NATCHEZ — The celebrities will be out in Natchez today.

The Joe Fortunato Celebrity Golf Classic tees off today at Duncan Park, and two celebrities will be in the mix with area golfers.

D.D. Lewis, former Dallas Cowboys and Mississippi State linebacker, has come in from Plano, Texas, for the tournament, and former Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers special teams player Noland Smith will be back for another year as well.

Fortunato’s wife, Catherine, said the field is nearly full.

“We’re getting a lot of golfers; about 155 have signed up,” she said. “It was kind of slow until the first of this week, but I think people realize that the weather’s going to be good and they’ve gotten all their honey-dos done.”

This is the 15th annual tournament sponsored by Joe Fortunato and the Miss-Lou Chapter of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame, and proceeds from the tournament go to fund the seven scholarships the foundation gives to area high school athletes, which total $10,000.

Catherine Fortunato said that’s one reason why so many people show up.

“They know it’s for a very good cause,” she said. “They have supported our scholarship program for 15 years. They know they get fed well, and they get their money’s worth for the entry fee.”

The entry fee is $100, which includes prizes for first place in each flight, prizes for hole-in-one, longest drive and closest to hole and bags for each golfer.

It also includes breakfast, lunch and dinner for participants and their spouses, cooked by former Ole Miss All-American and Green Bay Packer Allen Brown and former Ole Miss football player Red Owens.

“We really pride ourselves on giving,” Catherine Fortunato said. “You’ll get your money’s worth.”

Most of the money raised come from the entry fees and from hole sponsorships from local companies.

Area businesses also donated door prizes and raffle items to the tournament.

The four-man scramble tournament has been shortened from two days to one, with 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. tee times.

Natchez Mayor Jake Middleton will play in the morning, and Lewis will be playing in the afternoon.

Catherine Fortunato said she has room for about 15 or 20 more golfers to sign up, but there is only space for two or three more full teams.

And Joe Fortunato, a former Mississippi State linebacker and fullback and a five-time Pro Bowler with the Chicago Bears, said he’s been glad to lend his name to the tournament for the past 15 years.

“The reason why we do it is raising money for the scholarships for these kids,” he said. “We work real hard for that. Those kids that get the money write us these real nice thank you letters from college, and that means a lot to us and to the whole chapter.”