2026 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Qualifying: Union League National

Former Wisconsin Badgers Morway, Smith take medal

CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE, N.J. — For many collegiate players, their final tournament signals the end of their high-level competitive golf career. While some chase dreams of professional golf, others continue quenching their thirst for competition with local, state and national amateur events.

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Former University of Wisconsin Men’s Golf teammates Robbie Morway of SoHo, N.Y. and Ryan Smith of Jersey City, N.J. fall into the latter bucket. In U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Qualifying administered  by GAP at Union League National Golf Club (Grant/Sherman) (par 72, 7,055 yards), the pair earned medalist honors with a 7-under-par 65. 

“It’s really cool to be out here with one of your best friends,” Morway, 27, who graduated in 2022 said. “The experience, not only today, but then having the opportunity to go and do it again for a few days in May [is awesome.]”

There were two qualifying positions available for the Championship proper. Galloway National Golf Club members Drue Nicholas of Egg Harbor Township, N.J. and  Mark Benevento of Ocean City, N.J. earned the final qualifying position in a sudden-death playoff Wednesday morning. Darkness prevented a playoff Tuesday evening. Nicholas canned a 40-footer on the first playoff hole (No. 1 (Grant). The cutline stopped at 6-under-par 66. 

The 2026 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball will take place May 16-20 at Desert Mountain Club in Scottsdale, Ariz. 

The qualifying hopefuls battled adverse conditions throughout the day. Periods of light and heavy rains persisted. Tee times were delayed until 11:30 a.m. due to the weather. 

“It was a grind out there. It was pouring rain for the first eight holes,” Morway said. “We were two under through nine and knew we had to get it going.”

“We stayed in it though. We thought it was very important to understand that birdies will come out there, [and] to be able to put some swings together in that weather,” Smith, 23, who graduated in 2024, said. “I haven’t played in that weather in a long time.”

The pair did in fact get it going on the back nine. On No. 10 (par 4, 395 yards), Smith lifted a 60 degree to five feet. He kept momentum going with a 50 degree from 115 yards to four feet on No. 13 (par 4, 429 yards).

Morway denoted No. 15 (par 5, 550 yards) as his shot of the day. After his 3-wood approach from 287 yards found the right heather, he attempted to chop his ball out of the waterlogged lie with a 60 degree. His efforts advanced the ball two yards onto the cartpath. Opting to play from the precarious position, since his relief would have been back in the heather, he skipped a pitching wedge from 55 yards into the bottom of the cup. 

The team finished in style with birdies on No. 18 (par 5, 530 yards). Smith splashed out of the right greenside bunker to three feet. Morway spun a chip shot from 25 yards to five feet.

“In college we played in Wisconsin, so the weather was terrible towards the end of the fall and the beginning of the spring every year,” Morway said. “I looked at [Ryan] on the range today and was like, ‘These are our conditions. We can beat people in these conditions just because we’ve played in it so often.’”

Morway and Smith, who roomed together during Smith’s sophomore year and Morway’s fifth year, have remained friends post college. They continue to sharpen one another’s game. 

“We’re very close,” Morway said. “We talk almost every day and he moved up to the city. We’ve been able to keep that friendship going, especially living close to each other.”

“We’re very competitive against each other too,” Smith said. “I think playing together we were able to use that and fire each other up.” 

Nicholas, who recently became the second person in Association history to win the Philadelphia Amateur Championship and the Open Championship in the same calendar year (1987), and Benevento are heading to their second U.S. Amateur Four-Ball. The pair qualified in 2020. 

“It’s huge. It’s great to play amateur golf on a national stage like that and to do it with you best friend is special,” Nicholas, 23, said. “You always go into these not knowing what to expect, but I know the course well and I thought it set up well for us.”

GAP
Celebrating Amateur Golf since 1897, GAP, also known as the Golf Association of Philadelphia, is the oldest regional or state golf association in the United States. It serves as the principal ruling body of amateur golf in its region. The organization’s 345 Member Clubs and 130,000 individual members are spread across Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey and Maryland. The GAP’s mission is to promote, preserve and protect the game of golf.