42nd Middle-Amateur Championship: Round One

Hornberger leads with 4-under 67

CINNAMINSON, N.J.–Golf meant too much to Craig Hornberger to see it go away. So he took himself away from golf. Specifically, professional golf.

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In 2017, Hornberger graduated from Campbell University. He chased the professional golf dream for the next three years before regaining his amateur status in 2020.

“For me, it got to the point where it wasn’t fun out there anymore. And at the end of the day, golf is a game, and I always want it to be a game. I want to have fun and smile and laugh while I’m out there,” said Hornberger. “There’s much more important things in life than putting a little white ball in the hole. So for me, when I reached that threshold, I decided it was time to come home, take a step back and figure out life before I got to that point with golf. I’ve spent way too much time in my life playing this game to not play for the rest of my life.”

One round into the 42^nd Middle-Amateur Championship presented by NJM Insurance Group at Riverton Country Club (par 71, 6,534 yards), Hornberger, is in position for a life-changing GAP moment. The exact reason he made a career change.

Hornberger holds a one-shot lead in the Association’s first Major of the season after posting a 4-under 67 in wet, chilly conditions Wednesday.

“I know I have the game to compete, but you never know what’s going to show up. Sometimes it shows up and sometimes it doesn’t. Today it kind of did,” said Hornberger, 30, of Lancaster, Pa. “I’m getting married later this year, so obviously that’s my top priority, career is second to that and golf shortly after that.  

It’s important for me, personally, to play some competitive golf and fuel my competitive juices.”

Hornberger returned to his roots and lives in Lancaster County, Pa., where he works as a financial advisor for Morgan Stanley.

Standing a shot back of Hornberger is Alexander Kim of Philadelphia Cricket Club. Two shots behind is 2022 Mid.-Am. champion Troy Vannucci. Defending champion Zak Drescher of Bent Creek Country Club is part of a seven-way tie four shots back at even par.

The cut line to the low 48 players and ties fell at 6 over with 63 advancing.

Players begin the second round at 7:30 a.m. with the third and final round starting at 12:15 p.m. There will be no repair after the morning round.

The Middle-Amateur Championship expanded from 36 to 54 holes last year to be listed on the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) and eligible for points.

Hornberger finds himself atop the leaderboard despite a Jekyll and Hyde putting performance. In his first five holes – Hornberger started on No. 9 (due to its proximity to the clubhouse No. 9 was used as part of a two-tee start) – he had a four-putt (No. 10) and three-putt (No. 13). Both measured in the 40-foot range.

As quickly as the putter taketh, it giveth back.

On No. 14 (par 3, 188 yards), Hornberger’s 5-iron stopped on the front of the green to a back-hole location. His next stroke, a 60-foot putt, ended in the bottom of the cup for birdie.

“It was just perfect speed and fell in,” said Hornberger. “It was kind of one you giggle about considering the first two long putts I had went five or six by and ended with a four putt and three putt.”

The unexpected birdie conversion provided the jump start his round needed.

On No. 16 (par 3, 162 yards), Hornberger added another two when he knocked an 8-iron to eight feet right of the hole and made the slider. The next hole, No. 17 (par 5, 474 yards), Hornberger’s putter struck again. His second shot, a 5-iron from 203 yards, rolled to the back of the green. His 40-footer eagle rattled the bottom of the cup. Hornberger played the first 10 holes in 1 under.

Hornberger’s mojo, and round, was in full flight.

He finished the last eight holes in three under with five pars and three birdies.

His circle tallies coming on: No. 1 (par 4, 353 yards) with a 58-degree wedge from 68 yards to eight feet above the hole; No. 4 (par 4, 362 yards) with a flip wedge from 58 yards to nine feet below the cup and No. 7 (par 5, 530 yards) after his 6-iron from 202 yards landed just short of the green and ensuing putt stop a foot from the cup.

“Golf is still a pretty significant aspect of my life. It’s again something I absolutely love doing,” said Hornberger. “I definitely don’t practice as much as a I used to. Between playing with friends and clients and family and my fiancée is also a very good golfer. A lot of the friendships I’ve built in my life are around golf.”

The Middle-Amateur Championship is open to individuals 25 years of age or older. 

A William Hyndman, III Player of the Year points event, the Middle-Amateur started in 1984, three years after the USGA created the U.S. Mid-Amateur as a formal championship for post-college amateurs. GAP followed suit with the USGA in creating a Middle-Amateur, but initially differed in its administration of the tournament in a couple of respects.

The most obvious difference was the age requirement. Prior to 2001, the GAP Middle-Amateur was only available to players 30 years of age or older.

The GAP Executive Committee reviewed and revised that age requirement in 2001 to match the USGA’s guidelines of 25 years of age or older for eligible individuals. It also, as previously mentioned, changed the format of the event to a two-day stroke play tournament with a cut to the low 70 players and ties after the first round. Furthermore, GAP lowered the handicap index requirement from 7.0 to 5.0 in 2023. The event was expanded to 54 holes in 2024 and is a WAGR ranked event.

NJM Insurance Group
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GAP
Celebrating Amateur Golf since 1897, GAP, also known as the Golf Association of Philadelphia, is the oldest regional or state golf association in the United States. It serves as the principal ruling body of amateur golf in its region. The organization’s 345 Member Clubs and 125,000 individual members are spread across Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey and Maryland. The GAP’s mission is to promote, preserve and protect the game of golf.