Barrett Martens and Trent Twaddle didn’t play well Tuesday at Alvamar Golf Course. They didn’t play well Wednesday, either.

Turns out they didn’t have to.

“We knew the tournament really started today,” Twaddle said. “Our goal wasn’t to win stroke play – it was to win match play.”

After needing a playoff Wednesday to take the 31st seed in a 32-team field, the pair upended

second-seeded Brad Boan and Ryan Spears in a day full of upsets at the Kansas Golf Assn. Four-Ball Championships.

Martens and Twaddle later overcame a two-stroke deficit to defeat Tyler Lytton and Ryan Rody and advance to today’s quarterfinals.

“I just thought we were in control of the match,” Martens said. “We were hitting it better.”

The two are an unlikely pair: Martens competes for Kansas University while Twaddle plays for Missouri University.

Kansas University golfer Barrett Martens, left, and Missouri University golfer Trent Twaddle prepare their putts on the 17th green. Martens and Twaddle won their pairing in the Kansas Four-Ball Tournament Thursday at Alvamar Golf Course.

Both went to high school in Missouri and became friends as golfing competitors. Martens chose KU in part because his parents attended the school.

“I don’t hate Missouri,” Martens said. “I’m a split guy.”

Kansas State’s team of Spencer Alefs and Ben Kern pulled off the biggest stunner of the day, knocking off top-seeded Jon Troutman and Andrew Emerson, 2&1, in the second round.

“It was one of those days where every putt seemed to go for us,” Alefs said, “and we needed every one of them.”

After a bogey on No. 1, the Wildcat pair birdied eight of the next 15 holes to knock out the tournament favorites.

Kansas University golfer Barrett Martens grabs his ball from the final hole of the day. Martens and teammate Trent Twaddle won their pairing Thursday during the Kansas Four-Ball Tournament at Alvamar Golf Course.

“We played under the 16 seed,” Alefs said, “but neither one of us really felt like the underdog.”

Third-seeded Gary Lucas and C.C. Metzler also stumbled on the first day of play, losing their opening match to 30th-seeded David Byrne and Mike Cuttshall, 2&1.

All of which opens the door for Gary Woodland and teammate Luke Trammell, who dominated from the get-go Thursday. After struggling in the qualifying rounds, the KU tandem produced convincing 6&5 victories in its two matches.

Woodland is going for his third consecutive Kansas Four-Ball title.

“Obviously we made a statement that we’re both starting to play better,” Woodland said. “We’re coming out here and playing well together. That’s the most important thing.”

John Sinovic grimaces after narrowly missing a putt on the 17th green. Sinovic and his partner, Jeff Hanslick, lost to Kansas State golfers Jay Humphrey and Tyler Cummins.

The turnaround started at the first hole, with Trammell smashing his tee shot down the middle of the fairway.

“We kind of had rocky starts the first two days,” Woodland said. “He came out and hit a great drive to start it, and that just kind of got my blood flowing, too.”

The pair shot seven under par over the next 13 holes.

All 16 players remaining in the eight-team field are collegiate golfers.

That includes a second K-State pairing, as Tyler Cummins and Jay Kramer held on against John Sinovic and Jeffrey Hanslick (2&1) to advance.

The quarterfinals begin today at 7:30 a.m., with the semifinals following at 12:30 p.m.