20th Marston Cup: Stanton Ridge

LedgeRock’s Anderson takes title at Stanton Ridge

WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J. – Josh Anderson has been playing road games in his home stadium for the past five years.

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A Pennsylvania transplant from Ohio, Anderson has been traveling the GAP circuit aggressively since he moved to the Keystone State in 2019.

Each time he tees it up in a GAP event, there’s a good chance he’s a rookie on unfamiliar turf. But he doesn’t let that be a disadvantage.

“I just try to play to my strengths,” Anderson, 46, of Morgantown, Pa., said. “If I keep the ball in play, give myself short irons into the greens and make some putts, that’s where I feel I play my best. I try to not do too much. 

Anderson, aided by his stellar flatstick and birdie accumulation, steadied his way to the GAP trophy room for the first time with a four-shot victory in the 20th Marston Cup Tuesday at Stanton Ridge Golf & Country Club (par 71, 6,392 yards).

“Winning a GAP event feels great,” Anderson said. “I always circle the Marston Cup on the calendar because it is a good event with people in my age range. I’ve been really impressed with GAP coming from Ohio. It always gets great venues, hosts amazing championships and has a ton of great players. I am excited to have my name in GAP’s history.”

The Marston Cup is open to individuals 40-54 years of age.

His round of 68 was the only one under par. Wind an unfamiliar layout as well as firm and fast conditions, wreaked havoc amongst the field.

“I’ve been playing pretty good but this year has been strange,” Anderson said. “I’ve qualified for a lot of events and I didn’t play well in any of the championship propers. I just needed it all to come together in a round and today it did.”

Playing in the event’s final group. Anderson’s seven-birdie exposition began with five on the front nine. 

He kicked things off with a lob wedge from 80 yards to three feet on the first (par 4, 386 yards) and added a 12-footer for birdie on No. 3 (par 4, 365 yards). Up-and-ins from the front of Nos. 6 (par 5, 533 yards) and 8 (par 5, 509 yards) pushed him to 3 under after he bogeyed No. 7 (par 3, 190 yards).

He made the turn in 4 under after middling a sand wedge from 88 yards to 20 feet on No. 9 (par 4, 375 yards).

His back nine was a little more colorful with two birdies, a bogey and a double bogey that came as a result of shooting the wrong yardage on No. 12 (par 3, 170 yards). He wrapped his hands on the trophy with his seventh and final birdie of the day on No. 16 (par 4, 357 yards) after he slid in a 10-footer.

Anderson is no rookie. He’s played in six USGA championships. The LedgeRock Golf Club member played in three U.S. Amateur Public Links and three U.S. Mid-Amateurs. He was a First-Team NAIA All-American in 2001 at Malone University in Canton, Ohio. He also was on the team that won the 2000 NAIA National Championship. Anderson was inducted into the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 2012. 

To the victor goes the spoils. His win gets him into the 2026 GAP Mid-Am, Philadelphia Amateur and Joseph H. Patterson Cup.

“I wasn’t aware of the exemptions that you get from winning this event,” Anderson said. “Being able to be exempt into 75 percent of the GAP Majors by winning this is awesome. This year I qualified well, but they are so hard. This will allow me to really focus on the championships and what I need to do to play better when I start getting to work this offseason.”

The Marston Cup honors Max Marston of Merion Cricket Club and Pine Valley Golf Club, who in 1923, was the world’s best amateur golfer. GAP Magazine highlighted Marston’s career year and his legacy in its Summer 2023 edition. 

NOTE: Matt Ebbecke, of Philmont Country Club, aced No. 12 (par 3, 170 yards). He used his 6-iron to card his third career ace, all of which have come in tournaments.

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 130,000 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.