Mid-Amateur Stewart Hagestad earns Low Amateur honors at The Masters

Mid-amateur Stewart Hagestad, originally from Newport Beach, California, and residing in New York City, won the Silver Cup awarded to the low amateur at The Masters. On the final round of the tournament, the day before his 26th birthday, Hagestad closed with a one-over par 73 to finish at six-over par for the tournament leaving him three shots clear of the only other amateur to make the cut, US Amateur champion Curtis Luck from Australia.

Hagestad’s accomplishment at The Masters comes after a stellar 2016 that saw him win the US Mid-Amateur, MGA Amateur, and the MGA Player of the Year award. To put his accomplishment at Augusta National into perspective, he has become just the second US Mid-Amateur champion to earn low amateur honors at The Masters and the third US Mid-Amateur champion to make the 36-hole cut.

Jay Sigel, who has played in more Walker Cups than any other American, won the US Mid-Amateur in 1983, 1985, and 1987. He earned low amateur honors at The Masters in 1988 after he became a US Mid-Amateur champion, in addition to twice before-hand in 1980 and 1981. Jim Holtgrieve, a past Walker Cup player, captain, and Concession Cup player, won the inaugural US Mid-Amateur in 1981. He made the cut in The Masters in 1982 and finished t-41st. He also made the cut in the 1980 and 1981 Masters.

In addition to these accomplishments, it’s also worth noting that two-time US Mid-Amateur runner-up Bob Lewis made the cut in The Masters three times in the 1980s. Lewis, who is a past Walker Cup player, captain, and Concession Cup player, made the cut in the 1981, 1984, and 1987 Masters. In 1987 he was the lone amateur to make the cut and won the Silver Cup for Low Amateur.

Amateur Golf Alliance Executive Committee Member Vinny Giles competed in nine Masters Tournaments over his storied career. He made the cut three times and won the Silver Cup for Low Amateur in 1968. Amateur Golf Alliance Board Members Buddy Marucci and Nathan Smith have both competed in The Masters, Marucci in 1996 and Smith four times in 2004, 2010, 2011, and 2013.

The Amateur Golf Alliance would like to congratulate Stewart Hagestad on joining this elite group and for his fine representation of the amateur game both on and off the course. His career as a mid-amateur is only just beginning and we look forward to his continued success. The image above was included in this week’s issue of Global Golf Post.