By Stan Crawley

Staff Writer

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Other photos from today's activities

Ken Maples is on a roll.

After getting his amateur status back two months ago, Maples has won two tournaments. Now, he’s in excellent position to win another one.

Maples and his partner, Doug Curtis, shot a 6-under 64 on Friday in taking the first-round lead in the Chattanooga Golf and Country Club Member-Guest Championship.

Maples recently won the Battlefield Four-Ball with partner Mike Miller, then took the championship of the Creeks Bend Member-Guest with partner Todd Carden.

"I know how to pick my partners,’’ Maples said. "That’s my secret.’’

Said Curtis, "He’s a helluva player. He made five birdies today and I made one. I did help with a couple of pars and one birdie.

"We’re going to see if Ken can win with me. It seems like he can win with everybody else.’’

Maples said the game plan will not change for Saturday’s round.

"We’ll do the same as today,’’ he said. "We’ll show up and get it on. We want to stay aggressive and not set back. We need to shoot at least 4-under tomorrow. I want to get that No. 1 seed.’’

The event is a four-ball stroke play qualifier on Friday and Saturday with four teams qualifying for match play on Sunday. Ties for the last spot on Sunday will be decided by a sudden-death playoff immediately after Saturday’s round.

CRAIG-GUESS IN SECOND PLACE: Mike Craig and Philip Guess played in the same foursome with Curtis and Maples. They finished second after the first day with a 65.

"It’s tough playing against a former pro,’’ Craig said. "They made us feel bad for awhile. They made some crazy ones, then we got it going too. Phllip made an unbelievable 40-footer on No. 18.

"We didn’t play great, but we stayed close. We just hope to get in the finals. We still had some left in us. We didn’t have a bogey, and that’s what you have to do.’’

MERCER-BARTON HOT ON BACK: Don Mercer and Lennie Barton from North Carolina State turned in a 30 on the back for a 4-under 66. Mercer and Barton were runners-up in the tournament last year.

"We were 2-under, then back to even but we came back with a 4-under on the back,’’ Mercer said. "We had a 30 on the back. We sucked it up.’’

Mercer finished the hot streak on the back by making a 30-footer on No. 18.

"My partner hit a lot of great shots and I helped a little,’’ Mercer said. "The putt on No. 18 was a long, winding one. 

MORELAND-COREY AT 66: Todd Moreland and Pat Corey were each hot with the putter in the first round. Corey made an 18-footer on No. 10 and a 10-footer on No. 14. Moreland knocked in a 35-footer on No. 5 and then made a 30-footer on No. 15.

"That putt on No. 15 was phenomenal,’’ Corey said. "We’ve just got to go out there tomorrow and do the same thing.

"We beat "the under" today on broken clubs. We made some money on that.’’

Said Moreland, "We had three lips today (13 and 16). We can’t do that tomorrow and make match play.’’

Moreland and Corey had five birdies and a bogey on No. 6.

JENKINS BROTHERS AT 67: Mike and Don Jenkins, who have won the tournament six times, shot a 67. Don, who lives in Fairfax, Va., hasn’t played in the tournament for the last nine years.

"The last year I played my son was 5-years-old,’’ Don said. "I just needed to spend more time with him instead of coming down here on vacation. Also, the tournament used to be on Father’s Day weekend. Now they have moved it back, and I’m glad I came back.

"We’re still in it. All you have to do is get in the final four on Sunday. We have a shot. Mike played awfully well today. I’ll have to help a lot more to get us to the final four.’’

Mike Jenkins had four birdies.

"I hit a lot of good iron shots, but I still left a lot out there,’’ Mike said. "We knew we needed to get to around 66, and we just missed it by one shot. We thought 6- to 8-under would get in the final four, and it still looks that way.’’

HUDSON-HARTRICH TOOK EARLY LEAD: Steve Hudson and Eric Hartrich took the early lead in the championship flight with a 2-under 68.

"That won’t hold up,’’ Hudson said. "There will be at least a 65. We heard a lot of yelling out there.’’

Hartrich and Hudson had birdies on the par 5 No. 4 and the par 3 No. 13.

SPITALNY BROTHERS AT 69: Neil and Peter Spitalny, who have always played well in the tournament but never have left as champions, shot a 69 on the first day.

"We really wanted to win this year,’’ Neil said. "But I’m afraid we shot ourselves out of it today. It’s hard to make up five shots in this format.

"We usually play much better than a 69 here. Peter played well today, but I played lousy.’’

GREENS RUNNING WELL: Many of the golfers were complimentary of the greens.

"I’ve been on both sides of that,’’ course superintendent Jeff Hollister said. "I like it better on this side.’’

Hollister’s staff spent 12 hours working in the rain on Thursday in preparation for the tournament. Earlier in the week, it took almost two days to gather limbs on the course a result of Monday’s wind storm. Hollister said four trees were blown down.

"The rain was good for our grass, but bad timing just before the tournament,’’ Hollister said. "It makes it difficult to get anything done. The carts and equipment tear up the course when it’s so wet.

"Really, with our irrigation system I’d rather not have the rain. But I know the city needs the rain.’’

DEFENDING CHAMPIONS AT 70: Defending champions Brian Kopet and Patten Smith shot a first-round 70 while playing with Moreland-Corey.

DIVISION A: Chris Warren and Rod Callahan shot a net 65.45 for the lead. Greg McGuire and Matt Brock finished at 66.40 for second and David Crisp and Tom Bowen finished third at 66.70. The A-B-C-D divisions are handicapped and featured alternate shot on Friday. The play Saturday will be best ball with select shot on Sunday.

DIVISION B: Keith Dressler and Mike Salisbury shot a net 69 for the lead. James Woods and Marshall Mize are second at 69.30 and Dexter White and Mark Anderson are third at 69.65.

DIVISION C: Glenn Sutherland and Robert Womble combined for a net 67.55 for the lead. Richard Park and Edwin Fort took second at 67.90, John Thornton and Buddy Green finished the first day third at 68.20 and Tag Bailey and Gary Mack are fourth at 68.25.

DIVISION D: Larry Bentley and Bob McKenzie shot a net 67.45 for the first-day lead. Syd and Craig Tindall came in at 71.45 for second and Don Vandergriff and Hal Vascari are in third at 72.50.

IRMA KEENE PASSES AWAY: Irma Keene, mother of Richard Keene, passed away Wednesday. She was buried in the National Cemetery on Friday morning.

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