Mississippi Women’s Golf Association Tournament favorites Cissye Gallagher, Pam Posey, Lou Hart and Shelia Haynes advanced in the first round of the state amateur tournament at Beau Pr\u00E9 Country Club Tuesday.

Championship flight competitors will play two rounds today, while everyone else will play one round. The finals are set for Thursday.

Gallagher, seeking her third straight title and 10th overall as the top seed, defeated Lisa Whitam of Natchez 5-4.

In match play scoring, Greenwood’s Gallagher was up five strokes with four to play.

&uot;I started out kind of sluggish and don’t know why,&uot; Gallagher said. &uot;I&160;bogeyed the first hole. But I played OK.&uot;

Gallagher and Whitam played a practice round together last Tuesday.

&uot;She’s a very good player, but I knew that,&uot; Gallagher said of Whitam. &uot;We had a good time. I would like to play a little better, but you don’t want to peak too soon.&uot;

Play was stopped twice before 3 p.m. by rain delays.

&uot;We couldn’t have played in the Delta,&uot; Gallagher said. &uot;We would be getting ready to play tomorrow (Wednesday) afternoon. That’s what makes this course so neat. It is set up beautifully.&uot;

Whitam was returning to play after a five-year absence.

&uot;Cissye played well,&uot; Whitam said. &uot;I enjoyed being out there and it was a lot of fun.&uot;

Hart, who is also seeking title No. 10 as the No. 3 seed, won 6-4 over Tricia Brooks of Natchez.

&uot;I&160;played solid, although I had a couple of stupid errors,&uot; said Hart, who is golf coach at Meridian Community College. &uot;I was three up on 16 and then hit it in the water.&uot;

Hart, 48, shot a 76 Monday.

&uot;I didn’t hit the ball well so I came back out and worked on some things between the thunderstorms,&uot; she said. &uot;I&160;got a couple of breaks early and was able to free swing a little bit.&uot;

Hart said she would love to win 10 championships.

&uot;Probaby more so because I’m older,&uot; she said. &uot;I’ve been real lucky.&160;To be blessed with another one would be great.&uot;

Pam Posey, who has finished second three times, defeated Pam Jacobs 5-4.

Posey, a native of Marion seeded No. 3, won the qualifying tournament with an 71 Monday.

&uot;I felt I played better (Monday),&uot; Posey said. &uot;I started out with a bogey. I was a little nervous today, which might be because it is match play. I may have been doing too much thinking about it.&uot;

Brooks will compete in the championship consolation bracket and then begin work as assistant golf pro at Beau Pr\u00E9.

&uot;I&160;had a hard time today,&uot; Brooks said. &uot;We both started out kind of slow, but then she started turning it on. The best player won.&uot;

No. 4 seed Colleen Sample won 4-2 over Cindy Hollingsworth, while No. 5 Tammy Wroten of Summit defeated Carol Mead of Jackson 2-1.

‘That just came down to the putting,&uot;&160;said Wroten, who is playing in her first state tournament. &uot;I feel good about where I am and I’m just taking it one at a time.&uot;

Sixth-seeded Mary Hays of Diamondhead won 2-up over Pat Ellis, while No. 7 seed Peggy Benandi of Pass Christian was beaten by No. 10 seed Shannon Adams of Senatobia 2-up.

In the first flight, Sally Durkin of Natchez defeated Sissy Kern of Madison 2-1. Durkin will play Pat Brewer of Biloxi today in the semfinals.

In the second flight, Pat Dickens of Natchez defeated Deborah Wolf of Pass Christian 6-4. Dickens will play Lou Garick of Laurel today in the semifinals.

Agatha Haring of Natchez defeated Pat Sistrunk of Okolona in the third flight. Haring will play Barbara Wilkinson of Vicksburg today in the semifinals.

In the fifth flight, Peggy Berniard of Natchez defeated Emma Marie Braddock of Ripley. Bernaird will play Charlene Hughes of Vicksburg today in the semifinals.

In the seventh flight, Betsy Powell of Natchez lost to Suzanne Daffron of Columbus.

Jean Daigre of Natchez lost to Peggy McCall of Natchez in the eighth flight, while Natchez’s Frances Measo fell to Donyce Andersson of Jackson.

In the 10th flight, Mary Lessley of Natchez defeated Barbara McKinley of Natchez.

Lessley will face Ann Marie Loveless in the semifinals today.