Roddy Adams never has a difficult time attracting a field of top-notch teams for the annual NorthStar Bank Denton Invitational.

Some of the top Class 5A teams in the area are attracted to the boys golf tournament, which is now in its 38^th year, by the promise of strong competition and the reputation of one of the longest-running tournaments in Texas.

Meanwhile, the contingent of teams from Class 4A Region II are given a chance to play two rounds at Robson Ranch, the same course that will host their regional tournament next month.

In fact, Adams, the tournament director and head coach at Guyer, usually just finds himself rearranging the same names on his list of tee times each year.

“Every year the tournament doesn’t change much,” Adams said. “They know if they drop out, it’s kind of hard to get back in.”

This year’s tournament, which begins at 8 a.m. today at Robson Ranch, includes the usual field of 28 teams, which will tee off in seven groups of four teams each.

For the second round on Saturday, teams will be split into separate divisions for classes 4A and 5A, with the latter playing the second round at Denton Country Club.

The lineup includes all three Denton ISD teams, along with defending TAPPS state champion Liberty Christian and top Oklahoma programs Norman North and Ardmore.

They will compete in the 5A division along with Grapevine, McKinney Boyd, Justin Northwest, Colleyville Heritage, Coppell and Flower Mound Marcus.

The 4A field includes defending state champion Richardson Pearce along with perennial state powers Highland Park and Texarkana Texas High. Other 4A programs include Longview Pine Tree, Sulphur Springs, Rockwall, McKinney North, Frisco, Rockwall-Heath, Midlothian, McKinney, Frisco Centennial, Frisco Wakeland, Sherman, Waxahachie and Ennis.

The tournament was the brainchild of former Denton golf coach Dwain Bean, who still shows up each year as the starter for the Saturday round at Denton Country Club.

Bean started the event in 1973 at the defunct Eagle Point Golf Course. And although the tournament has evolved and moved around slightly through the years, it has maintained its reputation thanks in large part to Bean’s vision, Adams said.

Part of the appeal for golfers is the announcement of each player’s name at the first tee, similar to a professional tournament but unusual at the high school level.

“The kids like it because they get their names announced,” Adams said. “We try to make it a big deal for the kids.”

The Denton Invitational also has had to make several adjustments through the years to accommodate the unpredictable spring weather in Texas, including relocations and rescheduling, but it has never been cancelled.

Adams is hoping for better conditions this year than in the past two years. In 2008, the event was postponed because of a snowstorm and rescheduled with a reduced field two weeks later. Last year, it had to be shortened to one day because of persistent rain.

TODD JORGENSON can be reached at 940-566-6871. His e-mail address is tjorgenson@dentonrc.com.