NATCHEZ &045; Justin Emil and Art Hadler Jr. needed to drive four hours from the coast to fan the flames of their friendly rivalry in the 2003 edition of the Mississippi Golf Association Tournament of Champions.

And it was Emil, who trailed Hadler by a stroke after Saturday’s opening round, who parred the last hole to capture his first-ever MGA title by a stroke over Hadler at Beau Pre Country Club Sunday.

&uot;I played pretty solid all day,&uot; said Emil, a graduate assistant golf coach at Southern Miss. &uot;I was proud of the way I putted, especially since I haven’t been happy with that part of my game of late. But I was pleased this week.&uot;

Emil bettered Hadler &045; both are members of Great Southern Golf Club in Gulfport &045; by one stroke, 141-142, and finished as the only golfer in the more than 20 field to shoot under par both days.

Hadler, who opened with a 70 Saturday, made a costly bogey on the par-5 18th to hand the tournament to Emil, who avoided the playoff when he was in the cup in five strokes.

&uot;Me and Justin stayed one shot within each other all day long,&uot; Hadler said. &uot;For an old guy like me to be able to stay with a youngster like Justin, that’s all I can ask for.&uot;

While finishing runner-up overall, Hadler was topped the senior’s group, which included Natchez’s own Lloyd Trisler Jr. (150), Bill Lambert (167) and Prem Vidhana (177).

Hadler said Sunday’s round was a lot more fun to play with the addition of the sun to the biting chill.

&uot;The sun didn’t come out yesterday,&uot; Emil said. &uot;Today was beautiful and not cold at all. I didn’t have to pull my jacket out all day.&uot;

Hadler moved his lead over Emil to two strokes with a birdie on the par-4 second, which played at 415 yards. It crept to three when Emil bogeyed No. 3, but the margin flopped back to two when Emil birdied the par-3 fourth.

Both made fours on the par-5 fifth before Emil was able to draw even with Hadler with a birdie on No. 7 and a bogey on No. 9 from his senior counterpart.

&uot;Art and I are usually at each other’s throats,&uot; Emil said. &uot;We were kind of relaxed out there, but I knew I wanted to beat him and he wanted to beat me.&uot;

On the back Hadler reclaimed the lead with a par to Emil’s bogey on No. 10, which was playing at 535 yards over the weekend.

Emil fought back with a birdie at another par-3 &045; the 13th &045; and it suddenly became and impromptu match play situation.

&uot;He’s a lot better golfer than I am, there’s no doubt,&uot; Hadler said. &uot;But I was able to play solid and he did too.&uot;

Emil struck first blood when a Hadler bogey at the 14th gave him the lead for the first time Sunday.

However, Hadler grinded his way back even with a par at the 17th to Emil’s bogey, setting up an exciting conclusion.

&uot;I started off pretty good. I putted well all week and I made some birdies early to stay with Art,&uot; Emil said. &uot;He played well, and it came down to the wire, to the last hole. It was a fun weekend.&uot;