Medford, Ore. – Twenty-four teams of the best amateur players from OGA clubs around Oregon and Southwest Washington competed in today’s first-round of the 87th OGA Men’s Team Championship, played at Centennial Golf Club in Medford, Ore.

In the team competition, it’s anyone’s title to take with a bunching at the top including 12 teams within six shots of the top spot. The team from Chehalem Glenn Golf Club (Ron Hop, Aaron Purser, Maurisio Rayas, Russ Kosters) currently sits atop the leaderboard with a team score of two-over par 218. Heron Lakes & Rock Creek Country Club sit tied at 219. Portland Golf Club, Royal Oaks Country Club & Arrowhead Golf Club remain strongly in contention at 220.

The Championship format is a 36-hole team competition where three of the best four individual scores from each team will be taken to form the team total each day.

Last year, the team from Bandon Dunes Golf Club won by nine strokes over the squad from Columbia Edgewater Country Club, who’d been dominant in this event. Columbia Edgewater currently sits five strokes back at 223.

In the individual competition, Heron Lakes Team #1’s Alfred Laurie (Portland, Ore.) set the pace early, leading the field with a 5-under par 67 to hold the first-round lead. Laurie’s round included six birdies and just one bogey. Centennial’s Jimmy White (Eagle Point, Ore.) took advantage of his local knowledge, also carding six birdies, but two bogeys left him sitting one stroke back at 4-under par 68. 

2014 Oregon Amateur Runner-Up Austin Landis (Gladstone, Ore.) started out his A.M. round red hot by carding four straight birdies and getting to five-under par through six holes on his way to a four-under par 32 on his front nine. However, a four-over par 40 on his back nine left him with an even-par 72 for the day.

Seven players currently sit tied for third at one-under par.

Centennial Golf Club in Medford, Ore. is playing to a tournament distance of 6,921 yards. The course opened to rave reviews on May 20, 2006 and has been the talk of the town since. The facility boasts 18 holes of spectacular golf designed by two time PGA Tour winner and 1977 US Amateur Champion, John Fought.

Sunday’s final-round play resumes at 7:30 A.M. For complete results, visit www.oga.org.