The Crump Cup is underway at Pine Valley and Mark Costanza has taken an early lead after shooting a bogey-free 67 in the first round. Costanza, a New Jersey native, made birdies on holes 3, 11, and 16 to finish one shot ahead of Evan Beck and Michael McDermott, who both shot 68. Tug Maude and Gregor Orlando round out the players under par with a score of 69.
The Crump Cup is a prestigious event that any golfer would cherish an invite to. The goal for these Mid-Am players is to crack the top 16 and earn a spot in the Championship Flight. Currently, seven players shot a 72, which is right on the cut line for the Championship Flight. This group includes NHL referee Garret Rank, defending champion Stephen Behr, Walker Cupper Matthew McClean, and Mid-Am legend Joseph Deraney.
In the senior division, Robert Gerwin of Cincinnati, Ohio, was the only player to finish under par with a score of 68. He had a blistering 31 on the back nine. Bob Royak is in second place with a score of 70.
The second round of stroke play will be played on Friday, after which the field will be cut down to 48 mid-amateurs and 16 seniors for the match play rounds on Saturday and Sunday.
The Crump Cup is named after George A. Crump, the hotelier and course architect most famous for building Pine Valley. It is considered one of the premier mid-amateur events in the United States and features a field of top players from the US and the UK. The tournament format consists of two rounds of stroke play qualifying followed by four rounds of match play. There is also a separate Senior flight for players in the senior division.
Jay Sigel holds the record for the most Crump Cup victories, winning the event nine times between 1975 and 1993. Normally, the public is invited to attend the final matches on Sunday, but this tradition has been suspended.
For more information about the Crump Cup, including complete tournament information and results, visit the official website.