Schonbaum Represents Mid-Am’s Majesty

PARKER, COLORADO | On the 10th tee at Colorado Golf Club, Andres Schonbaum lugs his clubs up the hill and plops them down. At first it appears he is without a caddie, but that changes 10 minutes later when his looper comes running over to help Schonbaum judge the wind as he grinds over which club to select for his approach.

Andres Schonbaum Photo: Copyright USGA

If you want to know what the U.S. Mid-Amateur is like, so much of it can be described in these moments. The stakes don’t get any larger. There winner earns a U.S. Open berth and a likely Masters invitation, and getting there means you will be the last one standing out of 4,751 entries. Similar to how the old PGA Tour Q-School required six consecutive rounds of tournament play, the Mid-Am asks the winner to play six rounds of match play in three days. Winning is a badge of honor, and that honor means everything to the individuals who compete.

But what makes the Mid-Am different than any ot...