Leadtape

Amateur golf news and results. College golf, USGA championships, WAGR rankings and the players to watch. Join the Friday newsletter below.

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Welcome to Leadtape. Every Friday, one email with the week in amateur golf: college results, USGA championships, WAGR moves and the players to watch. Free to join. https://t.co/990ybl1Sar

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Andrew Bailey (Cleveland) is the 2026 U.S. Mid-Amateur champion, closing out Nate Smith 5 and 4 at The Lido. He's the first Mid-Am champ from Ohio and earns a spot in the 2027 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, plus a likely Masters invite if he stays amateur. @USGA

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U.S. Mid-Am final at The Lido: Nate Smith and Andrew Bailey are all square through 9. Next update after 18. @USGA

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Southern Miss men claimed the Badger Invitational at 23-under, six clear of South Dakota State. Jake Moffitt won individual at 14-under 202 (67-68-67), and the Golden Eagles closed with a tournament-best 11-under 277.

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PGA TOUR University top 10, Class of 2027 (Sept. 30):
1. Stout, Okla. St.
2. Cowan, Oklahoma
3. Weaver, Fla. St.
4. Sheils Donegan, UNC
5. Gilbert, Auburn
6. Wiedemeyer, Texas Tech
7. Poulter, Florida
8. Herendeen, Illinois
9. Bresnu, Texas Tech
10. Fang, Okla. St.

@PGATOURU

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Thursday's U.S. Mid-Am final at Sand Valley:

Nate Smith, 43, Tetonia, Idaho. Two-time All-American at Duke, ex-tour pro, now a custom home builder. Dad Ken is caddying.

Andrew Bailey, 34, Cleveland. Three-time Horizon League POY at Cleveland State, two-time Ohio Am champ. @USGA

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@KUMensGolf takes the Windon Memorial at Onwentsia at 4-under 836 (276-280-280), one ahead of @UW_MGolf and three ahead of @NDMensGolf. Hartej Grewal led KU at 4-under, T4. @calpolymensgolf's Frederick Egnatios and @ucdavismgolf's Zhenxian Zhang share medalist honors at 8-under.

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Oklahoma's Ryder Cowan (@OU_MGolf) is up to No. 5 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking after a six-shot win at the 2nd Swing Gopher Invitational, 13-under 200 with a 63 in the second round. https://t.co/8VC7v60eyw

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@OleMissMGolf wins the Bryan Bros Collegiate at 19-under 833, with 7 team birdies over the last 5 holes to edge No. 13 Arkansas by one. @LibertyGolf freshman Austin Krahn is medalist at 65-70-69, 204 (-9) for his first college win, one ahead of Collins Trolio and Erich Fortlage.

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Troy wins the Argent Financial Classic! Four back of North Texas to start the day, @TroyTrojansMG shot 11-under 277 to win by three at 846. First-year Jack Lowery's bogey-free 64 (-8) tied the program record, and he finished T3 at 210. Pablo Gracia T7 (211), Lee Poppell T9 (212).

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No. 11 @alabamamgolf wins the Ben Hogan Collegiate at Colonial at even-par 840, 5 clear of No. 1 @AuburnMGolf among 14 top-25 teams. @TexasTechMGolf's Adam Bresnu is medalist at 69-67-67, 203 (-7), 1 ahead of @UGAGolf's JD Culbreth, and earns a 2027 Charles Schwab Challenge spot.

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Chaos at the U.S. Mid-Am (@USGA). No. 45 Nate Smith beat Stewart Hagestad 5&4, then No. 4 Matthew Paradis 3&1. Medalist Bobby Massa fell 4&2 to Jordan Russell; Drew Kittleson beat No. 2 Zach Foushee in 23 holes. QFs: Hutchins-Martinson, Smith-Edens, Kittleson-Vogt, Bailey-Brame.