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V IRGINIA
G OLFER
A R O U N D
compiled by CHRIS LANG
VSGA'S PAST
PREDISDENT GIB PALMER
RECEIVES THE JOE DEY
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U.S. Mid-Amateur Coming
to Kinloch
K
inloch Golf Club in Manakin-Sabot
has long been recognized as one of
the nation’s top layouts. In Golf-
week’s 2017 top-100 ranking of modern
golf courses, the Lester George design
came in at No. 16. And in 2020, Kinloch will
again find itself in the spotlight for a major
amateur championship.
The USGA will make its second champi-
onship visit to Kinloch in September 2020,
as the club will host the 40th U.S. Mid-Am-
ateur Championship. The Mid-Amateur
features 256 players ages 25 and older with
a Handicap Index not exceeding 3.4 bat-
tling for the Robert T. Jones Jr. Memorial
Trophy. The winner earns an exemption
vsga.org
into the following year’s U.S. Open and is
generally invited to participate in the fol-
lowing year’s Masters as well.
“We are proud and excited to host one
of golf ’s most prestigious amateur com-
petitions,” Kinloch general manager Jon-
athan Ireland said. “We are thrilled to
welcome back the USGA, which always
puts on a world-class event. We know
Kinloch will present a challenge to test
every aspect of the competitors’ games
amid an incredible backdrop.”
Kinloch will not be alone in staging the
event. The two rounds of stroke-play qualify-
ing will be split between Kinloch and Midlo-
thian’s Independence Golf Club. Players
will play one round on each course, and the
top 64 players will advance to match play at
Kinloch. Independence has hosted a number
of VSGA championships, including the State
Open of Virginia every year from 2007-13.
Kinloch hosted the U.S. Senior Amateur
Championship in 2011, as Louis Lee con-
verted a 4-foot par putt on No. 18 to edge
Philip Pleat 1 up and win the title. The
2020 U.S. Mid-Amateur will be the 21st
USGA championship contested in Virginia
and the first since Laurel Hill in Lorton
hosted the U.S. Public Links Champion-
ship in 2013. In 2000, the Homestead’s
Cascades Course hosted the only other U.S.
Mid-Amateur in Virginia.
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