NATCHEZ — All the slots have been filled for the 2010 Bill McKinney Natchez City Championship golf tournament, Duncan Park Golf Course Superintendent Greg Brooking announced Thursday.

Seventy players are signed up to compete in the two-day event, which takes place Saturday and Sunday. Brooking said most of the people that signed up are returning faces, although a few new ones have entered.

“Defending champions Lee Jones and Kevin Smith signed up, and Jonathan Halley, who was our last person to sign up, is coming in to visit his parents,” Brooking said.

“These guys that signed up are the guys that play in it every year. We do have a couple of new guys, like Ryan Ratcliff, who’s 19 and never played in it. He’s a really good player who’s very capable of winning.

“We have a few people who are missing, but all in all, it’s our regular field of players.”

Brooking listed Kenny Weeks, Steve Scarborough, Jason Rook, Wesley Rodgers, Chuck Fields, Trampus Butler, Jerry Johns, Clayton Foster and Bill Byrnes as favorites in the tournament. Michael Faust, Kenny Carolton, Phillip Trosclair, Ratcliffe, Mario Lamela, Doug Brown, Casey Ham, Stanley O’Berlin and Bubba Bruce were also listed among the favorites.

As far as what keeps people coming back, Brooking credited all the free stuff that comes along with the tournament.

“Golf balls, hats, Coca-Cola, Powerade, Budweiser, Miller Lite, food from Biscuits and Blues… most tournaments don’t give that much. We have $2,000 worth of prizes in each flight,” Brooking said.

“Everyone has fun out there. It’s a long-running tournament, approximately 80 years old, and is the oldest in the city of Natchez.”

Brooking wanted to thank sponsors B&K Bank, Concordia Bank, United Mississippi Bank, Regions Bank, Home Hardware, Isle of Capri, Dr. Bruce Scarborough and Dr. Jeff Anderson for their donations.