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TROY, N.Y. -- For the second consecutive year, Kyle Downey, of Oak Hill Country Club, was the story this week at the 41st NYS Men’s Mid Amateur Championship, successfully defending his title in wire-to-wire fashion at the Country Club of Troy.

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Downey mixed in more bogeys on the final day, but was able to convert four birdies on the round and finish with 73, to set himself up for a successful defense and his third NYS victory overall. He finished at at 6-under par 207 (65-69-73) for the championship.

“Winning is always fun…I struggled today; my putter was pretty bad, thank god I hit the ball really well. I didn't lose a ball the entire tournament,” Downey mentioned.

“The turning point today was getting through nine at three over…the birdie on 10 and 11 kind of settled me down.”

Downey’s second title didn't come easily, and the key moment was ultimately on the par 4 17th, where an eight-foot birdie putt would give him a two-stroke cushion heading into the final hole. 

Downey ripped his tee shot down the middle of the fairway on the 413-yard 18th hole. With a wedge distance into the green, his approach leaked slightly off the back right side onto the fringe. Needing no worse than a three-putt to win, he rolled his birdie try slightly right of the hole to within tapable distance. But Downey made an uncharacteristic mistake and lipped out the par putt. Needing to sink a two-foot bogey to prevent a playoff with Matthew Lowe, who had been charging with five birdies throughout the day, Downey did not make the same mistake twice and sunk what was likely his most stressful bogey on the 54th hole to clinch victory. 

Matthew Lowe, of MGA eClub - Long Island, surged during the final round with a bogey-free 5-under 66, and could have forced a playoff but just barely missed a makeable birdie chance on 18. He was playing in the group ahead of Downey, and his round proved to be the low score during the final day. He finished at 5-under for the tournament and secured the runner-up trophy.

There was a three-way tie for third place including past NYS Boys’ 18U champion Christian Chapman, of Cobblestone Creek CC, who fired a final round 67 that included five birdies and one bogey. Finishing alongside him is Schuyler Meadows Club's Austin Teal, who posted 3-under 68 in both rounds one and two, followed by a final round of 75 to finish the championship four shots off the lead. The final player at 2-under 211 total was Kristopher Boyes, of Sheridan Park Golf Club, finishing with a final round of 69. He had birdies on 14, 15, and 17 down the stretch to secure a top-5 finish.

Finishing tied for sixth place was Eric Terminello, of Knollwood Country Club, and Brian McGovern, of NYPD Golf, at 1-under for the 54-hole championship. Josh Desain, of Wayne Hills Country Club, finished in solo eighth at 1-over par. 

Wrapping up the top 10 was four players tied for ninth place at two over par: Joseph Feeney, of Midvale Country Club; Peter Scialabba, of Meadow Brook Club; Timothy Saur, of Oak Hill Country Club; and Joe Quijano, of the host, Country Club of Troy.

Downey now becomes the third player to successfully defend their Mid-Amateur title, the first being Jim Roy of Syracuse in 2001-02, and more recently Billy Hanes of Buffalo in 2022-23.

The top 20 finishers secured exemptions into next year’s NYS Mid-Amateur, while the top 10 will also earn exemptions into next year’s NYS Men’s Amateur.

The 1925 Walter Travis layout setup at 6,484 yards and par of 71.