OAKLAND, California (October 28, 2006) -- Martin Trainer's playing partners were cheering him on today at Metropolitan Golf Links, which is generally what happens among competitive players when they witness the kind of round the 15-year-old was having on Saturday.

Although Trainer's 12 foot birdie putt on No. 9 (his final hole) power-lipped out for 63, his round of 8-under-par 64 left his playing partners in awe of a nearly-perfect round.

"Martin was swinging like a tour player today," said playing partner Patrick Pernice, who should know - his brother Tom is among the top 30 players on the PGA Tour money list. "I was hoping he would tie the course record so I could give my friend Dong Yi [the course record holder at 63] a hard time."

Trainer credited recent experience playing with Champions Tour players John Mahaffey and Dick Mast at the First Tee Open, plus a swing change, (working with John McMullin at Palo Alto Golf Course) in helping him to a career best day.

"I'm trying to swing on plane, and it's starting to work for me," said Trainer, who advanced as far as the round-of-16 in this year's San Francisco City Championship. "I also learned a lot playing with the senior pros at the First Tee Open at Pebble Beach."

Trainer, who was paired with John Mahaffey in the relatively new Champions Tour event that pairs senior pros with juniors who advance through regional qualifying, said that Dick Mast took a lot of time teaching him the intricacies of the game during a practice round.

"Mr. Mast told me to keep it below the hole, and I did that well today," explained Trainer.

But you don't shoot 64 without the complete package, and Trainer may have showed his abilities best today at the par-5 17th hole, his 8th. He split the middle with a 300-plus yard drive, and followed it with a four iron that left him with a 12-footer, which he converted for eagle. He closed the nine at 32, and did the same on the front, forcing the rest of the field into chase-mode on Sunday. The closest pursuer is Andrew Bowdish of San Jose, who shot 4-under-par 68, and 2 strokes back is recent winning NCGA Cup Team member Arvo Voip, who posted 70.

In the net division, Tamara Holmes of Albany, a 12 handicapper who splits her golf time between Tilden Park and Metropolitan Golf Links, is in position to become the woman to win an amateurgolf.com event. Holmes shot a net 66 to lead a pack of three amateurgolf.com veterans who posted 67.

Tom Lyons leads the senior division after posting a 3-under-par 69. Lyons, a Pleasanton-based real estate agent, leads former Alameda Commuters Senior Champ Jay Guerin of Alameda by one.

First round results from the Metropolitan Amateur, played at the par-72 Metropolitan Golf Links:

CHAMPIONSHIP
Name		Hometown	R1
Martin Trainer		Palo Alto, CA	64
Andrew Bowdish		San Jose, CA	68
Arvo Voip		Magalia, CA	70
Jason Stone		Antioch, CA	71
Justin Tambunting		Elk Grove, CA	71
Greg Hutton		Oakland, CA	72
Mike Granelli		Clayton, CA	72
Samuel Chavez		Hillsborough, CA	72
Bryan Kiss		Coronado, CA	73
Buck Branson		San Francisco, CA	73
Taylor Travis		Fremont, CA	73
Andrew Biggadike		Palo Alto, CA	74
Brian Thibault		San Jose, CA	74
Chip Doyle		Castro Valley, CA	74
Jim Heidel		Burbank, CA	74
Matt Cohn		San Francisco, CA	74
Matthew Garcia		Burlingame, CA	74
Bryan Martin		Thousand Oaks, CA	75
Jack Paton		Hillsborough, CA	75
Randy Haag		Burlingame, CA	75
Stan Morrison		San Francisco, CA	75
Patrick Pernice		Oakland, CA	76
Sal Felice II		Hollister, CA	76
Blake Andrus		El Dorado Hills, CA	77
Jon Mygrant		Redding, CA	77
Mason Mallory		Hillsboro, CA	77
Michael Shwe		Cupertino, CA	77
Randall Schwartz		Burlingame, CA	77
Bradford Thomas		San Anselmo, CA	78
Weston Payne		Menlo Park, CA	78
Zach Burton		Manhattan, KS	78
Keith Schwartz		Burlingame, CA	79
Mark Douglas		San Jose, CA	79
Matthew Wallach		Los Altos, CA	79
Evan Green		San Francisco, CA	80
John Hasse		Berkeley, CA	80
Jon Burkard		Alameda, CA	80
Albert Conceicao		San Jose, CA	81
Mathew Park		Alameda, CA	81
Sean Nadir		Los Altos, CA	81
Esan Geroux		Mill Valley, CA	82
Martin Renaud		Hayward, CA	82
Todd Edwards		Sunnyvale, CA	82
Donald Gerber		Menlo Park, CA	84
Ryan McCole		El Cerrito, CA	85
Andrew Brooks		San Francisco, CA	86
Adam Cioth		San Francisco, CA	88
SENIOR
Name		Hometown
Tom Lyons		Pleasanton, CA	69
Jay Guerin		Fremont, CA	70
Mark Miller		Antioch, CA	72
Daniel Kuper		Sunnyvale, CA	77
Terry Ackerman		Monterey, CA	77
Bob Reed		Fremont, CA	78
James Clouser		Danville, CA	78
Michael Donnelly		Clayton, CA	78
Mike Reidy		Pleasanton, CA	78
Walt Edgerley		Pleasanton, CA	82
Thomas Hitchcock		San Mateo, CA	83
Kevin Tierney		Sunnyvale, CA	85
NET
Name
Tamara Holmes		Albany, CA	66
Lucas Heller		Piedmont, CA	67
Gary Koshaba		San Francisco, CA	67
Vincent Steele		Concord, CA	67
James Grensted		Belmont, CA	70
Joe Garske		Vacaville, CA	70
Fred Luper		Suisun, CA	71
Russ Burch		Walnut Creek, CA	71
Bryan Dailey		Signal Hill, CA	71
Dave Nikitin		Vacaville, CA	71
James Murphy		San Francisco, CA	73
Gary Basilio		Novato, CA	73
Korsen Yu		Sunnyvale, CA	73
Roger Soell		Salinas, CA	73
Bill Strahan		Burlingame, CA	74
Harvey Hunter		Elk Grove, CA	75
Bart Goldie		Oakland, CA	76
Jeff Kier		San Jose, CA	77
Noel Rush		Pacifica, CA	77
Kevin Smith		Richmond, CA	78
Philip Hacker		Martinez, CA	78
I. Joe Ceniceros		La Mirada, CA	79
Robert Vernon		San Francisco, CA	80
Al Richardson		Santa Clara, CA	82
Mike Sly		Los Altos, CA	83
Morrie Birnbaum		Concord, CA	85
Bruce Stinson		Emeryville, CA	87
Paul Agriesti		Orinda, CA	87
Renato Madamba		Albany, CA	99

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