Should Former Pros Leave the Mid-AM Alone?

For the last week, amateur golfers over the age of 25 have gone to battle in Arizona for the shot at something massive: A spot in the 2026 US Open, a “likely” exemption into The Masters. This is the prize for winning the US Mid Amateur Championship, now in its 44th year.

When the event launched in 1981, the USGA said it was created because “the post-college player found himself at a disadvantage in the U.S. Amateur.” In other words, it was supposed to be for lifelong amateurs like me, chasing one last dream.

Jim Holtgrieve claimed the inaugural U.S. Mid-Amateur in his hometown of St. Louis. (USGA Museum)

But in 2025, the term “amateur” doesn’t mean what it used to

When Amateurs Aren’t Really Amateurs

This year in Arizona, 7 of the 8 quarterfinalists were at one point professional golfers, and the final match is currently being played between two former pros. This was the same in 2024 when Evan Beck took down Bobby Massa in the finals. Between the two of them, they had over nine years of professional golf.

Bobby Massa congratulates Evan Beck after winning the finals of the 2024 U.S. Mid-Amateur at Kinloch Golf Club in Manakin-Sabot, Va. (Logan Whitton/USGA)

This is a tough pill to swallow for someone like me, working a day job and trying to squeeze in practice before dark. It’s hard to feel like you have a shot when the guy across from you spent years grinding the Korn Ferry Tour.

The NIL Red Herring

It is no doubt that, in the NIL era we live in in amateur sports, the line has certainly shifted on what truly makes someone an “amateur”.

The argument you see all over social media right now in favor of former pros playing in this event is “well everyone has the chance to get paid now, so what really qualifies being a professional?”

That is a red herring.

I see names like Jackson Kouivon’s being thrown around as some quasi example of a golfer who, while still an amateur, has deals with FootJoy, Titleist, etc. Those arguing in favor will say, “Well, does that mean he shouldn’t be able to play in amateur events?”

Of course he is still allowed to play. However, this is not the type of golfer in question. Kouivon hasn’t finished outside the top 11 when teeing it up on TOUR. Golfers like him are the future of professional golf. To think this is the type of golfer that at some point is going to apply for his amateur status back one day is asinine.

Amateurs like Kouivon are THE REASON the Mid-Am was created. I have no shot at competing in the US Am against golfers like him and Mason Howell.

A Clear Shift

Those arguing in favor will also mention that it may be recency bias. Before Evan Beck claimed his title last year, the previous three to win were Stewart Hagestad (‘21&’23), Matthew McClean (‘22), and Lukas Michel (‘19). This argument certainly holds more weight than the previous listed, however you can’t look at what is happening now in these fields and just ignore what is happening. There has been a distinct shift in the last few years of pros who played as professionals for years coming back into the amateur scene and cleaning up.

So what is the solution?

I am also not someone who says that these golfers who have regained their amateur status shouldn’t be able to play in tournaments again. However, the decision on which tournaments they should play in shouldn’t be so binary.

It simply isn’t fair for an amateur golfer who has never turned pro to go up against someone like Justin Hueber who has 87 career starts on the Korn Ferry Tour and over $300,000 in career earnings. For years, golf was his full time job. To call him an amateur lacks common sense.

Now, I think there should still be a potential pathway back to regaining your amateur status, however the parameters of this need to be much more stringent than what they are. As it stands, someone like Justin must wait a minimum of 6 months to regain his status. It can be longer, but it rarely is.

Justin Hueber hits his tee shot at the second hole during the quarterfinal round of the 2025 U.S. Mid-Amateur at Troon Country Club in Scottsdale, Ariz. (Steve Gibbons/USGA)

Here’s my fix:

Make the waiting period equal to the amount of years you were professional? Only played for 2 years? You sit out for 2. You played for 10 years? See you in a decade.

If you played more than 5 years professionally, the Mid-Am is off limits. Have at it in the US Am against the next class of tour pros, but leave the Mid-Am to those who never made it pro.

Why it Matters

The US-Mid Am, and the Mid-Am scene as a whole, is not meant for golfers who were once pro. You made a decision to try and become one of the best in the world and profit off your skills. That decision should hold some weight.

For us Mid-Ams, it has never been about the money. It is about the competition. It is about that slim chance of walking down the fairways at Augusta and Shinnecock with the best in the world.

That dream wasn’t built for former pros looking for a second act. It was built for us.