Teams go low to grab respective leads at 37th Trans-Miss Four-Ball

Cool temperatures and gentle winds set up Bayonet Blackhorse ripe for scoring and the players took advantage.  Josh Swanson and Riley Pumphrey took control in the Championship flight with a five-under par round. Two Teams in the Senior flight recorded five-under par rounds as well to share the lead. In the Super Senior flight, Chris Maletis and Jim Wilkert shot two-under to take a two shot lead into tomorrow’s second round.
 
Josh Swanson of Bee Cave, T.X. and Riley Pumphrey of Norman, O.K. used five birdies to claim a one shot lead at the end of the first round of the 37^th Trans-Miss Four-Ball. Swanson and Pumphrey caught fire early in their round starting on the tenth hole with birdies on the 11^th, 13^th, 14^th and 15^th hole. The pair stayed solid with pars till they reach the downhill par five, eighth. There, they made their fifth birdie and closed with a par on the ninth for the lone bogey-free round in the Championship Division.
 
Just one back, is Luke Kane and Ralph Ellis of Amarillo T.X. The former champions were five-under-par before they recorded their lone bogey on the par four, fifth. Their four-under-par round is two clear of their next chaser. Kane and Ellis will have the lead in their sights for the entire round as they are paired to go with Swanson and Pumphrey for round 2.
 
In the Senior Flight, two teams share the lead after the completion of the first round.
 
Ron Kilby of McAllen, T.X. and Larry Nunez of Austin, T.X. made seven birdies in route to firing an opening round of five-under-par, 67. The pair was three-under-par on the day before stepping up to the difficult uphill par four, 12^th, which played to the most difficult on the day. Despite making bogey there, they rallied to make three birdies on their last four holes.
 
Matching that total is Jack Slayton of Albuquerque, N.M. and Bob Walley of Los Lunas, N.M. While only recording five birdies, Walley and Slayton ended their round in style with an eagle on the eighteenth hole, which was the only one recorded on the 18^th in Senior Flight. The only blemishes on the card for the team came on the 3^rd most difficult, par four, 2^nd and on the 12^th.
 
Just one shot behind are Reggie Howell of Tyler, T.X. and Bruce Smith of Longview, T.X.  Howell and Smith made seven birdies and three bogeys for their four-under-par, 68.
 
Chris Maletis of Portland, O.R. and Jim Wilkert of Spicewood, T.X. fired an opening round of two-under-par, 70, to grab a two shot lead in the super senior division.
 
Starting on the back side of the golf course, Maletis and Wilkert were one-over-par before they made a birdie on the 16^th to reach level par. Once again they traded birdie for bogey on the first and second holes, until they managed to go back-to-back with birdies on the eighth and ninth hole.
 
Trailing Maletis and Wilkert is the team of Denny Alexander and Pat Hare of Fort Worth, T.X. Alexander and Hare shot an even par round with a three birdies.
 
Bayonet Blackhorse is no stranger to hosting premier golf championships. The storied course hosted the 45^th PGA Professional National Championship in 2012 and the 26th Senior PGA Professional National Championship in 2015. Bayonet is a top-20 course in California according to Golfweek and ranked as one of GolfNow.com’s top-100 courses in the country.
 
The second round will begin on Wednesday, Sept 13^th at 8:00am (PDT). For more information regarding the 37^th playing of the Trans-Miss Four Ball, please click here. For complete first round results and second round starting time, please click here.
 
Trans-Miss Golf Association Four-Ball: The 37^th Trans-Miss Four-Ball features players in three divisions from across the country competing over 54 holes of Four-Ball Stroke Play.

About the Trans-Mississippi Golf Association

The Trans-Mississippi Golf Association is one of the oldest and most prestigious golf organizations in the United States. Established in 1901, the Trans-Mississippi is composed of over 200 member clubs located throughout the country. The Association is governed by a board of independent directors and is headquartered in Dallas, TX.