Gene Elliott
(Iowa Golf Association Photo)

Elliot has put together yet another impressive year picking up victories at the Iowa Senior Match Play, Amateur and Briarwood Amateur. He also finished tied for second at the Coleman Invitational and tied for sixth at the Stocker Cup. On Sunday Elliot will look to improve on his previous best Crane Cup finish, a tie for second in 2013.

Hagestad, the reigning U.S. Mid-Amateur champion, fired a 7-under 64 in the first round but came back to the pack with a 6-over 77 in the second round to drop to 1-under. Besides Elliot, Hagestad is the only other player in red figures.

Despite just two players currently being under-par the tournament is still wide open with 13 players within five-strokes of the lead.

Bobby Leopold and Dennis Bull are only two back in a tie for third at even-par while five players are 2-over and tied for fifth. The 2-over group includes Ed Fryatt, Jon Veneziano, Joseph Deraney, Mike Stamberger and Skip Berkmeyer.

The Crane Cup began in 2012 and the field includes many of the top mid-amateurs in the country and boosts an impressive past champions list that includes Brady Exber (2015), Mike McCoy (2014), Colby Harwell (2013), Stephen Perkins (November 2013), Patrick Christovich (February 2013) and Robert Funk (2012).

ROUND ONE RECAP

U.S. Mid-Amateur champion Stewart Hagestad took the Crane Cup first round lead by firing a 7-under 64. Hagestad will carry a two-stroke lead into Saturday's second round at the Floridian Golf Club.

Over the course of the next two days Hagestand will look to continue a remarkable year that has also included a win at the Metropolitan Amateur and a runner-up finish at the George C. Coleman.

2013 Crane Cup runner-up Jon Veneziano will begin Saturday in second plate following a 5-under 66 while Gene Elliot and Shane Sigsbee share third at 3-under. Bobby Leopold of Rhode Island is 2-under and in fifth.

Sixth place Dennis Bull is the only other player under-par after an opening 18-hole 1-under 70.