Crump Cup: Another September triumph for Hagestad as rain shortens event
Stewart Hagestad (USGA)
Stewart Hagestad capped off an incredible September with a rain-shortened victory in the Crump Cup. He beat Stephen Behr, last year's winner, in a one-hole playoff after both men shot 73 on Saturday in the one-round sprint to the Cup.
After two bluebird days at Pine Valley, the Crump Cup Tournament Committee decided to eliminate match play as Tropical Storm Ophelia headed towards southern New Jersey. This, unfortunately, marks the second straight year that rain impacted the event. Last year, they completed the tournament as planned on a rainy, stormy Sunday that saw players being pulled off the course in the final matches.
This year, just the 16 Championship Flight players and the eight Senior Flight players teed it up on Saturday for 18 holes of stroke play. The rounds from Thursday and Friday did not count towards the final score.
Hagestad and Behr both shot 73 in the tough, rainy conditions. Matthew McClean finished two shots back after shooting 75. McClean will point to a 40 on his front nine for why he couldn't reach the top of the leaderboard.
After a front nine 38, Hagestad settled down and made seven pars on the back nine. He birdied the par-5 15th and then dropped a shot on the par-4 16th en route to a 35.
Behr's day started with a bit more excitement; he got to 1-under par when he eagled the fourth hole. However, he made bogey on hole Nos. 6 and 9 for an opening 36. A 37 on the back, with bogeys on the 13 and 15, got him into the playoff with Hagestad.
George Crump decided to make the first hole challenging so that ties would be decided quickly. Last year, Hagestad lost to Jimmy Ellis in the semi-final in 19 holes. This time, Hagestad was triumphant on the first green and captured the Crump Cup.
In the Senior Flight, Matthew Sughrue set the tone early with a front nine 33. He made birdies on hole Nos. 1 and 7. He cruised home with eight pars on the back nine and shot an impressive 69. Bob Royak finished runner-up with a 74.
ABOUT THE Crump Cup
The George A. Crump Memorial Tournament --
named
for the
hotelier and course architect most famous for
building
Pine Valley -- is arguably the premier mid-
amateur
event in the United States. The invitational field
is
made of of top players from around the United
States
and the UK. The format for the four days is two
rounds
of stroke play qualifying, followed by four
rounds
of
match play. Players are flighted according to
their
qualifying position, and a separate Senior flight
includes three of those flights. Jay Sigel has won
the
event the most times, with nine victories
between
1975 and 1993.
Normally, the public is invited to attend the Sunday
final matches but that tradition has been suspended.
View Complete Tournament Information