Steve Delmar used his familiarity with the Montgomery Country Club golf course to good advantage, as he shot 5-under-par 33-34–67 and took a one-stroke lead over former champion Chris Baloga in the first round of the 28th Mid-Amateur championship, sponsored and conducted by the Maryland State Golf Association, August 11.
A field of 93 starters was cut to the low 40 and ties for the final round (August 12) and 47 players at 76 and better advanced.
Delmar, 26, an assistant golf coach at the University of Maryland and a former 4-time club champion at the host site, highlighted his round over the 6,611-yard, par 36-36–72 layout in Laytonsville with an eagle-3 at the 328-yard, par-4 12th when he holed a 40-yard chip shot. He also had five birdies, two bogeys.
It turned out to be a day for coaches and eagles, as Loyola Maryland head golf coach Baloga, 31, the 2010 champion who plays from Hillendale CC, carded 33-35–68, hitting 14 greens, with two of the misses resulting in bogeys. Rusty Pies, from the University of Maryland Golf Club and the last man on the course, returned 37-32–69, with his effort including four successive birdies on the back nine. He hit the par-5 13th in two, had two medium-range putts on 14-15, and drove the green at the 330-yard 16th.
As for the eagles, Delmar had one of seven recorded during the overcast day, where dark skies forecast afternoon rain but it did not appear until after the conclusion of play.
Joe Scheffres (71), from Woodmont CC, had two of them, joining Matt Oshrine, from Baltimore and the Suburban Club as ones who have pulled that feat during this season. Scheffres, from Bethesda, reached the 509-yard ninth in two with a 3-iron to seven feet, and hit the 486-yard 13th with a 5-iron to 10 feet. Michael Meyer (71), Lakewood CC, started on No. 10, was even at the turn, then hit a hybrid to 30 feet at the 536-yard opening hole. Montgomery member Steve Martynuska (76) at No. 13; Travis Gahman (71), from Hollow Creek GC holed a 50-foot putt at No. 9, and Rob Menefee (76), from Swan Point Y&CC, also had one on the ninth hole.
Defending champion Jeff Castle, from Towson G&CC, and Bart Mease, Argyle CC, followed the top three with 70’s, trailed by five players at 71.
The field included four former champions besides Castle and Baloga — Jim Castagna, Manor CC, 1988, and his appearance this week extended a streak of playing in all 28 (in the first five years, he had one win, three seconds, and a fifth); Larry Storck, Hayfields CC, 1998; Ken Lampard, Beaver Creek CC, 2004, and Vance Welch, Northwest Park GC, 2008.
-Reported by John Stewart from Montgomery CC
