NATCHEZ &045; &uot;Never.&uot;

That was Alex Zepada’s response when asked if he and his teammates thought they would shoot a 54 at the 10th annual Natchez Chamber of Commerce Charity Scramble Thursday afternoon at Beau Pr Country Club.

Despite strong winds all day long, Zepada, Kenny Witter, and Russell Barnes, all from Monroe, La., and Bill Phillips of Houma, La., representing LoveComm Advertising, did just that to win the four-man scramble by one shot.

&uot;We played out of our minds,&uot; Phillips said. &uot;The two holes we parred one (No. 14) we had to use a 5-iron all the way and the other (No. 9) we had to use a driver all the way.&uot;

The winning team had just two

pars, eagles on two par-5s and 14 birdies for their amazing, and surprising to other players, 18-under-par score.

&uot;We made every putt that was available and some that we shouldn’t have made,&uot; Witten said.

The team of Tommy Geoghegan, Joe Smith, Jack Benson and Tommy McDonald ended up finishing second with a 17-under 55.

&uot;We just played real good,&uot; Geoghegan said. &uot;Joe Smith putted really well. I only putted five times. I knocked it in the hole from the fairway on 14.&uot;

John Dutchkar, Baxter Lee, Dan Bland and Dusty Cauthen finished third with a 15-under 57. None of them were available for comment.