Why The USGA Mid-Amateur Championship Is Causing Controversy... Again

The USGA's Mid-Amateur Championship is once again causing controversy as two former pros get ready to battle it out in the final.

Nate Smith, a former Korn Ferry Tour winner with 25 starts on the PGA Tour, including a best round of 65 in the 2011 Sony Open, goes up against Andrew Bailey, another ex-pro who made starts on the Korn Ferry Tour and PGA Tour Americas.

It is the second consecutive year the latter stages of the over 25s event, which offers a spot in The Masters and US Open to the winner, has been dominated by former professionals.

This time around, seven of the eight quarter-finalists had played golf professionally, with six of the eight last year.

It has raised real questions over the USGA's amateur reinstatement policy, with some believing the governing body is harming the magic and authenticity of amateur golf by allowing players who have PGA and Korn Ferry Tour experience to compete.

This year's finalist, Smith, admitted he had trepidation about regaining his amateur status over potential criticism.

“I was hesitant initially to compete on the amateur level again because I was worried, possibly, there would be some people that would say, ‘you’ve already been a professional; how can you play amateur golf again,” Smith told the Idaho Golf Association last year.

“But, the reality is that so much time has passed, and I still loved the game. I wanted to compete and the opportunity for me to do [so was] on the amateur level. The USGA granted me my amateur status back in a matter of three days.”

In 2025, the Mid-Am and debate across social media prompted former PGA Tour player Colt Knost to look into regaining his amateur status.

The former US Amateur champion, who made 199 PGA Tour starts and won over $4.3m, revealed this summer that the USGA has "decided to re-evaluate its reinstatement guidance" for successful former pros.

The USGA's amateur reinstatement policy is not set in stone and accounts for factors like the success of a career and the level a player competed at as well as when they last played in a professional tournament.

This year's Mid-Am finalist Smith, who won over $437,000 on the PGA and Korn Ferry Tours, is now a 'homebuilder' and will face Bailey who works as a national sales manager for golf apparel brand Holderness & Bourne.

The champion will earn a great trophy and some huge benefits, but criticism will inevitably come their way, as well as the USGA's.

The 36-hole final takes place at Sand Valley Resort in Wisconsin, starting at 7.30am local time.

Do you think the USGA needs to be tighter with its amateur reinstatement rules? Or is the social media backlash too much? Let us know in the comments section below.