JACKSON — The Mississippi Golf Association team entered Sunday’s singles matches with 12 points while the Mississippi Professional Golfers Association team had just four points and needed a miracle to win the Mississippi Cup Matches for the first time since 2006.

The Mississippi amateurs (MGA Cup Team), led by team captain George Hinman of Madison, were trying to win the Mississippi Cup for the third straight year. And on a bright, sunny day at Colonial Country Club, they did just that as they finished with 17 1/2 points to 14 1/2 points for the pros.

Among the players on this year’s Mississippi amateur team was Natchez’s own and Duncan Park golf course superintendent Greg Brooking. Brooking defeated Jim Dorman of Oaks Country Club 2&1 for a critical one point when it needed it.

“The pros made a heck of a comeback and won nine matches. They won their first five matches,” Brooking said. “We ended up with enough points.”

As for his match against Dorman, Brooking said, “Jim was a great player. I’ve never played golf with him before. He hit the ball well and he putts extremely well. He hadn’t missed a putt inside seven feet the whole day coming into 17. He missed a three-and-a-half foot putt and we tied the hole.”

When Brooking won his match, it was the third match the Mississippi amateurs won at that point. Another came in behind him and won his match. A couple of other teammates came in and won either ½ point or one point.

“It was tough. The pros played extremely good golf this last day. It was tough,” Brooking said. “It feels great to help the team and it mattered. It’s an honor just to play on the team. I played against a tough opponent who played really well.”

The MPGA Cup Team, captained by Jeff Adkerson of Mississippi State University, made sure that the Mississippi amateur team would not run away with the Mississippi Cup with a lopsided, possible double-digit points win. But in the end, the MGA Cup Team showed quite a bit of resilience to hold off the pros’ rally and end up the winning team in 2009.

“Both the pros and amateurs take pride in this. They played well. I didn’t think they had a chance. But after they won the first five matches, it started tightening up. Richard (Reed) was getting his brains beaten in (by Buck Matheny, who won the match 4&3). They sure tried. They made a valiant effort.”