The easy part is over for the boys competing in the 55th annual Dixie Junior Championship at the Selma Country Club.

The boys completed their first rounds on Tuesday with Millbrook’s Owen Burt and Luverne’s Gauge Cornelius leading the way after a pair of 1-over 72s.

After playing 18 holes Tuesday, many of the players will play 36 holes on Wednesday, depending on whether or not they made the first round cut.

Burt opened his round with a birdie on the par-5 first hole. He also made a birdie on the par-3, ninth, which offset three bogeys in his round.

Cornelius took a similar route to the top of the leaderboard, making birdie on the first and tenth holes.

Like Burt, he also had three bogeys, which kept him over par on the day.

Maddox was only one shot back heading to the 18th, but he made double bogey to fall to 4-over. Spehar double bogeyed the 16th, but birdied the last to get to 4-over and within three shots of the lead.

In the 15-and-16 year-old age group, any players who shot 80 or lower made the first round cut. The cut was at 78 or better for players aged 17 and 18.

Players between 15 and 18 compete for the overall championship and play the blue tees.

Of the Selma golfers in the 15-18 age group, Thomas Morris fared the best. Morris shot a first round 79, including making a birdie on the par-4 third hole. David Cothran had a first round 91.

Selma’s Jones Free leads by one shot in the 13-14 age group after a first round 75.

The 13-and 14-year-olds play the white tees and are not eligible to win the overall tournament.

Selma’s Gus Colvin and Arrington Mooney were also in the 13-14 age group. Colvin shot an 84 and Mooney  shot 91.