'Too Bad It Had To End That Way' - Caddie Rules Breach Causes Instant Defeat In Thrilling US Mid-Amateur Match

Paul Mitzel and Ryan O'Rear's 2025 US Mid-Amateur match was nothing short of thrilling before it ended in cruel circumstances on Monday.

The pair had each won seven holes during regulation, all but two of which were via birdie, and had tied the other four at Troon Country Club in Scottsdale, Arizona during their Round of 64 contest.

With extra holes required, it was advantage Mitzel on the 19th after the Seattle-born golfer found the putting surface in two while Georgetown, Texas' O'Rear was in a green-side bunker.

Yet, the former Washington State player two-putted from 25 feet as O'Rear flicked his golf ball out of the sand and tapped in to walk away all square.

Unfortunately, it was between this moment and reaching the 20th tee box that Mitzel's caddie made an inadvertent error which cost his long-time friend a chance to advance in his third straight US Mid-Am appearance.

According to Golf Channel's Brentley Romine, after popping the flag stick back in the hole on the first, Mitzel's looper was asked if he wanted a lift on a shuttle cart to the next hole.

Said cart driver had been dropping players from the 18th to the first and was following Mitzel and O'Rear's match in order to give the competitors a lift back to the clubhouse once it was over.

Adding a note of context when explaining the situation to Golf Channel later on, Mitzel shared that players were also being shuttled between the 14th and 15th holes on the desert layout, so it wasn't as if riding on a cart was a novelty during competitive action.

However, Model Local Rule G-6 did not cover any other route outside of the 14th-15th holes and - after the error was spotted by the walking rules official - Mitzel was forced to forfeit the subsequent hole.

MLR G-6 states: “During a round, a player or caddie must not ride on any form of motorized transportation except as authorized or later approved by the committee.”

Given the contest was into sudden death, the ruling ultimately decided the match in O'Rear's favor.

Per Golf Channel's interview with Mitzel, O'Rear asked the official if he could veto the ruling but his request was denied and the match ended before either player had struck a shot on the par-4 second - the 20th hole of the day.

Mitzel, a 35-year-old from Seattle, said: “The match was incredible. I’ve played a lot of match play, and I’ve never experienced anything like that… Not sure I’ll ever experience anything like that again. Too bad it had to end that way.

“I have to think anyone in that situation takes the ride when a shuttle driver asks if they want to hop on really quick and not think anything of it.

"My caddie doesn’t deserve any fault. He’s the man and an awesome friend. I’d do the same thing in his shoes. We were having so much fun, it’s too bad.”