Mark Korell spent part of his summer carrying Brad Nurski’s bag, trying to help Nurski qualify for the U.S. Open.

Korell will have his friend’s golf bag in the cart again today at Fairview Golf Course. Just not for the same reason.

Both shot 3-under 68s during the first round of the City Golf Championship on Friday afternoon at Moila Country Club. They enter the second round at Fairview tied for the lead and in the final group.

The two dueled to a playoff in the two-round Fairview Club Championship last month, eventually won by Nurski.

“Evidently, he still can’t beat his caddie,” Korell said. “He tied me in the club championship, so he’s going to have to beat me this time.”

Korell posted his 68 from the front group, capping his round with a birdie on 18. Then he waited for the rest of the championship flight to finish in the late afternoon.

Nurski was the only one to equal Korell, carding a round with 13 pars, four birdies and one bogey. Nurski made his charge on the back side with birdies at 10, 14 and 15.

The defending champion set a tournament record with a 198 total last year and blew away the field. To earn his fourth city title, Nurski will have to overcome a much more crowded leaderboard this year, which includes seven players within five shots of the lead and 11 within six.

“There’s a couple shots out there that I would’ve done a little different,” said Nurski, who has won the city championship each of the last three times he entered.

“But it’s the first day of the city tournament, and you don’t want to shoot yourself out of it.”

Brian Haskell and Derek Baade join Nurski and Korell in today’s final group with identical 2-under 69s. Baade played alongside Nurski in the final group but struggled to 2-over after nine holes.

The senior-to-be at Savannah made three bogeys on the front, including a 6 at the par-5 second hole.

On the backside, Baade’s flat stick started to heat up. A 25-footer down the hill for birdie on 10 started it, and he added birdies at 13, 15 and 18 on a bogey-free back 9.

“The putt on 10 was a good putt, probably (my) best putt of the day,” said Baade, playing in just his second city championship. “That really got it going.”

Haskell’s round could’ve easily put the five-time champion in the lead. At 4-under through five holes, Haskell added three bogeys and a double on his way to a 69.

But like the rest of championship flight, he’ll be chasing Nurski ... and Korell, who knows the man to beat during the final two rounds.

“My goal was to shoot a couple under and hope Brad didn’t do something stupid like shoot a 62,” Korell said. “Obviously, it always depends on what Brad does.

“He’s still the guy to catch or at least keep a close eye on.”

Assistant sports editor Ross Martin can be reached at rossmartin@npgco.com