr. designed the layout which opened in 1955. The club hosted the 1971 Ryder Cup Match, and has held numerous U.S. Open sectional qualifiers.

BELLERIVE COUNTRY CLUB - In addition to Old Warson, Bellerive Country Club will accommodate the first two days of stroke play for the U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship. Bellerive hosted the first Mid-Amateur, in 1981, won by St. Louis native Jim Holtgrieve. It has been the site of the 1965 U.S. Open, won by Gary Player, and the 1992 PGA Championship, won by Nick Price.

ADMISSION - Admission is free. Tickets are not needed for this USGA championship. However, for information on this Championship or directions, please call Old Warson C.C. at (314) 968-0840.

DEFENDING CHAMPION - John "Spider" Miller, 49, of Bloomington, Ind. defeated Chip Holcombe, 37, of Casselberry, Fla. in last year's Championship at NCR Country Club (Dayton, Ohio), 1-up. It was his second U.S. Mid-Amateur title in three years. Miller stood 2 up through hole 16 before Holcombe won the 17th hole. The two halved the last hole with par 4s to close the match, leaving Miller to break his own record as the championship's oldest winner. Miller, a beer distributor, also won the 1996 title.

MID-AM ON THE WEB - For scores, pairings, and the latest U.S. Mid-Amateur information, log on to the USGA Internet site at www.usga.org.

SCHEDULE OF PLAY - (Times CDT) Saturday, Sept. 25 - Starting at 7:45 a.m., first round, stroke play (18 holes).
Sunday, Sept. 26 - Starting at 7:45 a.m. second round, stroke play (18 holes). After 36 holes, the field will be cut to the low 64 scorers, who will advance to match play.
Monday, Sept. 27 - Starting at 9:00 a.m., first round, match play (18 holes)
Tuesday, Sept. 28 - Starting at 7:45 a.m., second round, match play (18 holes); starting at 1:00 p.m., third round, match play (18 holes)
Wednesday, Sept. 29 - Starting at 8:00 a.m., quarterfinals, match play (18 holes); starting at 1:00 p.m., semifinals, match play (18 holes)
Thursday, Sept. 30 - Starting at 12:30 p.m., final, match play (18 holes)

MID-AMATEUR SUCCESS - Since 1991, 13 mid-amateurs have been selected to a U.S. Walker Cup team. In 1999, mid-amateurs John "Spider" Miller (49) of Bloomington, Ind., Tim Jackson (40) of Germantown, Tenn., and Tom McKnight (45) of Galax, Va., were selected.

USGA CHAMPIONS WHO ARE EXEMPT - Eleven USGA champions are exempt into the Championship. The list includes eight past U.S. Mid-Amateur champions, two past U.S. Amateur winners, and the reigning USGA Senior Amateur title-holder.

Ken Bakst, New York, N.Y. - 1997 U.S. Mid-Amateur champion
Jerry Courville, Milford, Conn. - 1995 U.S. Mid-Amateur champion
John Harris, Minneapolis, Minn. - 1993 U.S. Amateur champion
Tim Jackson, Germantown, Tenn. - 1994 U.S. Mid-Amateur champion
John "Spider" Miller, Bloomington, Ind. - 1996,1998 U.S. Mid-Amateur champion
Bill Shean Jr., Hinsdale, Ill. - 1998 USGA Senior Amateur champion
Jim Stuart, Macon, Ga. - 1990, 1991 U.S. Mid-Amateur champion
James Taylor, New York, N.Y. - 1989 U.S. Mid-Amateur champion
Jeff Thomas, Jensen Beach, Fla. - 1993 U.S. Mid-Amateur champion
Mitch Voges, Simi Valley, Calif. - 1991 U.S. Amateur champion
Danny Yates, Atlanta, Ga. - 1992 U.S. Mid-Amateur champion

OTHER USGA CHAMPIONS WHO HAVE QUALIFIED - (3)
Buddy Alexander, Gainesville, Fla. - 1986 U.S. Amateur champion
David Eger, Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. - 1988 U.S. Mid-Amateur champion
Tim Hogarth, Northridge, Calif. - 1996 U.S. Amateur Public Links champion

QUARTERFINALISTS FROM 1998 - Quarterfinalists from last year's Championship are also exempt into the starting field of 246 golfers. Seven of the eight have entered. They are:
Randy Haag of San Francisco, Calif., Chip Holcombe of Casselbury, Fla., Danny Green of Jackson, Tenn., Sean Knapp of Oakmont, Pa., John "Spider" Miller of Bloomington, Ind., Steve Sheehan of Reno, Nev., and Paul Simson of Raleigh, N.C.

DANNY YATES - Counting this 1999 Championship, Danny Yates has qualified for 18 of the 19 U.S. Mid-Amateurs (missing only in 1986). He earned his 1999 exemption as a former champion (1992).

DON BLISS' FEAT - St. Louis area native Don Bliss has again qualified for the Championship. He made two holes-in-one during his first round of stroke play at the 1987 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship at Brook Hollow Golf Club in Dallas, Texas.

30-SOMETHING WINNERS - The U.S. Mid-Amateur championship is open to male golfers age 25 and older, but no one under the age of 30 has ever won the title. The youngest winner to date was 30-year-old Bill Loeffler of Madison, Miss., in 1986.

QUALIFYING - Sectional qualifying for the U.S. Mid-Amateur was held from August 24 through September 8 at 67 courses.

THE USGA AND MISSOURI - Missouri has hosted nine national amateur championships. This is the first USGA championship at Old Warson Country Club. The last USGA championship in the state was in 1981 when Bellerive Country Club held the first Mid-Amateur. The first USGA championship in the state was the 1921 U.S. Amateur at St. Louis C.C.

THE FIELD - The starting field will consist of 246 golfers. Each golfer will play a single round on each of the two golf courses before the field is trimmed to the low 64 scorers, who will advance to match play.

WHO CAN PLAY - Open to amateur golfers who will have reached their 25th birthday on or before September 25, and who have a USGA Handicap Index not exceeding 3.4.

ENTRIES - The USGA accepted 4,267 entries for the 1999 U.S. Mid-Amateur, the second-highest count in the championship's 19-year history, shy of only the 5,271 entries received in 1997.

FOR THE WINNER - The champion receives: * A gold medal, and custody of the Robert T. Jones Jr. Memorial Trophy for the ensuing year.
* An exemption from local qualifying at the next U.S. Open, if still an amateur.
* An exemption from sectional qualifying at the next U.S. Amateur.
* A 10-year exemption for the Mid-Amateur.
* An invitation to compete in the next Masters Tournament, if still an amateur.
* An exemption from sectional qualifying at the next U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship, if eligible.
* An exemption from sectional qualifying at the next Senior Amateur, if eligible.

THE TROPHY - The Robert T. Jones Jr. Memorial Mid-Amateur Trophy was presented in 1981 by the Atlanta Athletic Club and the Georgia State Golf Association. The most famous of all amateurs, Jones won five U.S. Amateur and four U.S. Open titles for a total of nine USGA championships, more than any golfer.

COURSE SET UP - Holes one through nine at Old Warson Country Club: No.1, 403-yard, par 4; No.2, 379-yard, par 4; No.3, 198-yard, par 3; No.4, 389-yard, par 4; No.5, 443-yard, par 4; No.6, 532-yard, par 5; No.7, 180-yard, par 3; No.8, 450-yard, par 4; No.9, 407-yard, par 4. (out 3,381 yards, par 35) Holes 10 through 18: No. 10, 426-yard, par 4; No.11, 436-yard, par 4; No.12, 545-yard, par-5; No.13, 184-yard, par 3; No.14, 352-yard, par 4; No. 15, 444-yard, par 4; No. 16, 618-yard, par 5; No. 17, 211-yard par 3; No. 18, 450-yard, par 4. (in 3,666 yards, par 36) Total: 7,047 yards and par 35-36-71.

Holes one through nine at Bellerive Country Club: No. 1, 435-yar, par 4; No. 2, 410-yard, par 4; No. 3, 145-yard, par 3; No. 4, 535-yard, par 5; No. 5, 430-yard, par 4; No. 6, 190-yard, par 3; No. 7, 380-yard, par 4; No. 8, 580-yard, par 5; No. 9, 420-yard, par 4. (out 3,525 yards, par 36) Holes 10 through 18: No. 10, 450-yard, par 4; No. 11, 372-yard, par 4; No. 12, 440-yard, par 4; No. 13, 175-yard, par 3; No. 14, 400-yard, par 4; No. 15, 440-yard, par 4; No. 16, 215-yard, par 3; No. 17, 585-yard, par 5; No. 18, 445-yard, par 4. (in 3,525 yards, par 36). Total: 7,047 yards and par 36-35-71.

FUTURE U.S. MID-AMATEUR SITES - The U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship will be played at The Homestead in Hot Springs, Va., Sept. 9-14, 2000; at San Joaquin Country Club in Fresno, Calif., Oct. 13-18, 2001; and Stanwich Club, Sept. 21-26, 2002.

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