The 18th-annual Kansas Four-Ball Championship will begin at 8 a.m. today with the first of two qualifying rounds at Alvamar Golf Club.

Each of the two-man teams finishing in the top 32 will advance to the match-play round, which begins Thursday.

Gary Woodland, who won last year’s event with Tyler Docking, will compete today with Kansas University golf teammate Luke Trammell.

Woodland also won the 2004 title with Leawood’s Kevin Ward.

Docking will not play in this year’s tournament.

Frontenac’s Jon Troutman is also in the field after winning last month’s Mid Amateur Championship in Salina.

He will play with Overland Park’s Andy Emerson.

KU, Kansas State and Wichita State all will be represented by golfers from their respective schools.

In the four-ball format, each teammate plays his own ball and the team takes the best score at the conclusion of each hole.

Eighty-six teams will compete in this year’s event, which concludes Saturday.