NATCHEZ &045; John and Cecilia Vinson from Batesville, Ark. and Kim and Lauren McLaurin from Poplarville know what it’s like to be champions of the Isle of Capri Gals-N-Pals Golf Tournament.

Grand champions of this prestigious tournament as well &045; the McLaurins won the first two Grand Finales held at Beau Pr Country Club, and the Vinsons won last year’s Grand Finale and a trip to the Bahamas.

Now they’ve made some history together as the Vinsons and the McLaurins finished first and second respectively in the championship flight of Week No. 4 of the 2005 edition of the Gals-N-Pals Tournament.

The Vinsons backed up their first-round, 9-under-par 63 with a solid 8-under 64 on Tuesday to finish with a two-day score of 127 to win by two shots over the McLaurins, who had rounds of 64 on Monday and 65 on Tuesday to end up at 129.

&uot;We had a pretty good match with them yesterday (Monday),&uot; said John Vinson of their being paired with the McLaurins in Monday’s first round, which for them started on No. 10. &uot;We played pretty good. Not as good as we did when we shot 59 last year in the Grand Finale. We played like we normally do. Fortunately, we made enough putts.&uot;

&uot;He played really good,&uot; Cecilia Vinson said. &uot;He made lots of putts. I thought the pin placements were tough and he didn’t. We enjoy coming here every year.&uot;

Both teams shots lights out on the front nine on Monday after struggling on the back nine.

&uot;Our second nine, which was the front, they shot 29 and we shot 30,&uot; Lauren McLaurin said. &uot;We had fun playing with them. We played well. I’m happy. Kim’s happy. We’re all happy. We shot 31 on the front nine today. It was hot. But it was fun.&uot;

&uot;We birdied 10 to start out. They birdied 14 to even it,&uot; John Vinson said. &uot;We mad the turn at 2-under and we shot 7-under on the front nine.&uot;

Ken and Janet Miller made good on their trip from Tulsa, Oklahoma and finished third in the championship as they had rounds of 65 and 66 to finish at 131.

Once again, a team from Hot Springs Village, Ark. did very well in the Gals-N-Pals.

This time it was Dennis and Emily Faulk, who shot a final-round 68 to finish at 138 and defeat four teams by one shot in the first flight.

Yet only two of those four teams could finish in the top three to automatically qualify for this July’s Grand Finale.

Gregory and Pat Keller finished second on a scorecard playoff and Ty and Barbara Whitmer ended up in third after both teams had rounds of 70 and 69 for two-day scores of 139.

Jim and Faye Whiddon of Prairieville, La. won the second flight after shooting rounds of 74 and 68 to finish with a 142.

&uot;My wife sank a couple of good putts and a chip shot on the first hole for birdie,&uot; Jim Whiddon said.