Golf: Williams fires 70 for opening-round lead in City Championship

The recent rains allowed players to lift and clean their golf balls Friday during the first round of the Odessa City Championship golf tournament at Ratliff Ranch Golf Links.

The course still had the better day.

Just five players in a field of 90 were able to break par, with Kevin Williams’ 2-under-par 70 leading the way by one shot in the Championship Flight.

One shot back in a second-place tie are Ryan Barcena and Chad Hanchey. Koy Stribling sits in fourth at even-par 72 over the 6,957-yard layout.

The second round begins at 7:30 a.m. today, weather permitting, when the Championship Flights goes off first.

Williams started quickly with birdies at Nos. 1 and 3. Another birdie at No. 5 put him at 3-under at the turn.

“You make the turn at 3-under, you’re looking at a red number,” Williams said. “I gave a shot back on No. 11 with a bogey and then held on from there.

“I live right down the street and we got 1 3/4 inches of rain last night and I thought there was no way were going to play (Friday), but they did a great job in getting this course ready for us. I really thought there was a 67 or 68 out there, but no one was able to put it together.”

Hanchey, who last played the tournament in 2001, felt he hit the ball well, but couldn’t get a putt to fall all day.

After bogeying the first hole, he birdied Nos. 2 and 3 to get under par and then stayed there the rest of the round.

“It was so wet on some holes that we had to move quite a bit to find a spot to hit from,” Hanchey said. “But it was lot better than everyone expected out there.

“I think getting off first (in the second round) will make a difference on the greens because they’ll be smooth and we’ll have a chance make some putts.”

Barcena, a recent graduate of Lubbock Christian University, also is playing in his second city championship, last having teed it up in 2006.

He also had good things to say about the way the course was prepared Friday, but hopes that the forecasted overnight storm stays away and the course has a chance to dry out a little over the next two days.

“I hope it dries out and is it able to firm up a little bit,” Barcena said of the layout. “There was no roll out there (Friday) and even with lift and clean it was a long day.

“I think there is a low number out there, it’s just a matter of making putts because the greens are really soft and holding really well.”