PIQUA — Ben Gover has the lead after 18 holes at the 36-hole Piqua City Golf Championship at Echo Hills Saturday.

The final round will be played Sunday at Echo Hills, with a number of strong players looking to make a move on Gover.

Gover carded nine of 35 and 36 for a one-under par 71 and a one-shot lead over Ron Pearson Jr.

Gover had back-to-back birdies on the par-4 second and par-3 third and added a birdie on the par-3 seventh in shooting 35 on the front nine.

He added a birdie on the par-5 12th hole.

Pearson Jr. birdied the par-4 first hole and par-5 fifth hole for a two-under par 34 on the front nine. He came in with 38 on the back, which included a birdie on the always difficult par-4 13th hole.

Two more shots back after 74s are defending champion Brian Robbins and Ryan Pearson.

Robbins had an even par-36 on the front and a 38 coming in.

He went back-to-back twice with birdies on two and three and on the par-5 ninth hole and the long par-4 10th hole.

Pearson had match nines of 37s with birdies on seven, the par-4 11th hole and par-4 16th hole.

Another shot back is Brian Deal after a 75.

Deal shot an even-par 36 on the front nine after birdies on two and five, before coming in with a 39.

First Flight

It was an even battle between Rob Kiser and Brendan O’Leary for nine hole in the first flight.

Both carded 44s on the front nine.

Kiser had a match 44 on the back for an 88.

O’Leary is in second after a 101, which included a birdie on the par-3 third hole, where his tee shot finished less than a foot from the hole.

Seniors

Mike Underwood has the lead in the Seniors competition after an opening round of 37-40—77.

He holds a two-shot lead over John Voress and Marv Simmons.

Underwood had birdies on the par-4 fourth hole, 12 and the par-3 17th hole.

Voress went out in 37 before coming in with a 42.

Simmons improved his bounce-back stats with a birdie on the par-5 fifth hole and had nines of 40 and 39.

Mike Emrick is five shots back after shooting 82.