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Brooks delays work at Beau Pré Country Club for a little play

Tricia Brooks will begin working at Beau Pre’ Country Club next week as assistant golf pro, but there’s some unfinished business to take care of first of all — namely the Mississippi Women’s State Golf Association Championship.

The amateur tournament will be played at Beau Pr\u00E9, beginning with the qualifying tournament Monday with the finals set for Friday.

Brooks lost to Pam Posey of Marion in the quarterfinals last year in Meridian, her fourth state tournament appearance.

&uot;That’s probably the best I’ve played,&uot; said Brooks, who currently has a 6.3 handicap.

Brooks, 21, graduated from Murray State (Ky.) where she was a member of the women’s golf team, which won three Ohio Valley Conference championships. &uot;I feel pretty good about my game now, but I would liked to have gotten more practice.&uot;

Brooks, a native of Hernando, received a golf scholarship to Murray State.

Brooks began playing golf at the age of 12.

&uot;My aunt (Shelia Garrad) really got me into it when I was a freshman in high school,&uot; Brooks said.

Her love for the game continued to grow.

&uot;I knew I’d be doing something related to golf because I only worked at golf courses,&uot; she said. &uot;I knew a lot about it, so I decided it was something I wanted to do.&uot;

Brooks said putting is the strongest part of her game.

&uot;I’m a good judge of distance and speed,&uot; she said.

Beau Pr\u00E9 is Brooks’ first job.

&uot;All I’ve done is play golf and go to school,&uot; Brooks said. &uot;But this is not like going to work. And Mark (Beau Pre golf pro Powell) is a great guy to work for. He’s been a lot of help. The big job now is learning everybody’s name. But I’m getting there.&uot;

Brooks will take her Players Abilities Teste at Timberton Country Club in Hattiesburg, where you have to shoot a certain score to pass.

Brooks said being a female is an advantage now for anyone looking to get into the golfing business.

&uot;There are a lot of scholarships available for females,&uot; she said. &uot;Women’s golf is getting bigger and bigger and clubs are looking for women.&uot;

Brooks presented her resume at a golf course in Tunica, which did not have an opening. But the pro knew Powell, and that he was seeking an assistant.

&uot;I sent my resume here and was offered the job,&uot; she said.

Brooks has been busy moving in while also trying to keep her golf game at its best.

&uot;This is just a beautiful golf course,&uot;&160;she said. &uot;To be this new, this course is in great shape.&uot;

The state tournament uses a match play scoring system in which the game is played by holes and a hole is won by the player who holes her ball in the fewest strokes.

&uot;I enjoy match play,&uot; Brooks said. &uot;There are a lot of different strategies. You can mess up big on one hole and it’s no big deal. It’s a lot of fun.&uot;

Brooks, who enjoys going to the lake the rare time she isn’t on the golf course, said she hopes to see more ladies involved at Beau Pr\u00E9.

&uot;There was a Ladies Night Out where we had nine people playing and I would like to see that grow,&uot; Brooks said. &uot;I think there are a lot of opportunities out here.&uot;