VERO BEACH, Fla. – Sammy Schmitz, a 35-year-old Minnesota native who now makes his home across the state line in Wisconsin, captured the 35th U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship at John’s Island West on Thursday, outlasting Florida’s Marc Dull, 3 and 2, in the scheduled 36-hole final.
Following the victory, it wasn’t difficult to identify the shot of the match. Schmitz, who was 2 up, stepped on the tee at the 270-yard, par-4 15th hole, his 33rd of the day, carried a driver some 260 yards onto the left side of the green, and watched as his ball climbed up a hill, u-turned, and trickled back toward the hole.