- Track Williams on the Mid-Am Championship website HERE -
Farmingdale, N.Y. - Farmingdale State College's assistant men's golf coach, Ryan Williams (Westbury, N.Y.), will be teeing off in the 2012 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship on Saturday, September 8 at 11:45 a.m. at the Conway Farms Golf Club in Lake Forest, Illinois. The Championships will be held September 8-13, combining stroke play and match play, with the winner receiving an invite to the Master's and possibly the U.S. Open.
Williams qualified for this year's Mid-Amateur Championships on August 8 at the Whippoorwill Club in Armonk, N.Y., out of a field of 137 amateurs aged 25 and over who were competing for 9 qualifying positions (plus 2 alternate spots).
Claiming medalist honors at the qualifier with a 4-under 67 was Greg Stebbins of Hoboken, N.J. Nipping at Stebbins' heels at 3-under 68 was Vikram Ashok of Manalapan, N.J. One stroke behind Ashok was Craig Burmeister of New York, N.Y., at 2-under 69. Three players qualified at 1-under-par 70 - Ryan Williams of Westbury, N.Y., West Streib of New York, N.Y., and Eric Williams of Honesdale, Pa., who waited around to see if they would need to be in a playoff, and were relieved to receive their championship information packets.
Wrapping up scoring in the qualifier was a logjam of six players at even-par 71, and it took a playoff to determine the last three qualifiers. Succeeding in the playoff and moving onto next month's championship were: Tripp Davis of Norman, Okla., Robert Stelben Jr. of Darien, Conn., and David Zullin of Hopewell Junction, N.Y.
The first alternate is Jamie Wallace of Astoria, N.Y., and, because they were not present for the playoff, a match of cards was held to determine that Peter Van Ingen of New York, N.Y., would be the second alternate over Andy Fogarty of Ballwin, Mo.
The goal of the U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship since its inaugural playing in 1981 has been to give post-college amateurs a better chance and atmosphere to compete. Whippoorwill's setup featured a par 71-layout of 6,625 yards, with "manageable green speeds", according to many of the players. The qualifiers should feel prepared for the upcoming championship after the test they experienced.
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