Crump Cup: Evan Beck is medalist as flights are set for match play

After two perfect days of weather, Evan Beck played his way to medalist honors with back-to-back 68s. He'll be the top seed in the championship flight. It was an impressive display from the Wake Forest alum who just finished runner-up in the U.S. Mid-Am to Stewart Hagestad at Sleepy Hollow. Beck was the only player to shot under-par rounds on Thursday and Friday.

Two shots behind Beck was NHL referee Garrett Rank, who shot an impressive 66 on Friday after a 72 on Thursday.

Beck and Rank were the only two players to finish under par, and Rank's 66 was the low round of stroke play this year.

Rank will face off against last year's runner-up Jimmy Ellis.

For some players, Friday was less forgiving than Thursday. First round leader Mark Costanza shot an 81 and dropped into the second flight as the four seed after failing to make it through in a seven-for-three playoff.

Andy Schonbaum and Dan Horner both played their way into the Championship Flight with solid rounds on Friday. Horner shot a 71 to earn the eighth seed. Schonbaum shaved four shots off his Thursday score with a 72 on Friday.

However, Schonbaum, like Maude, earned a spot in the Championship Flight in the playoff. Jimmy Ellis was the third and final player to survive the playoff.

Matt Parziale, Bobby Wyatt, and Jeffrey W. Scohy were the other three players along with Costanza who slipped to the second flight in the playoff. Parziale is the top seed in that flight.

Stephen Behr, the champion in 2022 also played his way into the Championship Flight with rounds of 72-74. Last year he was the four seed, this year he's the nine seed.

The Friday night dinner has a few great traditions. One is that players in the Championship Flight are given a flag with their seed number on it. Players are also seated next to their opponent.

2022 U.S. Mid-Am champion Matthew McClean and Michael McDermott will be able to chat about Augusta National as they dine next to each other on Friday night. Stewart Hagestad will be next to Ohio's Andrew Bailey who won the Ohio State amateur this year.

Matt Parziale isn't the only New Englander to have a top seed. Bobby Leopold, the Englishman who is the four-time Rhode Island amateur champion, is the one seed in the third flight.

In the senior division, Chip Lutz shot a 145 total to beat out Randy Haag for medalist honors. First round leader Robert Gerwin had the same fate at Costanza, as he struggled in the second round; he shot an 83 but will play Mike McCoy on Saturday morning after holding on for the six seed. McCoy shot 74-76 for the three seed.

The Round of 16 and the quarterfinals will be played in the Mid-Amateur flights on Saturday, weather permitting. The semi-final and finals will be played on Sunday. In the senior flight, they will play the quarterfinals on Saturday and the final two rounds on Sunday.

Championship Flight

1. Evan Beck v. 16. Tug Maude
8. Dan Horner v. 9. Stephen Behr
4. Matthew McClean v. 13. Michael McDermott
5. Stewart Hagestad v. 12. Andrew Bailey
2. Garrett Rank v. 15. Jimmy Ellis
7. Hayes Brown v. 10. Chad Wilfong
3. Brad Nurski v. 14. Andy Schonbaum
6. Joseph Deraney v. 11. Kris K. Mikkelsen