Pam Posey has been as close as you can get three times without winning the Mississippi Women’s Golf Association Tournament.

She’s hoping Monday’s round of 71 at Beau Pr\u00E9 Country Club is a sign that this year may be her year.

&uot;Last year I thought that too,&uot;&160;said Posey, who lost to nine-time winner Cissye Gallagher in the finals last year. She also finished second to Gallagher in 1993 and was runner-up to Angela Chancellor in 1996. &uot;Playing well on this course gives me a good opportunity. There are a lot of good players here and anything can happen in match play. And the MWGA is just getting stronger every year.&uot;

Posey’s 71 was five strokes better than three golfers at 76.

Posey, who resides in Marion, just outside of Meridian, is a member of Briarwood Country Club in Meridian, where last year’s tournament was held.

Posey actually took up golf as an &uot;escape&uot; from teaching. She teaches band at a middle school in Meridian, while husband Ronnie Posey is the Meridian High band director.

&uot;With us both teaching band, we needed something as an out where we could get away from talking about school,&uot; she said. &uot;So we started playing golf.&uot;

Pam, 44, began teaching 23 years ago, taking off a couple of years. She has been playing golf for 20 years.

&uot;I loved it right away,&uot; she said. &uot;I&160;love sports. But I wasn’t going to play softball because the knees go out. My husband and I both enjoy it and it gives us a chance to do something together.&uot;

Posey said she adapted to the game quick.

&uot;I&160;realized I had some potential, so I started taking lessons,&uot; she said. &uot;I worked on it and spent a lot of time playing it.&uot;

Pam and Ronnie finished second in the Guys and Dolls Golf Tournament held at Beau Pr\u00E9 last month.

&uot;This is a beautiful golf course,&uot; Pam said. &uot;I&160;know everybody here has to love it so much. The course is awesome.&uot;

Posey, who carries a 4.3 handicap, played in a PGA&160;qualifier in 1989, but found out real quick she didn’t want to pursue a pro career.

&uot;Those girls were hitting the ball 35 and 40 yards past my ball and they had awesome games,&uot; she said. &uot;I had a lot of encouragement to play, and I’m glad I tried to see what it was like.&uot;

And while Posey hopes to be standing up Thursday on Beau Pr\u00E9 ready to receive the championship cup, she said she won’t be totally disappointed if she doesn’t win it.

&uot;Cissye is such a great player,&uot; Posey said. &uot;And there are a lot of great players out there this year. There are 30 with single-digit handicaps. I won’t be disappointed at all if I don’t win it, especially if I make it to the finals. I’m just going to take it one day at a time and enjoy it as much as possible.&uot;

Joey Martin is sports editor of The Democrat. He can be reached by calling 446-5172 ext. 232 or at joey.martin@natchezdemocrat.com.

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