Stewart Hagestad leads U.S. Mid-Amateur after 18 holes at Sankaty Head Golf Course

NANTUCKET, Mass. – Not sure if there’s a better place on earth than the Northeast in the fall. Do I say this as someone who grew up in New Hampshire? Yup.

The only thing that could make it better: head down to Nantucket, Massachusetts, in 65-degree weather to watch the 40th U.S. Mid-Amateur at Sankaty Head Golf Course.

The long week included 36 holes of stroke play, with the low 64 players entering a match-play bracket. Then after two days of matches, the last four players teed it up Thursday morning in the semifinals.

Stewart Hagestad, Nicholas Maccario, Mark Costanza and Hayes Brown were those last four standing, with a trip to the 2022 U.S. Open and 2022 Masters on the line.

Hagestad, 30, was matched up against Brown, who became the first 64 seed to advance to the semifinals in the 40-year history of the Mid-Am. In fact, Brown, 32, was bidding to become the first 64 seed to win any USGA championship since seeding began in match-play championships in the mid-1980s.

Hagestad, meanwhile, is an experienced player, with a resume that includes low-am at the Masters in 2017. He got out to a quick lead, winning the first three holes with pars. They went back and forth for much of the match, and walked off the 12th green with Hagestad still 3 up. He then made eagle on the par-5 15th to close out the match 4 and 3.

In the other semifinal match, Costanza, 32, took advantage of a 3-under front nine, and made the turn 4 up on Maccario, the Massachusetts native who was seeded 59th. Maccario fought back on the second nine, with wins on Nos. 12 and 13, but Costanza immediately returned to 3 up after a birdie on the par-3 14th.

Maccario, who got married on Sept. 18 and had his wife Meredith on the bag this week, was able to stay alive on 16 with a birdie, although the match was pushed to dormie. Each player made a 5 on the par-5 17th , and Costanza advanced to the finals with a 2-and-1 win.

On to the final

After the USGA trophies were placed on the No. 1 tee, the first 18 holes of the 36-hole final match got underway, and it was a nervy start for Costanza.

His opening tee shot found the hazard area left of the fairway, forcing a provisional. He would immediately go 1 down after making a double bogey. They halved three holes in a row, with Costanza getting up-and-down on multiple occasions to stay alive, while Hagestad was hitting fairways and greens.

But Hagestad’s win on the par-4 5th started a dominating stretch. He won six of the next seven holes, pushing his lead to 7 up through 11.

On the par-5 17th, Hagestad hit a great chip from short of the green to all but guarantee a birdie. Costanza hit an average shot from the right greenside bunker to about 12 feet, but buried the must-make putt.

On 18, Hagestad and Costanza found the fairway, and both had wedges in hand to attack for closing birdies. Costanza found the green with his approach; Hagestad made a rare mistake and flew the green long, leaving a difficult down hill chip from an awkward lie.

Costanza two-putted for par, while Hagestad struggled with his chip, leaving it 12 feet short, and then missing a sliding par bid.

Hagestad will sleep on a 5-up lead but knows it’s not over.

“I haven’t done a thing,” said Hagestad, who is now 19-3 in match play in this championship and could win his 20th on Friday. “[Costanza] gave me a couple holes early, but he’s got a ton of firepower. It’s a good start, but it’s not much more than that.”

On Friday, the two will resume their 36-hole final at 7:30 a.m. ET with Hagestad holding a 5-up lead.

The champion will earn a gold medal and will take possession of the Robert T. Jones Memorial Trophy for one year, as well as exemptions into the 2022 U.S. Open Championship at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts, the 2022 Masters Tournament, the next 10 U.S. Mid-Amateurs and the next two U.S. Amateurs.