Stephen Hollingsworth needed an 8-foot putt on the 18th green at Beau Pr\u00E9 Country Club par to save a one-shot victory in the Independence Day Shamble Tournament.

He did not know it was for the victory at the time, but club pro Mark Powell let him know.

&uot;He (Powell) came by and said I needed the putt for the win,&uot; Hollingsworth said. &uot;He does that all the time.&uot;

Hollingsworth made the putt and shot a 72 – good enough for a one-shot victory in the individual portion of the tournament.

A shamble is different from the scramble format most golfers play in tournaments.

In a shamble, there are four golfers who play as a team but one of the golfers plays as an individual.

The other three golfers can use the individual player’s tee shot but must then play with only their three shots until the ball is holed.

The individual plays his own ball until it is holed and if his score is lower than the other three golfers, the team can use his score.

The format may seem confusing but it did produce a few low numbers in the scramble format.

Many of the 100 golfers entered in the tournament gathered around the scoreboard on the back porch of the club house to watch as Powell posted scores.

C.C. Barnes raised his hands as Powell posted his team’s 62 which was good enough for the win.

Barnes, Al King, Forrest Person and Tom Kolb won the scramble portion of the tournament.

The Barnes team was separated from two teams by only one shot, and one of those teams moved into second on a big putt.

Baxter Lee sank a 75-foot putt from the front of the green on No. 1 for a birdie. The team made one other birdie on their closing hole to jump into a tie for second.

Lee, Dan Bland, Don Gardner and Gene Taylor tied for second with Connie Kanoy, Phil Hennington, Billy Skates and Butch Metcalf.

Powell was interested to see how the scores would turn out in this tournament.

&uot;I am happy with the scores,&uot; Powell said. &uot;You expect a few guys to shoot low, but the rest of the scores were pretty bunched up.&uot;

The average score in the tournament was a 66.

Powell said he left the pin positions in the toughest part of the greens.

&uot;But I adjusted the tees a bit,&uot; he said.

Hollingsworth’s win may not be the only one he cards in Natchez.

Hollingsworth is moving back to Natchez from California in the fall and plans to play golf for Cathedral High School.

Hollingsworth said his 72 Tuesday was not produced by spectacular play.

&uot;I didn’t hit the ball real long but I hit it straight,&uot; Hollingsworth said. &uot;I made some putts though.&uot;

Hollingsworth had 13 putts on the front nine and 14 on the back nine.

&uot;I made three 8-foot par putts on the last three holes,&uot; he said.

Hollingsworth had two birdies Tuesday but two penalties cost him a sub-par round. He birdied No. 6 and No. 8, but made two bogeys after knocking his ball into hazards.