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Ninety-two golfers from Alabama, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, Tennessee, Georgia and Illinois will tee off at Duncan Park for the Natchez Open from June 4 to June 6.

Duncan Park Golf Director Greg Brooking said they have one man who said he was going to play and will be coming from California. It is the second-ever Natchez Open.

“We are really excited about having a professional event here at Duncan Park,” Brooking said. “It is open to amateurs as well. From Natchez, we have nine players. The two favorites in the amateur event are two Miss-Lou natives Jordan Farmer and Casey Ham.”

For the first time ever there will be 31 pros playing in the tournament, he said. There is a $20,000 purse for the players thanks to sponsorships from Taco Bell, Visit Natchez, and Go Mart. The top 14 spots win money and the best amateur wins $750 in merchandise.

Brooking had concerns about the weather and the impact rain has on getting a course ready for the tournament. When it rains he is unable to mow the grass. He did spray a growth inhibitor, which keeps the plant cells from elongating so the grass has not grown as much after rains this week.

“The course ought to be in pretty good condition,” Brooking said. “We have had terrible weather with the rain and the nights being too cold. We have had to fight our way through that. We are working our way and doing our best to get the course ready in three weeks. We are doing everything we can to get this course in top-notch shape.”

Duncan Park’s course will be closed to the public from June 4 through June 6. Practice rounds for the Natchez Open will begin Thursday afternoon. Brooking said he asks

the course members to play the morning of June 3 as a courtesy.

The public is invited to come out and watch, he said. Drinks will be available along the course and there will also be a cake on the opening day of the tournament.

Last year’s winner Hayes Weathersby and runner-up Tristan Hernandez will give a golf lesson to the general public after they finish their round Friday. 

“These pros they knock the fire out of the ball and they have these beautiful swings,” Brooking said. “They know the game from playing. Just watching these pros hit balls is an education in and of itself for a person who has never played. It will be a casual learning situation. You won’t get that at a PGA event. They won’t even give you the time of day.”

Natchez Open to have 92 golfers from eight states June 4-6