Despite a course that absorbed 8 1/2 inches of rain over three days, Selma Country Club’s three-man scramble started and concluded on time.

The trio of David Cothren, Paul Garner and Andy Stewart led the pack with a 13-under-par 57.

“We got it going on No. 14 with an eagle,” said Stewart. David hit the ball well, and we just kind of rolled from there.”

Three teams — William Free, Wren Burns and Will Pearce; Andrew Knithfer, Jake Nick and Bain Hanning; and Frank Sharker, Beaney Thornton and Earl Thornton — tied for second with a 12-under.

“Weather considering, everything went well,” said Selma Country Club golf pro Tommy Burns. We had no no-shows and an additional team.”

The field included participants from Selma, in addition to several other cities. The players that don’t call Selma home left the tournament’s first day highly impressed.

“Golf in Selma is incredible,” said Keith Bradford of Wetumpka. “This is probably as friendly a group of people as you’d ever want to meet.”

Despite tying for sixth place in the third flight, Bradford and his partners, Jeremy Sutton and Mike O’Malley did not leave with dampened spirits.

“The people grow on you,” said Sutton, who made his third appearance in Selma on Saturday.

The group was also impressed by the course’s condition despite the earlier inclement weather.

“I don’t know how they managed to pull this off,” said Bradford. “The course has been dry.”

Before the leader’s scorecard came in, Brewton’s Steve Nelson Jr., David Jennings and Robbie Cotton led the field with a 10-under-par 60.

The trio tied for sixth place with three other teams — Hersheal Headley, Tony Levins and George Sheridan; Clarke Burns, Phillip Mandel and Lee Burt; and Scott Cornet, Justin Bush and Brent Wilson.

Dr. Don Blanton, Billy Blanton and Allan Crow finished one shot ahead to secure sole possession of fifth place.

Saturday’s scores determined today’s three-flight field that tees off at 9 a.m.