For the third straight year, I got to cover the Carter Cup yesterday at Baltusrol Golf Club. The famed lower course (and lesser-known upper course for that matter) look better and better each time I go.

The event is the MGA’s junior stroke-play championship and consists of 36 holes (18 on both courses) over one day.

This year, the action was exciting with New Canaan’s Curtis Loop defeating Norwalk’s Cameron Wilson on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff. Wilson, one of the top junior golfers in the country, was seemingly in control the entire day after shooting a 68 in the opening round. His 73 in the second round should have been good enough for the win, but Loop fired an incredible 5-under 67 in round two to catch him.

As for the local players, it wasn’t an especially stellar performance. Stephen Scialo (New City-Clarkstown North) led the way finishing in a tie for 9th place.

Rye’s Sam Weiss (T-14) and Bronxville’s John Torell (T-17) were the next highest finishers followed by Garnerville’s John Casey and Rye’s Walker Steers, who both finished tied for 20th.

Steers certainly made his finish exciting, birdieing No. 17 and then nearly holing a 4-iron from 210 yards on No. 18 for double eagle. He settled for the tap-in eagle and a top 20 finish that will get him back into this prestigious field next year.

There was an Alexander Meyer in the field, which a few of the players thought for a moment was me when they saw that name on the board… It obviously wasn’t (the scores were too good), but if it would have gotten me playing on those courses, I would have let them spell my name however they want!

Unfortunately, this event coincided with an AJGA event at Richter Park in Danbury, causing several of the top junior players to have a tough choice. I will get to see those guys and girls on Friday for the third and final round of that event.

After yesterday’s first round, Brewster’s Mike Miller leads the field of 104 players with a 2-under 70. Rye’s Mark Mumford is part of a four-way tie for second place after posting a 71. Marisa Kamelgarn shot 75 and is in third place of the girl’s division.