43rd Middle-Amateur Championship: Round Two

Hello Roberto Nieves, congrats on your Middle-Amateur victory

WEST NORRITON TOWNSHIP, Pa.– Roberto Nieves can play. Now everyone in GAP circles knows it.

| Portal | History | Final3 | Round Two Video | Round One Notebook | Round One Video | Photo Gallery |

Nieves, a former University of Delaware standout making his first individual GAP championship appearance after recently returning to the area, stormed through the field in record-setting fashion Thursday at Jeffersonville Golf Club (par 70, 6,488 yards) during the 43rd Middle-Amateur Championship (players 25 years of age and older) presented by Parx Casino.

Nieves carded a pair of even-par rounds of 70 to finish the 54 holes at 4 over (214 strokes) and six shots clear of second place. The margin of victory is the largest in the tournament’s history. The previous mark was four strokes (2005, 2025).

Chris Baloga of Briarwood Golf Club and fellow LuLu member Ryan Tall tied for second at 10 over.

“I’m new to GAP but everybody’s been really welcoming,” said Nieves, 25, who lives in the Northern Liberties section of Philadelphia, Pa. “I know there’s a lot of history behind GAP and this tournament. It means a lot to be a champion.”

Nieves returned to the Delaware Valley in February 2025 as a TrackMan Collegiate Regional Manager for the Northeast. He landed at LuLu courtesy of former University of Delaware teammates and current club members Jack Melville and R.J. Wren. That pair knew what the rest of GAP found out: Nieves is a stick. He holds University of Delaware program records for season stroke average (2021-22, 70.58); career stroke average (2018-22, 71.71) and most rounds in the 60s (29). He also recorded two collegiate victories in the Loyola Intercollegiate (2020) and Wildcat Fall Invitational (2021).

Those wins were bumped down a rung on the Nieves ladder today, and rightly so. Conditions were extremely difficult with persistent rains and temperatures approximately 40-degrees cooler than Wednesday (93 degrees yesterday, 57 today). His two 70s were the only two scores at even par or better.

“I’ve had a couple chances to win in my career and it’s always nerve-wracking,” said Nieves, who played professionally on mini-tours from July 2023 through March 2025 after playing a bonus college year at Pepperdine University after Delaware. “I was nervous out there, and it’s hard to keep it together. I think playing in high-level golf environments helps that.”

Nieves knows high-level. He has competed in two Latin America Amateur Championships, an elite Amateur competition, and two Puerto Rico Opens, a PGA TOUR event. In 2022, Nieves was the third-round leader at the Latin America Amateur at Teeth of the Dog in Casa De Campo, Dominican Republic before finishing sixth. He represented Puerto Rico, his father’s nationality. The Latin America Amateur winner earns a Masters and an Open Championship exemption.

Nieves started Round Two six shots behind first-round leader Tall and out of mind. Some high anxiety by those in front, and a wet and dreary 18 holes later, Nieves surged to the front, two shots to the good. He played the last 10 holes – his round started on No. 11 based on golf course routing – at 1 under.

Round 3 had a little more volatility with a fair amount of Jeffersonville honey. (Jeffersonville is known for its honey combs).

Again, starting on No. 11 (par 4, 392 yards), he lifted a pitching wedge from 135 yards to 12 feet and made the putt. His lead grew some more … before the cart dropped into reverse. He made three straight bogeys from Nos. 13-15 courtesy of an array of errant shots. He then exchanged a birdie on No. 16 (par 4, 394 yards) with a dirty bogey on No. 18 (par 5, 547 yards) after a missed three-foot par save. Yes, his round was up and down, but everyone else’s shot tracer was headed in only one direction: south.

Nieves said adios to the field in a three-hole sequence on the front. He made a clutch par save on No. 2 (par 4, 351 yards) from 10 feet before knocking his approaches on Nos. 3 (par 4, 289 yards) and 4 (par 3, 135 yards) to kick-in range.

The tournament result over.

“In the second round I was kind of just playing. I looked at the board after the round and realized I made a good jump,” said Nieves. “I was definitely aware of [the leaderboard in the third round]. I was looking at scores on the last stretch for sure. I wouldn’t say I was surprised [after the second round about where I was] because the course played tough and I played a solid round.”

We’ll post that in the understatement category.

This week Jeffersonville made history. It became the first public facility in the 129-year history of GAP to host one of its Major Championships.

*****

The Middle-Amateur Championship is open to individuals 25 years of age or older.

A William Hyndman, III Player of the Year points event, the Middle-Amateur started in 1984, three years after the USGA created the U.S. Mid-Amateur as a formal championship for post-college amateurs. GAP followed suit with the USGA in creating a Middle-Amateur, but initially differed in its administration of the tournament in a couple of respects.

The most obvious difference was the age requirement. Prior to 2001, the GAP Middle-Amateur was only available to players 30 years of age or older.

The GAP Executive Committee reviewed and revised that age requirement in 2001 to match the USGA’s guidelines of 25 years of age or older for eligible individuals. It also, as previously mentioned, changed the format of the event to a two-day stroke play tournament with a cut to the low 70 players and ties after the first round. Furthermore, GAP lowered the handicap index requirement from 7.0 to 5.0 in 2023. The event was expanded to 54 holes in 2024 and is a WAGR ranked event.

Parx Casino
Parx Casino® is owned and operated by Greenwood Racing Inc. and is the #1 revenue-generating casino property in Pennsylvania. Conveniently located just 20 minutes north of Center City Philadelphia on Street Road in Bensalem, Bucks County, Parx Casino® features more than 180,000 square feet of gaming and sports wagering space, including 3,000 slot machines, 148 live table games, and 48 poker tables in a private poker room.

The property also offers live thoroughbred horse racing and simulcast action, the Xcite Center – a 1,500-seat live entertainment venue – nine restaurants and bars, and complimentary parking for more than 5,000 vehicles. Parx Casino® operates a world-class retail sportsbook and online sports betting, along with online casino gaming, under the betPARX® brand in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Michigan.

In 2026, Parx Casino® expanded its destination experience with the opening of Parxview Hotel, a brand-new, completely smoke-free hotel located just steps from the casino. Parxview Hotel offers 160 modern guest rooms across four room categories, including 16 spacious suites, The Bistro and bar, free parking, seasonal outdoor pool deck, and convenient complimentary shuttle service to and from Parx Casino.

betPARX®

betPARX is a wholly owned subsidiary of Greenwood Gaming & Entertainment® and features retail sports betting with a 7,500 square foot world-class sportsbook at Parx Casino. betPARX operates best in class iGaming and online/mobile first casino and sports betting products in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Michigan. For more information on betPARX, visit www.betparx.com.

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 140,000 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.