NATCHEZ &045; Jay Lessley is back.

Pete Powell is also playing. There will also be Lee Jones, Kevin Smith Jr. and Greg Brooking. It’s an unofficial reunion of sorts for past winners at this year’s Bill McKenney Memorial Natchez City Golf Championship today and Sunday at Duncan Park.

All have their names engraved on the trophy at least once from summers past, and they’ll be among the 90 players competing to have their name engraved as the 2004 champ.

The first team will tee off a 9 a.m.

&uot;We’ve got quite a few former champions playing,&uot; Duncan Park golf pro Marvin Gray said. &uot;(Powell) is a guy who has been on the trophy more than anybody. He’s won it seven times. We’re working hard to get the golf course ready. It’s shaping up to be the best tournament ever.&uot;

Lessley is the defending champion in this year’s tournament after winning it a second time. He won it in 2000.

&uot;I haven’t played much golf this summer,&uot; Lessley said. &uot;As a matter of fact, I haven’t picked up a golf club in a about a month and a half. I’ve played this ever since I was in high school &045; for 20 years.&uot;

Jones won it two years ago in a sudden-death playoff against Powell. Jones, the standout golfer at Trinity Episcopal, held off Powell in his quest to win a second straight championship.

Powell won it in 1999 and 2001.

Smith won it in 1997, while Brooking’s name is on the trophy four times &045; 1993, 1994, 1996 and 1998.

It’s part of a jam-packed docket of players for this year’s tournament. Others in it include Mayor Phillip West, city junior champ Jordan Farmer, senior champ Prem Vidhana and last year’s runner-up, Howard Jones.

&uot;We had an influx of players (Thursday), and we were close to being full if not full,&uot; Powell said. &uot;We’re excited about that. It’s really picking up. We’ve got one guy coming in from Florida who used to live here. It’s a wonderful opportunity for people to come back, visit with family and friends and play some golf.&uot;

Everyone will play the first day today and be flighted for the second day of competition on Sunday. Today’s play will go a long ways in determining how things shape up for Day 2 &045; just ask Lessley, who started out awfully well last year and stayed with it.

&uot;I just played real well the first round,&uot; Lessley said. &uot;I think that’s the biggest key &045; having a good first round. I hit the ball well last year, and I’m not hitting the ball bad with what little golf I’ve played this year.

Action begins at 9 a.m. with the team of Leonard Frazier, Cornelius Lewis, Bucky Merritt and Jeff Burkhalter being the first to tee off.

&uot;As a pro, I look forward to this one,&uot; Gray said. &uot;We put a lot more effort into this one. This is our premier match-play event of the year.&uot;