ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (August 15, 2026) – Jeffrey Johnston and Timothy Johnston of St. Joseph fired a 12-under-par 59 on Saturday to take a three-shot lead following the opening round of the 2026 Missouri Four-Ball Championship at St. Joseph Country Club.
The two-day championship features Championship and Net divisions competing in four-ball format. Players opened the championship under hot and humid conditions, with temperatures climbing into the 90s throughout the day.
The Johnston duo set the pace in the Championship Division and capped their opening round in impressive fashion with an eagle on the 18th hole to finish at 12-under.
Despite holding a three-shot advantage, the Johnstons will have plenty of teams within striking distance during Sunday’s final round. Seven teams are tied for second at 9-under-par 62.
Ben Pearson and Zach Vandolah, Bryan Wright and Caleb Carter, Chancen Jordan and Chayton Jordan, Lawson Barks and Landon Barks, Tyler Stalker and Aaron Clark, Dylan Bekemeier and Chase Gafner, and Ashton Vinton and Kingston Solomon all sit three strokes off the lead heading into the final 18 holes.
The Net Division is even more tightly packed after the opening round, with seven teams sharing the lead at 5-under-par 66. Todd Michalski and Erich Van Cleave of St. Joseph, Danny Vaughan and Sam Verslues of Jefferson City, Chris Rackers and Matt Clement of Jefferson City, Phil Schnieders and Scott Jones of Jefferson City, Arnold Bailey and Randy Kay of Linn and Jefferson City, Kyle Thomas and Brad Hubbard of Maryville and St. Joseph, and Reid Atha and Brooks Schoeneck of St. Joseph will all enter Sunday’s final round tied atop the leaderboard.
One of Saturday’s highlights also came from the Net Division, where Matt Clement of Jefferson City recorded a hole-in-one on the par-3 13th hole while playing alongside Chris Rackers.
With both divisions still up for grabs, the Missouri Four-Ball Championship will conclude Sunday at St. Joseph Country Club. Final-round tee times begin at 8:00 a.m., with all groups starting from the first hole.
Complete scoring and results from the championship can be found at https://mga-2026missourifourballchampionship.golfgenius.com/pages/5800384. For additional championship coverage, visit mogolf.org and follow Missouri Golf on social media.
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Missouri Golf is the official governing body for amateur golf in Missouri. Founded in 1905, Missouri Golf is dedicated to promoting and protecting the game of golf in Missouri through championship competitions, handicapping services, course rating, junior golf programs and various educational initiatives. Missouri Golf serves golfers across the state and is committed to providing opportunities to compete, develop and enjoy the game. For more information, visit mogolf.org.
