New Hampshire native Paradis swipes top spot at U.S. Mid-Am Qualifying
By Josh Rowntree, Director of Communications • August 26, 2025
FARMINGTON – Matt Paradis’ Tuesday got off to a bitter start. But the finish was plenty sweet.
A New Hampshire native, Paradis lost his credit card after warming up on the practice range at Nemacolin’s Mystic Rock before his qualifying round for the 44th U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship.
Following the mishap – and having retrieved his credit card a while later – Paradis took on the challenging Pete Dye course and field of over 70 other players, carding a 3-under round of 69 to earn Low Scorer honors in the ultra-competitive qualifying round.
“I hit a lot of fairways today, which I think helps out here,” said the 29-year-old. “With some pretty small greens, firmer greens, ball striking was important. I just kept it in play and hit a fair amount of fairways and greens.”
While his day began with some grievances, his round didn’t. Paradis shot 3-under through the front nine, finessing his way around the Pete Dye designed course in Farmington that features rolling hills and numerous areas to get into trouble.
“The front nine was pretty smooth,” said the former Southern New Hampshire University player. “I got off to a pretty steady start, hitting it close and giving myself some easy little two-putt looks.”
Paradis grew up in New England, but now lives in Naples, Florida, where he works as a caddy Calusa Pines Golf Club. With several connections to the region, he is currently in the midst of an elongated trip that includes several stops, some spot-duty caddying work and Tuesday’s competitive round at Mystic Rock.
“It’s a vast property,” he said of the course. “I’m just happy to be back on some bent grass. Coming out of New Hampshire and playing Florida golf for the last couple years, the bent grass and the rolling hills is familiar to me. I love this style of golf. I thought it was in immaculate shape, some of the best greens I've putted in a while. I was very pleased with the course. It was a fun time.”
Paradis played in the 2018 U.S. Amateur Championship at Pebble Beach, but this will be his first attempt at winning a Mid-Amateur national championship when he heads to Arizona’s Troon Country Club from September 13-18.
“I’m very excited to get to a Mid-Am,” Paradis said. “I turned professional for five years and just got my amateur status back. So, this is kind of my first run back at it. I’m super excited.”
He will be joined in Scottsdale by Canadian Aidan Gavey, who shot 2-under Tuesday, and Western Pennsylvania native Tom Nettles, who carded a 1-under score and punched his ticket to the U.S. Mid-Am in the first USGA qualifying round of his life, doing so in a playoff.
“I went and got a bag of chips,” said Nettles of how he reset before the playoff, which featured six players. “I was a little bit hungry. I felt pretty good and that I played great all day.”
He bested James Woods, Adam Argenbright, Ian Bangor, Mike Vanlenten and Daniel Metzendorf in the playoff, with Woods and Argenbright earning alternate positions for the national championship for players 25 and older at Troon.
“I’m fired up,” said Nettles. “I don’t know if it’s set in yet. I don’t know anything about Troon Country Club, but let’s go. I’m ready.”
For results, please click here. (GGID: 25USMIDAMQ)
For any media inquiries, please contact WPGA Director of Communications Josh Rowntree.
About the WPGA
Founded in 1899, the Western Pennsylvania Golf Association is the steward of amateur golf in the region. Started by five Member Clubs, the association now has nearly 200 Member Clubs and nearly 37,000 members. The WPGA conducts 14 individual competitions and 10 team events, and administers the WPGA Scholarship Fund and Western Pennsylvania Golf Hall of Fame.