NATCHEZ — Trinity junior golfer Jackson Bryant has always been able to hit the ball long. But it was when he developed his short game that his high school career shot to the top.

Bryant won the MPSA Class AA individual state championship at Canton Country Club in Canton and followed that up with a second place finish in the MPSA Overall Tournament at The Dogwoods in Grenada.

“He played really well,” Trinity golf coach Bob Mullins said. “I think he’s at the stage where he realized the importance of chipping and putting. He’s always been able to hit the ball long, but he’s matured so much in the past year.”

Bryant, who has been playing golf since he was 7 years old, said it was a good thing his short game and putting came around, because he didn’t strike the ball as well as he would have liked.

“I don’t think I hit the ball as well as last year, but the short game came around so the score was better,” Bryant said. “I was able to get up and down and make the 10-foot putt for par.”

Bryant’s maturity also showed through in the Overall Tournament. Mired back in the field after shooting 4-over-par on the front nine, he blistered the back nine to the tune of 3-under-par to finish runner-up at 1-over par.

“I was happy with the way it came out, especially after shooting 4-over on the front nine,” Bryant said. “After the front nine, I just settled down and played well on the back nine.”

Being only a junior, Bryant is in a prime position to not only defend his Class AA championship, but win the Overall title next year as well.

“He’s practiced a lot and he’s earned everything he’s gotten,” Mullins said. “He has a world of potential. I hope he can come in first (at Overall) next year. He’s definitely got the potential to do that.”

Bryant said his love for the game of golf comes from the enjoyment he can get out of it for a long period of time.

“I know that when I get older I can’t play football or basketball anymore,” Bryant said. “But golf is something I can stick with until I can’t swing the club anymore.”

And the next step would be to play golf on the collegiate level, which is something he hopes he has the opportunity to do.

“That’s something I really want to do real bad,” Bryant said. “It would be awesome.”