NATCHEZ — For a while it looked like the team of Wesley Rogers and Kevin Smith Jr. of Natchez was going to have a huge lead at the 2009 Beau Pré Fall 4-Ball Invitational Saturday at Beau Pré Country Club.

Rogers and Smith Jr. shot a 10-under-par 62 and had finished their round in the early afternoon. And for quite some time, the closest any team was to that was a good six shots back at 4-under-par 68.

“There’s a big out-of-town contingent. Lots of teams from Louisiana,” Smith Jr. said. “It was a little windy today, but there’s still some good teams coming in.”

Among those teams that have a chance today in the championship flight is that of Brett Ashmore of Lafayette, La., and Josh Camp of Rayne, La., which shot itself into contention with a bogey-free round of 8-under-par 64.

As for Rogers and Smith Jr.’s round, it was comprised of nine birdies, one birdie and a three-putt for bogey on No. 7.

“Kevin and I both played well. We were firing at everything. We birdied 3 and 4 and then we eagled No. 5. Then we bogeyed No. 7,” Rogers said. “We just had it going.”

“We played very well. Hit a bunch of greens. Made some putts,” Smith Jr. said. “The greens are in real good condition. They’re rolling well. They’re there for the taking. I hope we can keep the rain away (today) so we can get this in.”

Camp had a unique perspective about today’s final round, which could be marred by rain. “If it rains, we get to watch the (New Orleans) Saints game,” he said.

Ashmore added, “We had a 62 in mind. We thought it might be a one-day tournament.”

Beau Pré golf pro Tom Bryant said if rain cancels the final round, the outcome of the championship, first, second and third flights would be determined by Saturday’s scores – and in some cases by scorecard playoffs.

As for how Camp and Ashmore’s round itself, Camp said, “We birdied different holes. We never birdied the same hole. Brett birdied five holes. I had three birdies. I drove the ball well. Brett putted well. It was consistent. I don’t think we had one hole we had to worry about.”

“We played good today. If I hit a bad shot, Josh would hit a good shot. You know the old saying about brother-in-lawing together. That’s what we did,” Ashmore said. “We got off to a good start. We were 2-under through 3. Josh made a great putt for birdie on 8. He drove the green on 12. We missed a 12-foot eagle putt. It lipped out. I made a six-foot putt for par on 14. That was our first big test.

“We started well and finished strong with bookend birdies. It was a lot of fun playing with the Hollingsworths (Guy and Stephen). Course is in great shape. Greens are rolling quick and smooth.”

Although Guy and Stephen Hollingsworth paid their entry fees for this tournament, they are not eligible because Stephen Hollingsworth is a professional.

Just three shots back is the team of Marc Noel and Cade Hebert from Abbeville, La. After getting off to a solid start, Noel and Hebert couldn’t get much going on the back nine en route to a round of 7-under-par 65.

“We got off to a pretty good start. We had three birdies in a row on 3, 4 and 5. We made the turn at 5-under,” Noel said. “The back nine, we never gave ourselves any good birdie looks. We birdied 15 and 18. Cade hit a good wedge shot on 15 and we made the putt. We’re happy with it. We’re still in the hunt.”

Tee times for today’s final round are scheduled to start at 8 a.m.