NATCHEZ — The 2009 Natchez Children’s Home Services Celebrity Golf Tournament saw a three-way tie for first place and a splitting of the prizes Saturday.

Groups 4, 5 and 9 each shot 55 to force the tie. Group 4 included Buddy Shelton, Bill Lambert, Robin Punches and Dick Walcott.

Group 5 consisted of Rick Seratte, Craig Bradford, Jerry Beauchamp and David Heard, while Kelly Edge, Lloyd Trisler, Kofi Kumi, Mike Cook and Bill McKenzie made up Group 5.

The tournament helped raise money for the Natchez Children’s Home, a local multi-service agency that helps children that come from families that are unable or unwilling to properly take care of them.

“We care for children of all ages, genders and races,” Executive Director Nancy Hungerford said. “Our criteria for admission are children that have been adjudicated, abused or abandoned by the state of Mississippi.

“They haven’t done anything wrong, they’ve simply had families that, for one reason or another, can’t or won’t take care of them.”

Hungerford said events like the tournament are the main source of funding for the organization.

“These kinds of things are not just the gravy, they’re the meat and potatoes (of our funding),” Hungerford said. “It’s critical to a multi-service agency like ours that operates without federal grants.”

The Children’s Home recently underwent a change, deciding to focus more upon finding afflicted children foster homes instead of housing them. However, caring for children hasn’t changed, Hungerford said, and she said she’s hopeful the money raised at this year’s tournament will go a long way.

“We hope to make $100,000, and potentially more, from this tournament. We have 11 celebrity players competing, some for the first time, and some back by popular demand, like (Major League Baseball umpire) Joe West.”

West, whose Group 2 shot 57, said the tournament was a great way for him to wind down after officiating the 2009 World Series.

“The World Series went into November for the first time since 2001,” West said. “So, it’s no longer ‘Mr. October,’ it’s ‘Mr. November.’”

West also said he keeps competing in the tournament not just to unwind from baseball season, but also to give to those less fortunate than himself.

“It’s all for those children. If I had never gotten the help I did as a child, I never would have gotten a chance to be where I am today. I have to give back. Hopefully, (The Children’s Home) helps get them on the right path in life.”

Former Oakland Raiders punter Ray Guy, who was also on hand at the event, echoed West’s sentiments.

“We’ve been blessed with a lot of things they haven’t been,” Guy said. “These children have to have a purpose, and the Children’s Home makes it happen for them. They need to be given the opportunity to succeed, instead of just being a number.”

Hungerford mentioned the Natchez Community Hospital, the United Mississippi Bank and the Grand Soleil Hotel as sponsors of the tournament that she wanted to thank.