City Golf Championships this weekend at Duncan Park Golf Course
Published 12:01 am Wednesday, October 23, 2019
- Jim Merrill stands near a hole on Duncan Park Golf Course in April 2019. Merrill is 87 years old. (Courtesy Greg Brooking)
NATCHEZ — The 2019 Natchez Senior Men’s and Ladies’ City Golf Championships will be Saturday and Sunday at Duncan Park Golf Course.
Part of the City Golf Championships, there are four different divisions. The flights include Senior Men (50-59 years old), Super Seniors (60-69 years old) and Grand Masters for men (70 and over) and a Ladies division.
Greg Brooking, Duncan Park Golf Course Superintendent, said he expects 20-30 players to play in the City Championships this weekend.
“Every citizen in Adams County and the surrounding areas is allowed to play in it,” Brooking said. “We would love to see some of the participants from Beau Pre. They have some really good players out there and all the way to Ferriday. It has become the only regional championship tournament. All of the other tournaments are exclusive.”
At the City Golf Championships for this year, Pete Powell and Jody Powell will be defending their championships from last year. Brooking won Super Seniors division last year but said he will be out due to illness and a surgery he had this year.
To win the Super Seniors division at the City Golf Championships this weekend, Brooking said he picked Bubba Bruce, Paul Guido and Geroge Cupit to battle for the Super Seniors division championship.
“In the Legends division, my favorites to win it are Pete Powell and Dan Blain,” Brooking said. “They have been fighting it out for years.”
Pete Powell won the Grand Masters division while Jody Powell won the Ladies division.
“Jody Powell won her fourth consecutive championship last year,” Brooking said. “She has been playing some good golf.”
Brooking said the City Championships date back to 1920. In 1920, the City Championships were called the Gillette Cup. Brooking said gap years existed during World War 1, World War 2 and the civil rights era. Since then, Brooking said he hasn’t missed a beat of hosting the City Golf Championships.
Brooking said the City Golf Championships provide a recreational opportunity for the citizens of Natchez.
“We have an aged population,” Brooking said. “To have a Senior Championship has been important for the seniors to have a recreational opportunity and a challenge like this.”
The tee times are supposed to start at 8 a.m. Saturday but they might be moved up, due to anticipated rain at Duncan Park Golf Course.