Chase Smith has had plenty of rounds better than the 2-over 74 he shot Monday in the first round of the Class 1A state tournament at Clear Creek Golf Course.

The two-time Class 1A champion overcame a rough start, hitting two balls in the water in his first five holes, to score the 74 which was still four shots better than Mercy Cross’ Leland Dunning’s 6-over 78.

While Smith is in line to capture a third individual title, his St. Aloysius teammates are in position to deliver a team championship. The next three Flashes behind Smith all shot in the low 80s for a a six-stroke lead over Mercy Cross going into today’s final round.

&#8220Six shots is not a lot of shots. We all have to have good rounds tomorrow,” said St. Al golfer Charles Marsalis, who carded a 9-over 81.

John Reid Golding shot an 80 while John Lindigrin came in with an 82. The combined 317 score was six better than Mercy Cross’ 323. The Biloxi-based Crusaders got an 80 from Jacob Leckich, an 81 from Stephen Peresich and an 84 from No. 4 man Tom Quinn.

Smith felt he could have had an under-par round with a few breaks and a few more putts made. He had only one birdie on the day, that coming on No. 16, a par 5.

&#8220I couldn’t make any putts all day,” said Smith, who has won the Class 1A medalist honor in 2003 and 2005. &#8220The one birdie came at the par-5 16th, but I didn’t birdie the other par 5s. I can play a lot better than I did.”

Smith’s errant shots that found the water cost him some early strokes.

&#8220On No. 3, the wind caught the ball, it hit the back of the green and then went into the water. On No. 5, I hit it good, but got a bad bounce and it went into the water again. You’ve got to have some breaks. That’s why I’m looking to shoot a 3-under (today) so I can get under par for the tournament,” Smith said.

Dunning held a one-stroke lead after nine holes. But a bogey at 12 followed by Smith’s birdie at 16 put Smith up. Then at 17, Dunning scored a tripled bogey.

&#8220Everything went fine except for 17,” Dunning said. &#8220I dropped my club on the back swing, hit a bad shot and wound up with a triple.”

Golding may have had third to himself and helped give the Flashes some more cushion in the team race had he made a few more putts. A prime example came at No. 12 when he hit a fairway chip within two feet of the flag. He then two-putted for a par.

&#8220That was the best approach shot I had all day. But I was left with a tough downhill putt and I didn’t hit it good enough. I had about seven or eight holes for birdies but the only one that went in was at 10,” Golding said.

Natchez Cathedral, which won the team title at the Vicksburg Country Club in 2005, was 36 strokes behind St. Al at 353. Jake Kaiser led the Waves with an 83 while Aaron Murphy had an 88.

West Union was fourth at 387 followed by Thrasher at 397, Puckett at 408 and Hamilton at 409.