International Flavor 

Irishmen Matthew McClean (left) and Hugh Foley are one win away from facing each other in the U.S. Mid-Amateur final. Photo: Steven Gibbons, USGA

ERIN, WISCONSIN | The U.S. Mid-Amateur has long been a tournament dominated by Americans, and for fairly obvious reasons. It costs a fortune to play in a week-long event like this one, even without international travel. The U.S. is also home to the world’s most developed mid-am schedule in addition to being the main hub for those preparing to play professional golf, a sector that always seems to include some of the top mid-ams.

Of the 40 champions in tournament history, Australian Lukas Michel (2019) is the lone international winner. It’s hard to even find international contestants going deep in this championship. The sweet 16 had only two international players in 2017, 2019 and 2021. In the 2018 edition, just one international player reached the sweet 16. Lack of geographic diversity has been a missing ingredient in what is otherwise one of the great celebrations we have in amateur go...