The ‘old guys’ are back.

With their age comes the knowledge that repeating as champions of the Kansas Golf Association Four-Ball tournament will be just as difficult for Chad Roesler and Conrad Roberts as it was winning the first time.

Last year, Roesler and Roberts paired to work their way through a field filled with current college golfers – and some fresh out of college – to claim the four-ball crown.

“We’ve been living off this for 12 months now,” Roberts said. “It’s kind of sad it’s coming to an end, but we’re hoping to make another good showing this year. Who knows, prolong it another 12 months? Who’s to say?”

The former Kansas University golfers will begin their title defense today with stroke play at Alvamar Golf Course. Their final round of stroke play will be Wednesday at Alvamar Country Club. Match play will then start Thursday with the 36-hole championship match being held on Saturday.

Playing against college kids round after round a year ago, Roberts and Roesler realized their short game eventually would lead them past the younger golfers.

“I remember when I was that age, it was always about how far you could hit it and not so much about how good a putter you are,” Roesler said. “But I was surprised. Last year was the first time I played with college kids in a long time and was amazed how good they were around the greens. But I do believe that we can hold our own on the greens, with anybody.”

Heading into last year’s championship match – after four rounds of match play on top of two days of stroke play – the ex-Jayhawk golfers had played 104 holes in four days.

Roesler and Roberts faced off with 2006 champs, Cameron Bishop and Ty Sanders, in the final match a year ago. The title round ended up going all 36 holes, with the self-proclaimed ‘old guys’ defeating the Wichita State duo of Bishop and Sanders, 1-up.

“As I look back on last year, every one of our matches did come down to the end, and we easily could have lost from the second round on,” Roesler said. “It’s amazing how many things have to go your way to actually make it to the finals. So I have no expectations for this year.”

The current Lawrence residents won’t have to wait until match play to see their opponents from the championship match.

Roberts and Roesler tee-off at 11 a.m. on the public side with Sanders and Bishop in the foursome starting 10 minutes behind the defending duo.

The two teams will pair up on Wednesday for the 8:50 a.m. foursome teeing off on the private side.

“There won’t be any joshing at all,” Roberts said. “It will be complete respect on both sides. We respect those kids, and they are both solid golfers. They will be the ones to watch this year. If they’re not the favorites, then they’ll be real close.”

Playing on the private side during stroke play is new for the 20th Annual KGA Four-Ball Championship. The tournament has grown to 64 teams, which will be vying for 32 spots in a single elimination match play bracket.

For the first time, the tournament also will include a Masters Division for teams 40-years-old and older. Like the Open Division, the 16 teams in the Masters Division will play 36 holes of stroke play to establish seeding for the 16-team bracket.