In the MPO Division, Day 1 was marked by a packed leaderboard with two players—DGPT season points leader Anthony Barela and a relative unknown, Kevin Kiefer III—tied at the top with 11-under opening rounds.

Barela, who is coming off his second DGPT Elite win of the year at Texas States, showed no sign of the nerves that often come along with being the guy to beat.

Stepping up to the first tee, donning his signature shields, Barela flawlessly executed one of the most difficult tee shots on the course—a downhill 520ft shot that requires a slow anny turn from a RHBH player.

Putting from 25ft, Barela caught the right side chains to drop in for birdie.

By that point in the day, Kiefer, who had the benefit of playing early and away from the DGN cameras and galleries, was already in the clubhouse.

Kiefer Comes Out of Nowhere

Playing in his 27th career DGPT Elite Series event the Floridian, Kiefer, has never finished inside the top-10, and if the 1075-unnoficial rating holds, Friday’s jaunt around the Disc Side of Heaven track would be the highest-rated round of his career.

Barela and Kiefer will be joined on Saturday’s lead card by James Conrad and Ricky Wysocki who are locked in a 6-way tie for 3rd place, two strokes behind the leader.

MPO Lead Card Tees off Saturday at 3:55 C.T. with Live coverage only on the Disc Golf Network.