Huddleston Cup Preview: Massa Defends at Maridoe With a Loaded 36-Player Mid-Am Field

Bobby Massa returns to Maridoe Golf Club as the defending Huddleston Cup champion and the No. 3-ranked mid-amateur in the midamgolfHQ/amateurgolfinfo rankings, looking to repeat after last year's dominant nine-shot victory. The invite-only field of 36 mid-amateurs features a who's who of competitive amateur golf headlined by two-time U.S. Mid-Amateur champion Scott Harvey, Travis Invitational medalist Rob Couture (who plays out of Maridoe and knows every inch of the course), and Matt Parziale, one of the most recognizable names in mid-am golf and a 2018 Masters participant. John Hunter, fresh off a Championship Flight semifinal run at the Travis, adds even more firepower to a field built on quality over quantity.

The 54-hole stroke play format at Maridoe's 7,900-yard, slope-155 layout is designed to separate. The Steve Smyers-designed course in Carrollton, Texas demands precision and creativity off the tee, and its length punishes anyone who can't sustain elite ball-striking over three rounds. Ryan Burgess, who led the inaugural Jupiter Invitational after Round 1, returns alongside TJ Shuart (Taft Cup champion at the Travis), Haymes Snedeker, Drew Evans, and Colby Harwell, players who've been competing at the highest level of mid-am golf this spring. The Blondell brothers (Brett and Logan) add a family dynamic to an already tight-knit field.

With the U.S. Mid-Amateur at Sand Valley's The Lido in September and the Walker Cup at Lahinch later this year, the Huddleston Cup is a critical measuring stick. A strong performance here carries weight with USGA selectors, and for Massa, already in the Walker Cup conversation at No. 3 in the rankings, a repeat title at Maridoe would be a powerful statement. Live scoring is available on the midamgolfHQ tournament hub.