Mark Costanza leads after bogey-free 67

Crump Cup: Mark Costanza leads after bogey-free 67

Mark Costanza (Metropolitan Golf Association Photo)

Mark Costanza is the leader after 18 holes in the Crump Cup at Pine Valley. The New Jersey native shot a bogey-free 67, making birdies on hole Nos. 3, 11, and 16.

One shot behind Costanza are two well-known names. Evan Beck, this year’s U.S. Mid-Am runner-up, and Michael McDermott, who is the marker at Augusta National for The Masters, both shot 68. Tug Maude and Gregor Orlando round out the players under par; they shot 69.

Stewart Hagestad added to his charmed September, which includes a Walker Cup and U.S. Mid-Amateur win. On his first swing of the day, he made a hole-in-one on the 10th hole, a downhill par three. After that ace, he made nine straight fours en route to a 71, leaving him in seventh place.

Receiving an invite to The Crump Cup is something any golfer would cherish. But the goal of these Mid-Ams once they have arrived is to crack the top 16 and earn a spot in the Championship Flight. Seven players shot 72, which is currently T11 and right on the cut line of the Championship Flight. That group includes NHL referee Garret Rank, defending champion Stephen Behr, Walker Cupper Matthew McClean, and Mid-Am legend Joseph Deraney.

In the senior division, which has a Championship flight of eight players, Robert Gerwin of Cincinnati, Ohio, was the only player under par. He shot a 68, including a blistering 31 on the back nine. Bob Royak shot 70 and is in second place.

A trio of players – Randy Haag, Mike McCoy, and Arnold Cutrell – shot 74 and are tied for seventh place and hope to move farther inside the Championship Flight cut line tomorrow.

The second round of stroke play will be played Friday, after which the field of 78 mid-amateurs will be cut to 48 and into three match play flights, and 16 seniors (of 23 in the field) will advance to two match play flights. Two rounds of matches will be played Saturday and Sunday.

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