NATCHEZ — When the first group of golfers on Nos. 1 and 10 teed off Sunday afternoon to begin the final round of the 2007 Natchez Senior Men’s and Ladies Golf Championships, the temperature was near 100 degrees.

The only saving grace for the 15 seniors and one lady playing in the tournament was that the humidity was low and there was some wind blowing from the north. Nonetheless, the heat was brutal out on the Duncan Park Golf Course.

But not even the heat could slow down K.G. Watkins, whose eagle on the par-5 5th hole helped him shoot a 4-under-par 67 for a two-day score of 136 for his second overall Senior Men’s championship in the last three years.

“I left so many (birdies) out there I could’ve shot 63,” Watkins said. “Left three birdies out there on 10, 11 and 12. Wish I could’ve played this well during the Open. Had a good group of players.”

On No. 5, Watkins’ tee shot landed in the fairway with just 175 yards to the hole. Using a 7-iron his second shot landed just eight feet from the cup and he made the putt for eagle to jump-start his final round.

Watkins had two birdies and no bogeys on the front nine and one birdie and one bogey on the back nine.

“Fantastic round of golf by K.G.,” Clayton Foster said. “Hit the ball as solid and under control as anyone I’ve ever seen. He’s a gentleman to play with.”

Foster won the Legends Men’s division (75+) with a final-round 75 to finish with a two-day score of 151.

“I played steady golf. I managed to get it up and down on a few holes when I got in trouble,” Foster said. “I tied my age (76) yesterday and bettered my age today.”

Defending overall Senior Men’s champion Charles Yarbrough won the Super Senior Men’s division (65-74) this year as his final-round 77 gave him a two-day score of 157.

“I got an early case of hookitis yesterday and I couldn’t find the cure until the back nine,” Yarbrough said about his play Saturday. “I didn’t hook the ball as much today. I was able to keep it in the fairway. My short game really let me down. Couldn’t get it close on chips and pitches.”

Yarbrough added that “I’d like to invite guys my age, 60 to 69, to play next year. Ain’t no reason for them to come out and play.”

Ken Tilghman, playing with Watkins and Foster, shot a final-round 77 to finish second in the Senior Men’s division (50-64) with a two-day score of 153.

Charles Mardis made a big move on Sunday as he shot a final-round 75 to finish at 159 and defeated Bubba Bruce (77-82 159) on a scorecard playoff thanks to a birdie on No. 5 – the second hole of that playoff.

“It was exceptional,” Mardis said. “Played good on the front side. My drive was down the middle, thanks to Marvin (Gray). I had a couple of bad holes on the back side. Saturday I had a 10 on No. 4. I birdie that hole today. Got my revenge.”

Mardis added that despite the heat, today was “a better day” for golf than Saturday. “The wind was blowing today. It was exceptionally nice.”

All Beverly Knapp of Monterey, La., had to do to win the Ladies championship was play the final 18 holes on Sunday to win her first title. And she did, even though she was not pleased with her round of 82 to finish at 162.

“I got back on my regular game,” Knapp said. “It was hot. It was slow. But I had a good time. My only competition was myself. I’ll come back to defend next year.”

Yarbrough, Knapp and others that played this year may see more players in the Senior Men’s and Ladies Golf Championships next year, and perhaps years to come, as these tournaments may be moved to October so the players won’t have to deal with the heat and humidity.