Sam Bedwell battered Brainerd Golf Course with a barrage of birdies.

The Lee University freshman from Ooltewah had eight birdies, including five in a row, during his 6-under-par round of 66 in the first day of the 63rd Brainerd Invitational.

“This is normally how I play at the end of the summer,” said Bedwell, who birdied Nos. 9-13. “The high school season was in the fall and I never played much in the spring. Then I got to college and it was different.

“So I’ve been going at it for three or four months.”

Bedwell owns a two-stroke lead over defending champion Matt Mathis. Todd Moreland, Tyler Neff, Richard Keene and Gil Milton are all three strokes behind Bedwell at 69.

Morning rain delayed the tournament by about two hours and forced tournament organizers to send groups simultaneously off the Nos. 1 and 10 tees. The wet conditions Saturday allowed players to lift, clean and place through the green even though the course dried well.

Milton said the rule advantage helped him break 70 for the first time in his life. The feat had yet to set in when he signed his scorecard.

“Having the ball in hand was a huge benefit,” Milton said. “It was one of those rounds where everything goes in the right direction. And I got a couple of breaks.”

For Mathis, who won in a playoff over former Lee player Josh Coley last year, playing as the defending champion wasn’t much different than playing in any of his other Brainerd invitationals.

It’s a tournament he’s looked forward to since working at the course in 1995. This is where he learned to play the game.

“You just really want to play well and not embarrass yourself if you can help it,” Mathis said. “This is my home track in my heart.”

It’s also the second home for Keene, who has won this tournament five times, including a stretch of three in a row during his younger days.

“Shooting 69 was an absolute miracle,” Keene said with a chuckle. “It’s my coming-out party for 2008.”

Moreland’s 69 earned him a spot in the final group today with Bedwell and Mathis. They are scheduled to tee off at 12:30.

“I know I can do it,” Moreland said. “It’s just a matter of doing it again.”

Neff, Milton and Keene will tee off 10 minutes before the final group. The winner will likely come from one of those two groups, but Ryan Hulton looms after shooting 70 and veteran Tom Baird is at 71.

“It will be a shootout,” Mathis said. “You’ve got seasoned guys, and I’m sure the college guys won’t back down. It ought to be fun.”