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A timely ace on a par-4 led to Sammy Schmitz defeating Marc Dull, 3 and 2, in the championship match to win the 35th U.S. Mid-Amateur on the 6,855-yard, par-72 West Course at John's Island Club in Vero Beach, Fla. Earning his first USGA title and a likely invite to the Masters, it was the first hole-in-one on a par-4 in a USGA amateur competition since Derek Ernst's ace in 2011.
The John's Island Club graciously hosted the USGA "Major" – a first for the Club and for Florida's Treasure Coast – that showcased 264 players competing at the Club's lauded West Course designed by Tom Fazio. Open to amateurs age 25 or older with a USGA handicap index of 3.4 or better, the winner received the Robert T. Jones Memorial Trophy plus an invitation to the 2016 Masters Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club.
According to the Golf Channel , Schmitz, 35, took a 2-up lead at the halfway point of Thursday's 36-hole final on the West Course. While Dull trimmed the deficit to 1-down through 27 holes, Schmitz was again 2-up when he authored the shot of the tournament, making a hole-in-one on the par-4 15th hole, which was playing 260 yards. The ace increased his lead to 3-up with three holes to go, and Schmitz closed out the match with a par on the next hole.
