Whenever you make the match play portion of the Crump Cup, you can expect to play some elite players. However, the players Andrew Price had to beat at Pine Valley Golf Club in Pine Valley, N.J., to win the prestigious trophy will turn some heads.
Price, who won the 2024 Illinois Mid-Amateur, defeated 2023 U.S. Mid-Amateur runner-up Evan Beck 1-up in the round of 16. Beck also won the 2024 George Thomas Invitational and the 2024 Coleman Invitational.
In the quarterfinals, he took on 2022 U.S. Mid-Amateur champion Matthew McClean and defeated him 1-up also. McClean is currently ranked No. 1 in the AmateurGolf.com Mid-Amateur rankings.
In the semifinals, he took the medalist and No. 1 seed Bradford Tilley, and then in the final match, he faced off against 2024 U.S. Amateur medalist Jimmy Ellis, winning 2 and 1.
"Everybody is just so darn good," Price told Sean Melia of AmateurGolf.com. "Honestly, it's such a stacked field, and to come out on top, you have to get a little bit lucky while also playing well and getting yourself through stroke play and into the championship flight."
RELATED
2024 Tournament Story: What's it like to walk all 18 holes of the championship match at The Crump Cup?
Tournament Profile: Is the Crump Cup the best tournament in Amateur Golf?
Price admitted he got some good bounces here and there, but you don't beat the guys he beat without playing incredible golf.
"The greens are so firm, and you have to be precise and play to the fat part of the green," Price said. "It is hard because the pins are so tucked, you can't take them all on."
Ellis was the talk of the Amateur Golf world last month when he earned the medalist honors at the U.S. Amateur, shooting a 61 in the second round.
"He is such a good player, and he is playing so well this year," Price said about Ellis. "I just tried to play smart and got up a few holes early and tried to force him to make some birdies.
Price got a lead on Ellis early, giving him the freedom to play safer for the rest of the match at Pine Valley.
"I hit two bad shots on the par-3's on the back nine, but other than that, I played really smart," Price said.
This was Price's ninth Crump Cup, and he never advanced further than the final 16.
Ellis had to take down three-time U.S. Mid-Amateur winner and defending Crump Cup champion Stewart Hagestad in the semifinals to reach the finals.
Standing the No. 15 tee, Hagestad held a 2-up lead. Ellis answered by birdieing Nos. 15, 16, and 17 to win 1-up over the mid-amateur legend.
Jamie Slonis
In the Senior Championship Flight, Jamie Slonis II defeated Gene Elliott in 19 holes to win the title. He lost to Mike McCoy in the final of the 2004 championship match of the Crump Cup 20 years ago.
Slonis made quick work of his quarterfinals and semifinals matches, defeating 2024 U.S. Senior Amateur champion Dan Sullivan 8 and 7 in the quarterfinals and Rupert Kellock 7 and 6 in the semifinals.
He then defeated the No. 18 player in the AmateurGolf.com Senior Rankings Gene Elliott in 19 holes.
Robert F. Gerwin II won the Senior Second Flight.
Gregor Orlando defeated Brad Nurski in the Championship Second Flight and Taylor Wood won the Championship Third Flight. Wood got into the third flight as the last guy in after a 9-for-2 card-off.
Safe to say he made the most of the opportunity.
