Nate Smith, Andrew Bailey Meet in USGA Mid-Amateur Final

Two former touring professionals will meet in Thursday's 36-hole final of the USGA Mid-Amateur Championship, extending a run of ex-pros dominating the event's late rounds for a second straight year.

Nate Smith, a former Korn Ferry Tour winner who made 25 PGA Tour starts, faces Andrew Bailey, who played on the Korn Ferry Tour and PGA Tour Americas, in the final at Sand Valley Resort in Wisconsin. Play begins at 7:30 a.m. local time, and the winner earns places in the Masters and the U.S. Open.

Why are former pros reaching the latter stages?

Seven of this year's eight Mid-Amateur quarterfinalists had played professional golf, following six of eight last year. The pattern has drawn criticism that the USGA's amateur reinstatement policy lets players with significant professional experience crowd out golfers who never turned pro.

The USGA's reinstatement guidance is not a fixed rule. It weighs factors including how successful a player's professional career was, the level they competed at, and how long ago they last played for money.

Who are this year's finalists?

Smith's best round on the PGA Tour was a 65 at the 2011 Sony Open, and he earned more than $437,000 across the PGA and Korn Ferry Tours before leaving competitive golf to work as a homebuilder. He regained his amateur status quickly, saying "the USGA granted me my amateur status back in a matter of three days."

Bailey, his opponent, now works as a national sales manager for golf apparel brand Holderness & Bourne.

Is the USGA reconsidering the policy?

Last year's debate prompted former US Amateur champion Colt Knost, who made 199 PGA Tour starts and earned more than $4.3 million, to look into regaining his own amateur status. Knost said this summer that the USGA has begun re-evaluating its reinstatement guidance for successful former pros.

No changes to the policy have been announced. Thursday's final will be the second consecutive year the Mid-Amateur's biggest stage has featured two players with professional résumés.