NATCHEZ — A fundraiser golf tournament for Oscar Seyfarth’s Hok a Hey Motorcycle Ride was to take place Saturday morning at the Duncan Park Golf Course.

However, it started raining in Natchez at about 2:30 a.m. And once it got here, it stuck around for a while. Tournament director Glen McManus suspended the start of play from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m., hoping that the rain would stop early enough for there to be a four-man scramble.

That would not be the case as the rain kept coming down and McManus had no choice but to cancel the tournament at noon. But that did not stop those who drove from other cities in Mississippi and Louisiana from having fun and raising money for a support vehicle to travel with Seyfarth, a Vietnam veteran, along his journey.

“Everybody’s happy. I told them they could have their money back. But no one wanted their money back,” McManus said. “Everybody knows what this function is about and that’s to support Oscar’s ride.”

Despite the golf being rained out, catfish plates were still sold at the Steel Horse Saloon and money was still being raised. McManus also praised Dexter Johnson, a cook at the Steel Horse Saloon, for doing a good job.

“They just said we’ll eat and raise money. People from Brookhaven, Jackson, Lake Charles, La., are still here,” McManus said. “We’re still selling plates. We’re having a raffle for those who paid to play later this afternoon.”

Seyfarth will be one of about 1,000 people who will be attempting to travel more than 7,000 miles in the Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge, which is a 14-day competition that starts in Key West, Fla., and ends in Homer, Alaska. The Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge supports numerous charities for war veterans and their families.

McManus was hoping at first the tournament would raise $1,000. But the goal was upped to $2,000 thanks to a lot of community support.”

After all was said and done, $4,688 was raised — well over double McManus’s goal and more than enough for the support vehicle. And Seyfarth couldn’t be happier about it.

“It’s outstanding,” Seyfarth said. “We had great community support. It was just one of those things you don’t have the words to appreciate. I told everyone that any money that’s left over, I’ll be donating to the Wounded Warriors Project.

“Even though they can’t follow me, they can meet me at every checkpoint and re-supply me. If the motorcycle breaks down, the support team can come fix it, like change a tire, and help me get back on the road.”

Approximately 15 teams were scheduled to compete in the tournament, and even though they weren’t able to take the first swing, they enjoyed the food, the fun, and donating money for Seyfarth’s ride.