Leopold, Pannone Set for U.S. Mid-Am
Bobby Leopold and Jon Pannone are set to tee off in the U.S. Mid-Amateur at Kinloch Golf Club and Independence Golf Club in Virginia this weekend.
For Leopold, this is his second USGA event of the year after qualifying for the U.S. Amateur back in August.
“It’s very cool. Especially, when i’m turning 40 in December,” Leopold told GolfNewsRI.
He adds, “My game is a bit rusty, so I haven’t got much expectations this week. Looking to have some fun and soak in the memories.”
For Pannone, this is his first USGA event since getting his amateur status back earlier this year.
“I can’t wait man. It’s been the longest three days. I got here on Wednesday and I feel like I have been here for a month. I just want the gun to go off on Saturday and see how it goes,” said Pannone.
He adds, “The experience here has been amazing, the USGA runs world class events from the moment you check in. Then you get on the range and the sounds are different, everybody has a whole lot of game out here.”
Leopold and Pannone played a practice round together on Friday morning alongside Massachusetts’ Nick Maccario.
They are just three out of a handful of New Englanders in the field, with others being Cam Moniz and Matt Parziale.
“Its awesome. In New England, we kind of look at ourselves as small states and to produce so many players and have a handful of guys who can all ball pretty well, it’s awesome. I’m a proud Rhode Islander and a proud New Englander,” said Pannone.
Pannone tees off at 9:05 a.m. on Saturday at Independence Golf Club.
Leopold tees off at 7:26 a.m. at Kinloch.
Pannone & Leopold vs The Course
The 2024 U.S. Mid-Am is being played at Kinloch Golf Club in Virginia, with Independence Golf Club acting as a co-host for the stroke play portion.
“Man, both courses are absolute beasts, mainly because of all the rain they got early in the week, but a great test of golf,” said Leopold.
Virginia got about two inches of rain on Tuesday so balls were not rolling out as much as they likely will be.
Both courses will play at over 7,000 yards with the greens at Independence running at about at 13 on the stimp meter and Kinloch running at a 14, according to Pannone.
“I’m gonna try to play my game, I can’t find 30 extra yards over night,” said Pannone.
Kinloch includes a 505 yard par-4 and par-3s that stretch to over 230 yards.
“Kinloch has some absolutely beautiful holes, reminiscent of Augusta National, even though I’ve never been. I’m going to have to hit it long and strike the long irons well this week to contend,” said Leopold.
Pannone tells GolfNewsRI that there are two to three holes that he has actual wedges into.
One challenge for the players will be the two courses have two different types of grass.
Kinloch is bent grass greens, while Independence is Bermuda all around.
At the end of the day, it is going to take a solid two rounds to make the match play cut.