NJ native Mike Muehr wins his 3rd Crump Cup at Pine Valley

By Rick Woelfel

Michael Muehr felt very much at home during the 95th Crump Cup. Muehr calls McLean, Virginia his home, but he is a member at Pine Valley and on Sunday he captured his third Crump Cup title by defeating 2014 U.S. Mid-Amateur champion Scott Harvey of Kernersville, North Carolina, 4 and 3 in the 18-hole championship match.

Muehr previously won Cup titles in 2008 and ’14. His latest win was highlighted by first-rate iron play.

“Off the tee I was fairly average,” said the native of Bernardsville, N.J.,  “but I had really good tempo with the irons, all through bag from short irons to long irons. As long as I was getting in the fairway, I felt pretty confident that I could either get myself a look at birdie or at least make a good par.”

Muehr, runner-up in this year's NJSGA Open Championship, took the early lead with a birdie at the par-3 third and never trailed in the match. With the customary match-play concessions, he played the 15 holes in the equivalent of even par.

Harvey, one of four past U.S. Mid-Amateur champions in the field, was pleased with his performance. He has competed over a dozen times in the Crump Cup but had never won a match before this year.

“I played okay in some matches, I played good in one match then I went back to playing just okay in the championship match. (Muehr) is playing really well and he’s just tough to beat.”

In addition to the quality of the golf, the tournament consisted of a world-class field of mid-amateurs and seniors, and the feeling of mutual respect and camaraderie among the contestants was palpable.

“We all come here and we all stay at Pine Valley while we’re here for the four days or whatever,” Muehr said. “We’re all lodged right here and we all eat dinner together. We all have fun at night together and we all compete. “And it just happens to also be the best mid-amateur field in golf.”