TEXARKANA -- Chuck Gardner didn't play competitive golf until he was in his 20s, because he was busy playing professional baseball in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization.

Gardner, 59, had a shot to play professional golf, too, but he failed to advance out of qualifying school for the Champions Tour nine years ago.

Today he plays as an amateur and still good enough to grab the first-round lead at the 98th annual Arkansas State Golf Association's Stroke Play Championship at Texarkana Country Club.

Gardner shot a 6-under-par 66 Thursday for a two-stoke lead over Chris Jenkins and Stan Payne, both of Little Rock. Hot Springs' Seth Garner and Hayes Riser of Little Rock are another stroke back at 69.

Former Player of the Year Ron Mangold of Pocahontas is tied at 70 with Hope's Blake Santifer and Little Rock's Jens Talbert. Mangold had a disappointing finish after getting to 5 under with four holes left.

"I've got a lot of confidence in my golf game right now," said Gardner, a member of Texarkana Country Club who lives in Tyler, Texas. "I'm not thinking about winning this tournament. I'm just having a lot of fun out here. Today was a lot of fun, only two shots off my personal best, and I missed two 10-foot birdie putts."

Gardner still made seven birdie putts, including a 40-footer at the par-4 ninth hole. He birdied all four par-5s, lipping out a 20-foot eagle effort at No. 7. His only bogey came at the long par-3 third, where he three-putted from 45 feet.

"I hit 16 greens today, and got off to a great start with birdies at one and two," he said. "I was 4 under at the turn and birdied the two par fives on the back."

Jenkins, 44, also had seven birdies in his round, but bogeys at Nos. 7, 13 and 14 prevented him from going lower.

"I hit the ball well, but I made some good putts and that was the key to my round," Jenkins said. "I made birdie putts of 35 feet, 15, 18 and 8 on the final four holes, or I could have easily shot even par."

"Who you scrambling with tomorrow," Jenkins teased back.

Nobody is dismissing 61-year-old Stan Lee, a four-time winner of the event and the current state match-play champion, or two-time defending champion Wes McNulty. In fact, Lee won this event in Texarkana 13 years ago with Jenkins finishing second.

"Wes McNulty is probably the best golfer in Arkansas right now," said Little Rock's Tracy Harris, who leads the mid-senior division (age 40-54) after shooting a 3-under 69 on Thursday. "He simply doesn't miss any shots, and you can never count Stan Lee out."

El Dorado's Chris Elia is second in the mid-senior division at 2-under 70, with Little Rock's Ricky Reynolds and El Dorado's Billy Blackburn three shots farther back in third.

Bobby Baker of Little Rock and Bev Hargraves of Helena were the only players under par in the senior division (ages 55-64) at 71. Ron Ocker of Fort Smith and Texarkana's Cal Williams were another shot back at 72.

Little Rock's Mickey Hargett leads the super seniors (65 and older) at 3-under 69. David Waddle of Texarkana shot 74, and David Watkins of Little Rock is two shots farther back.

Sports on 07/11/2014