Mississippi’s brightest young golfing stars flocked to Duncan Park Golf Course Monday to participate in the first round of the seventh annual Norman Puckett Memorial Junior Championship.

“We’ve got some really great golfers,” Duncan Park course superintendent Greg Brooking said. “We have kids from all across the state.

The tournament format is making a transition from the previous 18-hole event to a 36-hole competition, lasting two-days and featuring approximately 20 competitors in the field across several different divisions. Brooking said the tournament is “not AJGA recognized, but it is Future Tour recognized.”

“I set it up like this because my goal was to help Natchez economically, too,” he said. “If it’s a 36-hole tournament, they’re going to stay in town, eat in our restaurants, and we hope to grow it bigger. I know the mayor and board of aldermen are behind us having junior golf.”

Brooking noted the Natchez community is well represented as two natives, Kayla Starr and Bankston Jordan, are participating in the two-day event.

“Bankston Jordan is a really good, up-and-coming player from right here in Natchez,” he said. “I’m proud to have Bankston in this tournament. And Starr is swinging it beautifully, and she’s a tremendous talent.”

Brooking said it was an honor for Duncan Park to be able to host a tournament with such significance.

“It’s a big state tournament, so we’re proud to be able to host a tournament of this quality and magnitude,” Brooking said. “It’s a real big honor to have it here in Natchez; we have kids from all around. It’s for anybody in the state of Mississippi.”