There's something special about playing a national championship in your own backyard—and for Drew Kittleson and Drew Stoltz, that feeling is about to become very real.
The dynamic duo, affectionately known as the "Drew and Drew Show," is gearing up for another shot at the U.S. Amateur Four-Ball title. And while they've come agonizingly close before—finishing as runners-up in both 2022 and 2023—this year, they've got a secret weapon: home-field advantage.
The tournament heads to Arizona for the first time, taking place at Desert Mountain in Scottsdale. The Outlaw course will host stroke play, while the Jack Nicklaus-designed Cochise course will handle match play. For two golfers who call the Grand Canyon State home, that's a serious edge.
"We're going to have a home-field advantage," Stoltz said with a grin at a recent media day. "We might as well have some, you know what I mean? And I do think there's something to just being comfortable with desert golf. This is what we play."
It's not just the desert terrain that gives them confidence. Both players spend plenty of time at nearby Whisper Rock, and they've been making scouting trips to Desert Mountain much like Rory McIlroy does with Augusta National—minus the private jet, of course.
Kittleson has especially deep roots in the area. He grew up near Desert Highlands, home of the original Skins Game, and recently sold his home remodeling business Re-Bath, which he ran with his dad. "When I say home, I mean this is home," he said.
The U.S. Amateur Four-Ball has a relatively short West Coast history. The Olympic Club hosted the inaugural event in 2015, followed by Bandon Dunes in 2019 and Chambers Bay in 2021. This year's venue adds another chapter to that story—and gives the Drews a chance to rewrite their own.
Desert Mountain has serious golf pedigree. The Cochise course hosted a PGA Tour Champions major, The Tradition, from 1989 to 2001. It also welcomed the U.S. Senior Women's Amateur in 1999 and the Charles Schwab Cup Championship multiple times. For Kittleson and Stoltz, walking those fairways feels less like a tournament and more like a home game.
Whether they finally break through for that elusive title remains to be seen. But one thing's for sure: if they come up short again, it won't be for lack of fun—or familiarity.