NATCHEZ — Robert Willis of Grenada continued to keep the competition at bay Saturday in the Senior Division of the 2012 MGA State Senior Amateur Championship at Beau Pré Country Club.

Willis made birdies on Nos. 10, 11 and 15 to finish with a second-round score of 3-under-par 69 for a two-day total of 4-under-par 144. He is now five shots clear of Greg Brooking of Natchez and Ricky Sims of Canton in the championship flight of the 50-59 age division.

“I played good. The golf course is great. I made some putts that I normally don’t make. I got lucky,” Willis said. “The ball rolls so true (on the greens), it’s unbelievable. I’ve been here before, but I’ve never made it through Sunday.”

Brooking got off to a rough start on the front nine with bogeys on No. 1 and No. 3, only to answer with birdies on 5 and 7. On the back nine, he bogeyed 14 and birdied 18 to finish at even-par 72 for the day as he sits at 1-over-par 145 for the tournament and tied for second with Sims, who had four bogeys and four birdies in his round.

“I felt like I played well today. It was a steady round of golf. I don’t shoot even par very much. That’s the best condition I’ve ever seen Beau Pré’s golf course,” Brooking said. “I’m quite surprised I’ve played well for two days. With golf, from day to day, it’s like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re going to get.

“We’re playing with the top guys in the state. I’m hoping to do good for Natchez. I want to represent Natchez as best as possible and maybe win,” Brooking continued. “Robert Willis is one of the top guys in the state. Ricky Sims has won three of four State Amateurs. Bill Byrne is a member out here.”

Byrne, another player from Natchez, had an opportunity to be closer to the top of the leaderboard, but a couple of bogeys on the back nine gave him a second-round score of 2-over-par 74 for a two-day total of 3-over-par 147 and a tie for fourth with Robert Pannell of Greenwood.

“I just hung in there. I had some good things happen and some bad things happen,” Byrne said. “I had three birdies, three bogeys and three pars on the front nine, so I was very inconsistent. Then I bogeyed 12 and 13. I made a 10-foot par putt which was very crucial because I was losing some momentum. I was hoping to do better today.”

Despite shooting a second-round 83 on Saturday that narrowly knocked him out of the championship flight, Chuck Fields of Natchez leads the first flight in the Senior Division with a two-day total of 155. David Griffin of Belden is in front in that division’s second flight at 168.

Don Davis of Pearl had his second straight solid round of golf as he shot 1-under-par 71 to lead the championship flight in the Super Senior Division (60-69) with a two-day total of 1-under-par 143.

“It was kind of up and down. It was more like a job than enjoyment,” Davis said. “Coming into the last seven holes, I had to make a lot of five-footers. I bogeyed No. 5. I hit the ball good. I putted well. Overall, I played well. I don’t get to play any competitive golf.”

Donny Davis leads the first flight of the Super Senior Division with a two-day total of 160 and Cecil Watkins continues to lead the Grand Masters Division (70+) with a two-day total of 149, three shots ahead of Joe Ruck of Jackson and five shots in front of Bill Lambert of Natchez.

Tee times for today’s final round start at 8 a.m. on No. 1 and No. 10.