NATCHEZ &045; Determining the overall boys’ champion of this year’s Gulf States PGA Thanksgiving Junior Classic wasn’t quite as dramatic as last year at Beau Pr Country Club, when Jarrett Marchand of St. Amant, La., erased a three-shot deficit and then won in a playoff, but it was very close.

Michael Gregory of Brandon was tied for seventh place overall, tied for fifth in the boys’ 16-18 age division and five shots behind leader Colin Richwine of Marrero, La., after shooting a 2-over-par 74 and seemed to be on the outside looking in.

Gregory would shoot a final-round 3-under-par 69, the same score Richwine had on Tuesday, to finish at 1-under-par 143, but he said someone would come in with a lower score. That someone was Richwine, who was able to take the overall boys’ championship trophy with a two-day total of 2-under-par 142.

&uot;It feels good,&uot; said Richwine about being the overall champion. &uot;I’ve never won a tournament before.&uot;

With Richwine taking the overall trophy, Gregory took first place in the boys 16-18 age division with his 143.

&uot;I hit a lot of greens and had a lot of two putts,&uot; Gregory said. &uot;I had six birdies today. I really focused on keeping the ball in play and making a lot of putts. I was actually really surprised (about his final-round 69) because I wasn’t hitting it very well on the practice range.&uot;

Drew Dulaney of Raymond made a hard charge on Richwine and Gregory after firing a final-round 2-under 70, but he ended up finishing second by one shot behind Gregory.

Richwine thought the only two players that had a legitimate chance at surpassing him for the overall title were Adam Hossley of Madison and Jason Ryu of Flowood, both in the boys’ 14-15 age group.

Instead, Hossley settled for first place in that division after shooting a 1-over 73 to finish at 144 while Ryu struggled in his final round and ended up shooting a 6-over 78 to finish at 149, good enough for second place.

&uot;I would’ve been happy to win overall, but I’m happy to win my age group,&uot; Hossley said. &uot;It was windy and wet. I played good with the conditions. There weren’t too many low scores.&uot;

&uot;They started charging in the beginning, so I had to get serious and start playing,&uot; Richwine said.

In the girls 14-18 division, Mary Michael Burns of Baton Rouge pulled away from Heather Lott, also from Baton Rouge, by shooting a final-round 80 to finish at 161. Lott, playing under the weather, shot a solid 85 to finish at 167. Mary Kate Byrne of Natchez fired a final-round 89 to finish in third place at 184.

&uot;It feels good,&uot; Burns said about finishing first, &uot;but I know I can do a lot better. I was fun though. Yesterday was a struggle because of the rain. Today was still a struggle because of the conditions. It was fun playing against (Lott). We always have a good competition.&uot;

&uot;I could’ve played a little better, but I played okay,&uot; Lott said. &uot;I missed a few close putts.&uot;

&uot;The first day I wasn’t hitting anything good,&uot; Byrne said. &uot;I had only three good shots. Today I just came out and tried really hard to get the score down.&uot;

For the fifth consecutive year, there was a hole-in-one during this tournament, but for the first time it was not on the par-3 16th hole.

Kenny Morris of River Ridge, La., playing the boys’ 16-18 age division, had his ace on the par-3 4th hole from 153 yards out with a seven-iron during Tuesday’s first round. Witnesses to Morris’ hole-in-one were Benjamin Mobley of Clinton and Justin Doles of Bush, La.

&uot;It hit about an inch from the hole, but I didn’t get to see it,&uot; Morris said. &uot;It was just a gut feeling. Shocked. Disbelief.&uot;

In the girls’ 10-13 age division Victoria Newbury of New Orleans shot a 52 on the back nine to finish at 100 and held off Holly Jenkins of Boyce, La., who shot a back-nine 48 to finish a mere one shot back at 101.

&uot;I played pretty good,&uot; Newbury said. &uot;My putting I need to work on. I drove the ball well. I just kept the score on each hole and saw how many shots I needed.&uot;

&uot;I did okay, but I’m still struggling,&uot; Jenkins said. &uot;I’ve done better. I did better than I did last year. It was close. She’s improved a lot since last year.&uot;

In the boys’ 12-13 age group, Joseph Henderson of Laurel finished two shots ahead of first-round leader Charles Valluzzo of Baton Rouge.

&uot;The course is a lot wetter. Putting’s pretty tough,&uot; Henderson said. &uot;Yesterday my putting was pretty bad. I missed several short putts, including three inside three feet. Today I turned it around.&uot;

Key shot consecutive rounds of 81 to finish at 162, but that would be only good enough for third place.

In the boys 10-11 age division, Peyton Vitter of New Orleans took home the first-place trophy for the second consecutive year after shooting a 43 on the back nine to finish at 79 and held off Jacob Ross of Brookhaven, who had a back-nine score of 41 to finish second at 84.

&uot;Kind of excited,&uot; Vitter said. &uot;It’s just kind of pretty usual.&uot;