Mid-Am coming to town in 2017

Atlanta’s Capital City Club will host the 2017 edition of the leading tournament for post-college-age amateur golfers, the United States Golf Association will announce Wednesday.

The U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship — running from Oct. 7-12 in 2017 — will be the first USGA event hosted by the club.

The initial two rounds of stroke play will be held at the club’s Crabapple Course in Woodstock and at Atlanta National Golf Club in Milton. The match-play portion will be played entirely at Crabapple, with the champion gaining an automatic invitation to the 2018 Masters.

“The club has hosted many significant amateur events, including Bob Jones’ Georgia State Amateur victory as a teenager (in 1916),” Diana Murphy, USGA vice president and Championship Committee chairman, said. “The Capital City Club will be an excellent host.”

Among other events that have been staged at the Crabapple Course: The 2003 WGC-American Express Championship, won by Tiger Woods, and the 2013 NCAA Division I championship, won by Alabama. The course also has hosted U.S. Amateur sectional qualifying four times since 2007.

First played in 1981, the annual U.S. Mid-Amateur is open to male amateurs age 25 and older who have a handicap index not exceeding 3.4.