SPRINGFIELD, N.J. (July 30, 2014) – The opening round of the 12th Carter Cup at Baltusrol is complete and Christopher Troy of Greenwich, Conn., is in the lead after firing a new competitive Upper Course record with his 7-under 65. Troy’s round was bogey free and featured a stretch of four straight birdies on holes 11 through 14. The 18-year-old is extremely pleased with where he stands, even though he didn’t see it coming.

“Honestly I didn’t expect it,” Troy said. “I didn’t know I had that in me, but its good to see that I can go low.” Troy went more then just low, he shot the lowest 18-hole score in Carter Cup history, breaking the previous record of 66 held by Sean Kelly (on the Upper) and Cameron Wilson (on the Lower). It will be Troy’s last Carter Cup and he hopes second round leads to a career-defining day. “It’s my last time playing in this thing,” he said. “I want to play well and go out with a bang.”

Troy holds a four shot lead heading into the second 18 on the Lower Course and has some talented players close behind, including his playing partner from this morning Thomas LaMorte of Haworth, N.J. LaMorte carded a 3-under 69 and had he not made a few bogeys, he would have been right there with Troy. “I’ve never seen anything like that,” La Morte said of Troy’s round. “It was fun to watch.” LaMorte played quite the round himself, going 4-under through his first six holes. “I was playing really well,” he said. “I kind of slowed down and missed some putts.” Like Troy, this will be LaMorte’s last Carter Cup and while he is happy to be here, he wouldn’t mind also going out with a bang.

Also very much in the mix are Erick Alonso of Haworth, N.J. and Jeremy Wall of Brielle, N.J. Both players fired morning rounds of 3-under 69 and are four shots back of Troy. A shot behind the trio of players a 3-under is Josh Goldenberg of Scarsdale, N.Y., who shot a 2-under 70. 

All the players tee off on the Lower Course this afternoon to determine the champion.