Birmingham National Invitational: Christovich holds slim lead

5/30/2015 | by AmateurGolf.com Staff

Patrick Christovich

Patrick Christovich of New Orleans leads by one over Craig Smith with 11 other players within seven shots of the lead

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Though Patrick Christovich holds the 36-hole lead at five-under 139 after a second-round 69, many players are lurking behind him, including 12 players within seven shots of the lead. First-round leader Mark Cusic of California, Md., who opened with 68, fell back into a tie for eighth after a 76 on Saturday, but is still only five shots back. Cusic, 36, had an amazing 2013 season in which he qualified for three USGA events. He shot 134 to medal at his U.S. Amateur qualifier, but failed to make match play at The Country Club in Brookline. He qualified the U.S. Mid-Amateur and U.S. Amateur Public Links that year, as well. He advanced to match play in both, losing in the first round at the Public Links and advancing to the round-of-32 at the Mid-Amateur. The leading Christovich found himself in the quarterfinals twice in 2014 — once at the U.S. Mid-Amateur and again at the Crump Cup. He was the 2014 Coleman Invitational champion, beating out Kevin Marsh by three. Trailing close behind Christovich is Craig Smith of Nashville, Tenn., who recently finished in the top-five at the Lupton Memorial Invitational. Seth Sargent of Birmingham and TJ Shuart of Fort Lauderdale, Fla. are tied for third at 141, while Hunter Bronson, Joseph Deraney, and Tim Jackson are three back in a tie for fifth. Deraney, of Lexington, Ky., tied for first at the Lupton, but lost in a playoff to Charles Waddell. Jackson, 56 of Germantown, Tenn., placed second last week at the Tennessee State Open, where he won as an amateur in 2002.

Results: Birmingham National Invitational

Place	Player	Location	Pts	Scores
1	Tim Jackson	Germantown, TN	400	71-72-68=211
2	Patrick Christovich	New Orleans, LA	300	70-69-72=211
3	Joseph Deraney	Belden, MS	200	71-72-69=212
4	Craig Smith	Nashville, TN	200	71-69-73=213
T5	Seth Sargent	Birmingham, AL	200	69-72-73=214

View full results for Birmingham National Invitational

About the Birmingham National Invitational

This 54-hole stroke play event, formerly held the weekend after Memorial Day but moved to November in 2020, dates back to the early 1900's and is also known as the "NIT". Draws a field of national-level mid-amateurs.

Most Popular Articles

2025 PGA TOUR Q-School Guide: Sites, Scores, and Who Advanced

Dec 5, 2025Second Stage is complete and Final Stage awaits at Sawgrass — follow every Q-School leaderboard and the players still chasing

2025 LPGA TOUR Q-Series: Final Qualifying Stage FINAL SCORING

Dec 8, 2025Helen Briem earns medalist honors, 31 players headed to the LPGA next year

2025 PGA TOUR Q-School Final Stage: Ewart Leads Five New TOUR Card Winners

Dec 14, 2025A.J. Ewart topped Final Stage at TPC Sawgrass, leading five players who secured PGA TOUR membership for 2026.

Australian Open at Royal Melbourne: Preview, amateur bios, and how to watch

Nov 30, 2025Rory McIlroy headlines one of the championship's top fields in years - at least four amateurs will have their chance at glory

Inside Gil Hanse’s Restoration of Baltusrol’s Upper Course: A Return to Tillinghast’s

Dec 11, 2025Renowned architect Gil Hanse reveals how he brought Baltusrol’s Upper Course back to life by honoring A.W. Tillinghast’s original

Filters

Related Tournament

Birmingham National Invitational

View Details

Loading latest news...