BUTLER — With nearly four strong decades of competition behind it, the 39th WPGA Mid-Amateur Championship is set for Monday at Butler Country Club.
Started in 1985 for Western Pennsylvania golfers aged 25 years or older, the event has become a popular staple late in the WPGA schedule and has helped push plenty of successful amateur players into the national scene.
Most notably, Nathan Smith — a four-time winner of the WPGA Mid-Am — has gone on to win four USGA Mid-Amateur national championships and has received a special exemption to play in this year’s USGA Mid-Amateur later this month.
Sean Knapp has was won the championship a record nine times, most recently in 2015. John Jones and Arnold Cutrell have won it three times, while Frank Fuhrer III, Marshall Marraccini, David Brown and Ian Bangor have won the championship twice.
The inaugural competition was won by Fred Gibbons at Youghiogheny Country Club in 1985. Gibbons went on to serve as the WPGA’s President from 2004-05.
A year ago, Austin Lemieux conquered the field at Nemacolin’s Mystic Rock, shooting 2-under to top Rick Stimmel by a stroke.
Lemieux — the son of former Pittsburgh Penguins great Mario Lemieux — played a bogey-free second round, shooting a 67 to claim the title. He will attempt to defend his title Monday.
Stimmel also managed to not record a second-round bogey last year, but his 76 in the first round proved costly in the end. He is set to play at Butler, as well as the USGA Mid-Amateur Championship in Virginia September 21-26.
Sean Sweithelm and Bangor tied for third place and Knapp placed fifth. Bangor will attempt to win a third Mid-Amateur championship this week.
2024 marks the first time that Butler Country Club will host the WPGA Mid-Amateur Championship.
Play will begin Monday at 8:30 a.m. with the second and final round to follow in the afternoon.
A live leaderboard for the 39th WPGA Mid-Amateur Championship can be found here. (GGID: 24WPGAMIDAM)
For media inquiries, please contact WPGA Director of Communications Josh Rowntree.
