UPDATE (September 29, 2026) — Met Area competitors had their play in the 45th U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship come to an end on Tuesday at Sand Valley Resort’s Lido Course in Nekoosa, Wis.
Related: U.S Mid-Amateur Home
Christian Cavaliere recorded the Round of 32’s largest margin of victory in the morning, taking down Aaron Hickman of Tyler, Texas by a 6-and-5 margin. Starting the match on No. 10, Cavaliere won six of the first eight holes to grab a commanding lead. He added another victory on the par-4 first hole before three ties led to the lopsided win. In the afternoon, Cavaliere trailed Mikel Martinson of Throckmorton, Texas by two. He won the par-4 10th, but the next five holes were tied before Martinson extended his lead to two with a par on the 203-yard par 3 16th. Though Cavaliere won the length par-5 17th to keep the match alive, Martinson took the final hole for the 2-up victory.
Tyler Cline of Tuxedo, N.Y., faced a two-hole deficit through eight holes to Ethan Hagood of Birmingham, Ala., but with the match starting on No. 10 won Nos. 3 and 4 to return the match to a tie. Hagood’s par on the par-5 seventh – the 16th of the match – left Cline down once again. However, Cline took the closing hole with a par to force extras. They returned to what was their final nine, tying the par-4 first before Hagood took the victory with a par-4 on the second.
Meanwhile, 2016 MGA Player of the Year Stewart Hagestad fell by a 5-and-4 margin to Nate Smith of Tetonia, Idaho.
UPDATE (September 28, 2026) — Christian Cavaliere, Tyler Cline, and Stewart Hagestad all picked up opening round wins on Monday in the 45th U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship at Sand Valley Resort’s Lido Course in Nekoosa, Wis.
Related: U.S Mid-Amateur Scoring
Cavaliere, who made a run to the semifinal round in 2025, earned a 2-up victory over No. 8 seed Ryan Schmitz of Wash Park, Colo. The Katonah, N.Y., native won the first two holes before Schmitz took Nos. 4 and 6 to return the match to tied. after six consecutive holes tied, Nos. 13-17 all featured a winner, with Cavaliere taking three to Schmitz’s two. A final tie on 18 led Cavaliere to the Round of 32.
Cline, the No. 43 seed, was in a back-and-forth match that featured just six holes tied. While Robb Kinder of Lugoff, S.C., owned a 1-up advantage through seven holes, Cline won Nos. 9, 11, and 13 to take a 2-up advantage. Kinder responded with consecutive wins, but Cline’s birdie on the 237-yard par 3 16th earned him the lead once again. Two pars to close out the match earned Cline a 1-up victory.
Hagestad claimed a 2-and-1 victory over Sam Grindle of Deer Isle, Maine. Hagestad held a 1-up advantage through eight holes, then extended his lead with wins on Nos. 11-13. Grindle won the next two holes to remain in contention, but two ties on Nos. 16 and 17 wrapped up the match.
Tuesday has two rounds of match play scheduled. Cavaliere faces Aaron Hickman of Tyler, Texas at 8:20 a.m., EST; Hagestad meets Nate Smith of Tetonia, Idaho at 8:50 a.m.; and Cline takes on Ethan Hagood of Birmingham, Ala., at 9:30 a.m.
UPDATE (September 27, 2026) — Just as they did earlier this summer at the U.S. Amateur Championship, past MGA Player of the Year honorees Christian Cavaliere of Katonah, N.Y., and Stewart Hagestad of Newport Beach, Calif., both advanced to match play at the 45th U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship, taking place at Sand Valley Resort’s Lido Course in Nekoosa, Wis. Past MGA International Team member Tyler Cline of Tuxedo, N.Y., also advanced to match play following the two rounds of on-site qualifying.
Related: U.S Mid-Amateur Scoring
Three-time past U.S. Mid-Amateur champion Hagestad finished tied for 12th behind rounds of 71-69. He earned the No. 13 seed and squares off against Sam Grindle of Deer Isle, Maine.
Cline, who competed on the MGA’s Carey Cup team in 2017 alongside Hagestad, posted scores of 71-72 en route to a tie for 33rd. In the draw, he took the No. 43 seed and meets No. 22 seed Rob Kinder of Lugoff, S.C., in the Round of 64.
Cavaliere will look for another deep run after advancing to the semifinal round of the U.S. Mid-Amateur in 2025. He faces Ryan Schmitz of Wash Park, Colo., in the Round of 64.
Following Monday’s opening round, two rounds of match play are slated for both Tuesday and Wednesday, with the 36-hole championship match scheduled for Thursday.
ELMSFORD, N.Y. (September 25, 2026) — The 45th U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship heads to Sand Valley Resort’s Lido Course for the first time from September 26 through October 1, with several Met Area competitors in the field.
Related: Pairings | Fast Facts
Past MGA Player of the Year winners Christian Cavaliere of Katonah, N.Y., and Stewart Hagestad of Newport Beach, Calif., highlight a talented group of golfers with ties to the Met Area.
A year ago at Troon Country Club in Scottsdale, Ariz., Cavaliere advanced to the semifinals after defeating Bobby Massa in the quarterfinals before falling to Brandon Holtz who would go on to win the championship. Hagestad, a three-time U.S. Mid-Amateur champion, returns to the championship after competing in the 51st Walker Cup in Ireland earlier this month. Hagestad won the Met Amateur in 2016 and was named MGA Player of the Year that same year.
Jack Maresca of Rye, N.Y., and Adam Friedman of Westport, Conn., earned their spots through the U.S. Mid-Amateur sectional qualifier at Laurel Links Country Club on August 4. Maresca and Friedman each carded a 2-under 69 to share second place and advance to the championship.
At the Tamarack Country Club qualifier on August 10, Tim Hegarty of Briarcliff Manor, N.Y., shared medalist honors after firing a 3-under 67 to earn his spot in the field. Christopher Cocozza also competed at Tamarack, finishing third with a 2-under 68 to qualify for the championship. Tyler Cline of Tuxedo, N.Y. also advanced to the championship.
The 264-player field will compete over 36 holes of stroke play on Saturday and Sunday, with Sand Valley Resort’s Sand Valley Course serving as co-host. The top 64 players will advance to match play, beginning Monday. Two rounds of matches are scheduled for both Tuesday and Wednesday, followed by the 36-hole championship match on Thursday, Oct. 1.
| Player | Hometown | Rd.1 | Rd. 2 |
| Christian Cavaliere | Katonah, N.Y. | 9:30 a.m. – SV | 2:20 p.m. – L* |
| Stewart Hagestad | Newport Beach, Calif. | 9:30 a.m. – L | 2:20 p.m. – SV* |
| Tyler Cline | Tuxedo N.Y. | 2:50 p.m. – L | 10:00 a.m. – SV* |
| Christopher Cocozza | Brewster N.Y. | 1:30 p.m. – SV | 8:40 a.m. – L* |
| Tim Hegarty | Briarcliff Manor, N.Y | 8:40 a.m. – L* | 1:30 a.m. – SV |
| Jack Maresca | Rye. N.Y. | 10: a.m. – L | 2:50 p.m. – SV* |
| Adam Friedman | Westport Conn. | 9:50 a.m. – L* | 2:40 p.m. – SV |
L – Lido; SV – Sand Valley; * Denotes 10th tee start
About the Lido
The Lido Course at Sand Valley was created to replicate the original Lido course on Long Island. It is an exacting re-creation by Tom Doak and Brian Schneider, with the Renaissance Golf team, of the legendary links originally designed by inaugural U.S. Amateur champion Charles B. Macdonald on Long Island that opened for play in 1917. The original course on Long Island was repurposed by the U.S. Navy during World War II and closed in 1942. Doak and Schneider worked with golf historian and software designer Peter Flory, utilizing historical surveys, engineering records and photographs to guide the project.
