NATCHEZ — At one point, it looked like Jordan Farmer was well on his way to winning the 2008 Bill McKinney Memorial City Golf Championship after a birdie on the 16th hole.

But after bogeying two of his final four holes and carding a 2-under-par 69 to finish at 140, victory looked like it had slipped away.

However, Farmer got a reprieve as Casey Ham three-putted for bogey on the final hole that gave Farmer a one-shot win and his very first City Championship Sunday afternoon. Ham finished with a 1-over-par 72 for a two-day score of 141.

“It’s awesome. I’ve won four or five junior championships and a couple of club championships, but this is the first time for the city,” a relieved Farmer said. “It’s been a long time coming. Casey’s a great golfer and a great guy. I’ve to a lot of respect for him. I’d never expect him to three-putt.”

Ham’s putt for birdie and the win came up well short of the hole. He then had a tough putt up the hill for par and a playoff, only to go a little off to the right of the hole. He then made the putt for bogey and second place by himself.

However, it shouldn’t have gone down to a possible two-putt for par by Ham that would have forced a playoff. Farmer was at 4-under for his round and the championship until he ran into trouble on two of his last four holes.

“I got off to a slow start. I just hit my first six or seven holes and was making par. I finally got a birdie to go in on No. 9,” Farmer said.

Farmer then birdied Nos. 10 and 11 to go to 4-under. He followed that with a par on 12, a bogey on 13, a birdie on 14, a surprising three-putt for bogey on 15 and a birdie on 16. At that point it appeared the championship was within sight. That was until he got into some trouble

“I get to 18 and get behind the tree and ended up with a bogey. I then got behind a tree on No. 4 and missed a 10-foot putt for par. Those were my only two bad shots for the day,” Farmer said. “That (par) putt on 15 really hurt. Other than that, it was a good round. It was hot out there today.”

First-round leader Kevin Smith Jr. struggled all day and wound up with a 4-over 75 to finish in third place at 142.

“I just didn’t have it today,” Smith Jr. said. “I didn’t make any putts and wasn’t comfortable over the ball today.”

Defending champion P.Z. Brewer, who was at 3-under after his first nine holes only to end up with a disappointing 1-over-par 72 on Saturday, shot a 73 to finish at 145 on Sunday and defeated Greg Brooking in a scorecard playoff. Brooking fired an even-par 71 to end up at 145.

In the Gary Guido flight (consolation flight), Jerry Johns finished in first place despite a final-round 80 for a two-day score of 155.

Melchior Beltzhoover had the best round of his life Sunday as he had seven birdies in a round of 5-under-par 66 to finish at 148 as he easily won the first flight by 11 shots.

“Everything worked well today. I got in the zone and stayed in there,” Beltzhoover said. “I chipped in from off the green on 17. I just got out there and played. I only missed one of 14 fairways. That helps.”

Beltzhoover birdied five of his first seven holes before he bogeyed the 12th and 15th holes. He bounced back with birdies on No. 17 and No. 3.