USGA Mid-Am Dreams Begin in 2024 at TPC Summerlin for Kittleson, Mitchell, Davis
Drew Kittleson (Co-Medalist), Matthew Mitchell (Co-Medalist) and Beau Davis (Qualifier) advanced to the 2024 U.S. Mid-Amateur. The trio earned their spots in the finale through a qualifier held Aug. 5, 2024, at TPC Summerlin. The Mid-Am Championship will be held Sept. 21-26, 2024, at Kinloch Golf Club at Manakin-Sabot, VA. –by Bill Bowman, Las Vegas Golf Insider
The tournament is open to amateur players who will be 25-years-old or older by Sept. 21, 2024 and have a handicap index for men not exceeding 2.4.
Kittleson had three birdies in a four-hole stretch on the back nine (Nos. 13-16) en route to a three-under-par 68 while Mitchell played that same four-hole stretch in four-under-par with an eagle and two birdies and also came in with a 68 as the duo shared medalist honors.
Both, along with Davis who had a two-under-par 69 round, move on to the national event.
Kittleson is used to playing in the spotlight as he was runner-up in the U.S. Amateur in 2008 when he was still in college and also runner-up in the USGA Four-Ball Amateur when he was 22 and again when he was 23. His partner in the team events is Drew Stolz, co-host of PGA Tour Radio’s Gravy and the Sleeze and also the SubPar Podcast with Colt Knost.
“It’s always nice to qualify for those national events,” he said. “I’m very appreciative every time I have the opportunity.”
Kittleson added the four-hole stretch, holes 13-16, got his round started off well as he had three birdies in that run. His round started on the back nine.
“It was a little combination of some easy chips and putts for that stretch,” he said. “It was all good. You can score well on the back nine if you hit good shots. The front nine got me a little bit, but that’s golf.”
He added there’s a reasoning to how he picks tournaments he plays.
“I’ve got to be selective as I have a family and work,” said Kittleson who owns a construction company that specializes in remodeling bathrooms. “When I go out, I try to play my best and if I play my best, I think I can win. If not, I go home and go back to work.”
With three runner-up finishes in the national events, he knows the goal is simple.
“I’ll just go and try to play to win,” he said. “Sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesn’t. Golf is that way.”
He said he won’t do anything special in preparation.
“I won’t practice at all,” he said. “I’ll literally just show up and if I have it, that’s good.”
Mitchell, who has three individual titles in SNGA play this year along with a team title, is moving on to a national event for the second time in 2024.
He teamed up with Scott Lytle and finished middle of the pack in the 2024 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship which was held in May at the Cricket Club in Philadelphia, PA.
He said he’s hoping to use that experience to his advantage this time.
“I’m very excited to qualify,” he said. “I’m hoping to be a little more comfortable than I was in the four-ball and hopefully I’ll play solid like I did today.”
He said his run on holes 13-16, which were on his first nine holes as he started on the back nine, were definitely the key.
“I didn’t start off well at all,” he said as he was one-over through his first three holes. “But then I got to that stretch of holes where you have to get after it. I birdied 13 (a par-5) and 15 (a driveable par-4) and then on 16, I was in the greenside bunker in two (on the par-5) and it was a little plugged. I plopped it out and it rolled right in the hole for an eagle. That really turned around my day.”
Now it’s on to the national stage.
“I’m excited to play against the best Mid-Am players in the country and see where I stack up,” he said. “I’m ready to represent Southern Nevada in this tournament.”
He also wanted to give a tip of the cap to the SNGA.
“It was impressive they got us out there on such an amazing course,” he said. “It was a treat to play it and it was an awesome experience.”
2024 U.S. Mid-Amateur
Drew Kittleson, 69
Matthew Mitchell, 69
Beau Davis, 70
