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First-Timer Spitz Continues Run Into U.S. Mid-Amateur Quarterfinals

By David Shefter, USGA

Kiawah Island, S.C. – Courtney Spitz had to be feeling a little uneasy sitting by the pool with her three young children as the text messages flashed across her mobile phone. Husband Tim, who built a 6-up lead through nine holes in a third-round match at the 2009 U.S. Mid-Amateur at Cassique, was suddenly frittering away holes against Danny Germaine.

What seemed improbable had morphed into possible.

But the 33-year-old municipal bonds specialist from Rochester, N.Y., didn’t need to send the cardiac-arrest team over to his nearby condominium. A reinstated amateur who played collegiately in South Carolina at Furman University and then very briefly on Florida mini-tours, Spitz halted any miraculous comeback aspirations from the 30-year-old West Palm Beach, Fla., resident by two-putting the par-3 16th hole in a 3-and-2 victory.

Despite a couple of hiccups on the inward nine at Cassique, Tim Spitz rolled into the U.S. Mid-Amateur quarterfinals with a 3-and-2 win. (John Mummert/USGA)

Spitz, now exempt into next year’s U.S. Mid-Amateur by virtue of reaching the quarterfinals, drew an afternoon round-of-eight matchup with Tripp Davis of Norman, Okla., a 3-and-2 victor over Andrew Medley.

“I said to my caddie (Kasey King) as we were walking down 16 that my wife is cursing me right now by dragging this out longer than I should,” said Spitz, a first-time Mid-Amateur competitor who lost holes 14 and 15 with bogeys.

After the victory, Spitz was just happy to get off his feet. Blisters started developing on his feet during Sunday’s final stroke-play qualifying round and even the unexpected day off on Monday didn’t provide much of a respite. Part of it could be a result of not playing this many consecutive holes. With a full-time job and young children ages 6, 3 and 1, Spitz only plays twice a week and competes in area events. He had only tried qualifying for the Mid-Amateur once and that was five years ago when he missed by a stroke.

With his area sectional qualifier at Crag Burn in East Aurora, N.Y., a course Spitz knew well because it reciprocates play for members at his club (Monroe Golf Club), he decided to file an entry and he earned a spot in the field.

“It’s funny I am actually a better player now then I was [as a pro],” said Spitz, who was reinstated in 2002. “There’s a little less stress. The rest of my life is great so I don’t have to be stressed on the golf course.”

Once he qualified, Spitz decided to turn it into a family vacation. The couple drove to South Carolina on the same route he did while a college student at Furman. They even passed the sign for the Greenville exit to the school, where he helped the Paladins win the 1997 Southern Conference title by making a pair of birdies during a playoff to edge East Tennessee State. Spitz was actually a teammate of 2009 Mid-Amateur competitor Jordan Byrd – they played practice rounds together this week – and both holed key birdie putts in that playoff with Spitz making a 30-footer.

But with two pre-schoolers, Spitz said his wife – the two met at Furman – has been confined to spending her days at the beach and pool while he competes.

Outside of the blisters, it’s turned into a special week for Spitz. In the first round, he eliminated 2005 champion Kevin Marsh (1 up) and then he beat Derek Berg (2 and 1) in the round of 32.

“It’s just awesome,” said Spitz. “I felt like I was playing well coming into match play. To beat Kevin Marsh, a past champion, that kind of boosted the confidence.”

Against Germaine, Spitz played the equivalent of 2-under-par golf (with concessions) on the first nine to build a 6-up lead at the turn. Germaine rolled in an 8-foot birdie at No. 10 to get one hole back before winning 14 and 15 with pars to make things interesting.

“I played solid and that is what I am going to try to do this afternoon [against Davis],” said Spitz, who seven years ago had a rod placed in his right leg after breaking two bones during a ski accident at Lake Placid. “I want to make as many pars and birdies as I can. If someone gets hot and shoots a 65 against me, so be it. I am going to try and shoot 68, 69 every time and see what happens.”

If Spitz does that, it should make the text messages to the wife a whole lot more pleasing.

David Shefter is a USGA Digital Media staff writer. E-mail him with questions or comments at dshefter@usga.org.