NATCHEZ &045; Sally Durkin isn’t just pleased to be participating in this year’s Mississippi Women’s State Amateur golf tournament &045; she’s glad her hometown is hosting it.

That’s because, besides the intense competition going on at Beau Pr, Natchez will benefit from the tournament participants’ economic impact on the community.

&uot;We have given them the names of four hotels,&uot; Durkin said. &uot;They eat out every night in local restaurants, and sometimes they eat lunch out.&uot;

And, let’s face it, these are female golfers &045; you can expect them to do more than golf, Durkin said.

&uot;I’m sure they do lots of shopping,&uot; she said, adding that when the women have free time they also enjoy touring antebellum houses.

&uot;They really love coming here,&uot; Durkin said. &uot;They eat out and occupy hotel rooms.&uot;

Many of the participants also bring their husbands or children &045; or, in the case of 18-year-old defending champion Amanda Mathis, their parents, Durkin said.

This is the second time the MWSA golf tournament has been in Natchez &045; the women were also here in 2000.

The four-day event begins today, although many of the women were on the course Sunday for a practice round.