Bethany Overton of Natchez looked around the Beau Pr\u00E9 Country Club clubhouse at all the smiles Thursday minutes after Pam Posey of Marion defeated Cissye Gallagher of Greenwood 5-3 to win the 2000 Mississippi Women’s State Golf Association championship.

And Overton, a co-chairwoman of the event along with Pat Dickens, could not help but smile herself.

&uot;Everybody is just so thrilled with the course, and how it played so good,&uot; she said. &uot;I&160;had one very good player tell me that playing these last few days on Beau Pr\u00E9 made her a better player because it is such a great course. It made her develop shots she didn’t have before she got here.&uot;

Even with four rain delays, the tournament ran smoothly, and that’s a credit to Overton, Dickens, the entire local women’s association and Beau Pr\u00E9 officials who worked hard in preparing for the tournament.

&uot;We are appreciative of the board of Beau Pr\u00E9 for allowing us to have this event,&uot; Overton said. &uot;It couldn’t have been better.

The finals proved to be a surprise. Most of the throng weaving their way in front and behind both golfers on golf carts figured Gallagher would win her fourth straight title, ninth overall.

And some even expected the finals to be a runaway.

Considering how good a player Gallagher is, Posey’s win was a runaway.

But nobody was counting Gallagher out, even when she was down three strokes with four to play.

Not even Gallagaher.

&uot;I never felt like I was beat,&uot; said Gallagher, who joined husband and PGA player Jim Gallagher Thursday at the Federal Express St. Jude Classic in Memphis, Tenn. &uot;But nothing seemed to happen. I would hit a shot perfect and it would take an extra hop and go into the back of a bunker.&uot;

But while most figured Gallagher would win, certainly no one was disappointed to see Posey take home the championship, her first after coming in second three times.

The respect both golfers had for each other was evident.

The respect of the line of spectators was even more evident.

&uot;Watching Cissye Gallagher is absolutely awesome,&uot; Frances Meason said Wednesday. &uot;It’s like there’s no effort at all, everything is so natural. She is such a good player.&uot;

While Gallagher’s final day at Beau Pr\u00E9 Country Club wasn’t perfect, the tournament proved to be just that.

And Natchez even added a new attraction with the Elizabeth Eidt Award, a trophy named for the late Natchez golfer who won this tournament in 1935 at Duncan Park at the age of 22.

The trophy will go to the person who has done the most for golf over the next 10 years before being retired to Beau Pr\u00E9, and will be decided on by votes taken from participating golfers.

The trophy this year was presented to nine-time champion Lou W. Hart of Meridian, who lost to Posey in the semifinals.

It was just another feather in the cap for Natchez.

Mississippi Women’s Golf Association President Joy May couldn’t have been more pleased with the tournament.

&uot;It was just fabulous,&uot; May said. &uot;First of all the golf course is just great. It was immaculate all week. And even with the weather we had, we were able to get all of the rounds in. All the people in Natchez should be proud of a job well done.&uot;

The tournament will be held in Hattiesburg next year. They certainly have their work cut out following in Natchez’s shoes.

Joey Martin is sports editor of The Democrat. He can be reached by calling 446-5172 ext. 232 or at joey.martin@natchezdemocrat.com.