Don Blanton estimates he’s won the Selma Country Club Championship 10 to 12 times. He’ll have another golden opportunity to win Sunday, at age 69.

Blanton shot an opening round 68 — one shot under his age — and led by two shots over last year’s winner Paul Garner. Tournament chairman Beau Boyd said Garner has won nine of the last 11 Club Championships.

“It was a lot of fun. I mainly just putted good today. I didn’t hit the ball as good as I usually do, but it was good,” Blanton said. “I’ve been shooting under my age for a while now, but I think that’s the first time I’ve done it in a tournament.”

Blanton and Garner played together during Saturday’s round and ended up pacing the field.

Blanton made birdies on two, three, nine, 11, 12 and 15 to offset three bogeys. Garner birdied two, five, 12 and 18 to beat last year’s opening round 71, which won him the tournament after the final round was called due to thunderstorms.

He may have to go a bit lower this year.

“If somebody goes out and throws a low round out there tomorrow, they may have a chance, but we’re all just pulling against Paul because his name is up there way too many times,” Boyd joked.

Like last year’s final round, Saturday’s round was also impacted by weather. Shortly after the adults teed off, play had to be stopped for about 45 minutes due to a rain shower.

Luckily, the forecast for Sunday’s final round is mostly clear. With weather not playing a factor, the stage is set for a tight finish.

Logan Tucker was another shot back after an opening round 71. He birdied one, nine and 17 but doubled bogeyed the sixth hole.

Paul Portwood and Troy Harvill were another shot back with 73s. Portwood birdied one and two but bogeyed three and five to give those two shots back. He made another birdie at 12 but also double bogeyed 17.

Harvill made only one birdie, a two at the par-3 second, but only made three bogeys all day too.

Boyd was another shot back. He made two birdies, but made three straight bogeys on the back-9 to fall over par.

While Blanton leads the gross score tournament — which is based on the number of actual shots taken – Brennan Nedley leads the net score portion after a 65. The net score is calculated by subtracting a player’s handicap from their gross score.

Tucker and Ken Morrison are two shots back and Blanton is three back in the net-score competition. The winner of net the score championship will be awarded the Hike Eastep Trophy.

The tournament also includes a junior division, with nine children competing in all. Jones Free, playing in the boys 12-14 age group, and Thomas Morris, playing in the 15-18 age group, each shot opening round 76s, the best score of any juniors that played 18 holes.

Fairchild Garner, Paul’s daughter, shot an opening round 66 in nine holes as the only player in the girls 11 and under division; Tayem Hammad shot 72 in nine holes in the boys 8 and under divison; and Barron Frazer led the two player boys 9-11 division after a first round 58 in nine holes.

The tournament also usually includes women, but no women participated this year. Last year’s female champion, Sammi Park has moved, said PGA professional Tommy Burns. Sunday’s final round will start for the men at 1 p.m.