Coghlin, who will play in the U.S. Mid-Amateur next week at the Country Club of Birmingham, is 28, caddies at Shoal Creek and lives in Irondale. He hails from Saskatoon in Saskatchewan in Canada and played golf for the University of Montevallo.

“I’d never seen the course before and didn’t have a chance for a practice round. I’d heard the fairways were pretty wide and there would be some birdie chances, but I never imagined something like a 64.”

He started on the back nine and quickly got to three-under-par.

“I was just focused on each shot and did a great job of not getting wrapped up in my score. However, when I made the turn in 30 (six-under) I started thinking too much (about a really low score) and got a little protective.”

However, he closed with birdies on Nos. 7 and 9 (his 16th and 18th holes) for his eight-under-par matching eight birdie with 10 pars.

“That’s my lowest competitive round ever, but there’s a long way to go. A lot can change in nine holes, let alone 36 holes. I just want to keep playing well and keep thinking well.”

Coghlin leads Matthew Gourgeot of Decatur, Will Swift of Vestavia Hills and Andrew Lee of Pell City by three after they each fired rounds of 67.

Robson Copenhaver of Scottsboro and former Mid-Amateur champion Matt Johnson of Dothan are on 68.

This 54-hole championship is conducted at stroke play by the Alabama Golf Association and concludes on Sunday.

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