NATCHEZ — A sluggish economy hasn’t seemed to slow Copiah-Lincoln Community College’s annual golf tournament.

The 2013 Natchez Golf Classic will begin with a shotgun start at 1 p.m. Thursday at Beau Pré Country Club, and Co-Lin Natchez Campus Director of Public Information Nancy McFarland said slots have been filled for the tournament at 24 teams.

“I am so excited,” McFarland said. “This is my first year to coordinate the tournament, and I’m really happy about where everything is. We have great hole sponsorships, great corporate sponsorships and great players. It should be a really good time.”

All money raised by the tournament goes back to the Co-Lin Foundation, which helps fund scholarships for sophomores with a grade-point average of at least 3.3.

“Over the years, the foundation scholarship has grown so much,” McFarland said. “The last two years we’ve awarded two scholarships to local Co-Lin students. The endowment has been growing since it began.”

McFarland said it’s not uncommon for the tournament to fill all of its slots, and the reason people keep coming back every year is because of the community support Co-Lin gives.

“It all goes back to the students,” she said. “Co-Lin is a community college, and we are part of the community, and we want to give back to the community. I think people know we have a good product we work with.”

The format for the tournament will be a four-person scramble, and lunch and registration are at 11:30 a.m. A ball drop will be featured at 5:30 p.m., with 20 percent of the proceeds — or up to $1,000 — going to the winner.