NATCHEZ &045; Like Phil Mickelson and short putts, Natchez native Jay Lessley and Duncan Park’s No. 16 have some history when it comes to the Bill McKinney City Championship.

In past years, the 2000 champ has come to the par-4 16th tee, where the fairway is sandwiched between water to the right and out-of-bounds on the left, in good position only to see his title hopes dashed with a wayward drive.

The nightmares were forefront as Lessley stood over his first shot, 4-under on his round Saturday.

&uot;When we got to 16 I said to myself, ‘Jay hit the ball in the fairway. Don’t screw this round up by putting it out of bounds,’&uot; Lessley said. &uot;I ended up making a birdie, and got a little revenge back on that hole.&uot;

In all, Lessley rolled in seven birdies to go with two lone bogeys on the front nine for a 5-under 66 and sole possession of first in the 2003 City Championship.

P.Z. Brewer, the 1995 champ, is one stroke back at 4-under, with Howard Jones’ 68 holding tight to third place.

Three players shot 70, but an earlier birdie in K.G. Watkins’ round placed him in the final group of the championship flight with Lessley, Brewer and Jones.

&uot;I putted real well today, and when I didn’t, I was able to get up and down,&uot; said Brewer, who is playing his 24th consecutive City Championship. &uot;That’s what saves round. When you’re not on your ‘A’ game that’s how you shoot a 67.&uot;

Defending champ Lee Jones, who made up three shots on Pete Powell a year ago, struggled to find his game Saturday, finishing with a 3-over 74.

Lee Jones managed just one birdie on the day, at the par-4 12th, but followed that with three bogeys in his final six holes.

&uot;I just couldn’t get anything going out there today. I just never got firing on all day,&uot; he said. &uot;I let my bad play aggravate me into playing worse. I didn’t feel like I was where I needed to be.&uot;

However, Lee Jones’ 74 was good enough to get him in the 16-player championship flight along with fellow junior Jordan Farmer, who shot a 1-under 70.

Farmer, who played with Lessley, was 1-over on his round going out, but recovered nicely on the back three straight birdies from No. 10-12.

&uot;I was hitting a lot of greens, but nothing real close on the front. I had a bunch of long putts,&uot; Farmer said. &uot;Then, I went to the back and I knew I had to get to 2-under. I had a real good up-and-down on (No.) 13 that gave me a lot of confidence.&uot;

He knows the prospects of making up four shots on Lessley will be a daunting task today.

&uot;Shoot I don’t know. I’m four shots behind Jay Lessley &045; that man’s great,&uot; Farmer said. &uot;I’m going to have to shoot under 65 (today). Every time I’d make a birdie, (Lessley) would couple me up and make a birdie. I couldn’t get anything against him.&uot;

Farmer has had a busy summer, playing a loaded schedule of tournaments, including the Farm Bureau Invitational at the Colonial Country Club Deerfield Course in Canton last weekend.

There, more than 160 of Mississippi’s premiere golfers gripped and ripped it, including five-time State Amateur champion Rhett Crowder.

&uot;That kind of scared me a little bit getting on that first tee, especially since everybody kept asking me if I was up to the challenge,&uot; Farmer said. &uot;I was real nervous, but I’ve got butterflies in my stomach for every tournament.&uot;

Brewer, who also played in the Farm Bureau this year, got off to a hot start by birding Nos. 1-3. A hiccup at the fourth brought him back one before closing with two more birdies on the front.

Despite rolling in two birdies on holes 11 and 16, Brewer played the back at even-par due to a double-bogey, five at the par-3 13th.

&uot;I kind of lost it mentally on (No. 13) and took a double there,&uot; he said. &uot;My swing never felt as comfortable on the back as it did on the front. I’m pleased with my round. I didn’t have a lot of expectations coming in here today.&uot;

Lessley, who rolled the ball in or close to the cup all day, said he spends a lot of time before each round getting a feel for the speed of the greens.

Although zoned in to the traffic in front of him, Lessley enjoyed the round with Farmer, one-uping the youngster on most of the holes.

&uot;They tell me out at Beau Pre if I’m putting for par they might as well give it to me. That’s what they say,&uot; Lessley said. &uot;I don’t make a lot of mistakes on the greens. Most of mistakes come between the ears.&uot;