Miko Beasley Denson didn't really see the sense in chasing a little white ball over manicured stretches of terra firma. It wasn't until he started playing the game of golf that he realized the allure and challenge the sport provided. He is a firm believer in the game now.
"I love the game of golf now," said Beasley, who is the third Chief of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians in Choctaw. "And to host for the fourth year this golf tournament means a great deal to us."
Beasley, along with other event officials, announced Dancing Rabbit Golf Club would be host to the Hooters Pro Golf Tour’s 4th Annual Hilton Garden Inn Golf Classic at Pearl River Resort. The tournament dates are from Sept. 22-28. Spectators can watch the future stars free of charge. The purse is worth a combined $200,000 with the winner of the event receiving $33,000.
The NGA/Hooters Tour is the 3rd largest men’s 72-hole professional golf tour in the country behind the PGA and Nationwide Tours. The list of alumni golfers who have gone on to world prominence and success on the professional golf circuit is long and impressive.
"The tour boasts alumni like 2007 Masters Champion Zach Johnson, 2003 PGA Champion Shaun Micheel, 2003 British Open winner Ben Curtis, 2003 US Open winner Jim Furyk, two time U.S. Open winner Lee Janzen, British Open and PGA Champion John Daly, as well as British Open winner Tom Lehman," said Todd Barbee, who is the tournament director for the NGA/Hooters Tour. "We expect approximately 168 players to play in this tournament — the only NGA/Hooters tournament to be played in Mississippi."
The NGA / Hooters Professional Golf Tour, formerly the Hooters/Jordan Tour, dates back to 1988 with T.C. "Rick" Jordan as its owner and founder. Jordan envisioned a golf tour that would provide professional golfers an opportunity to compete in a professional atmosphere as well as achieve financial success. Barbee said this tour offers golfers new to competitive, professional golf an opportunity to hone their game and prepare for much larger tours such as the Nationwide and PGA events.
The NGA/Hooters Tour’s alumni have an incredible 10 “Majors” to their credit. The NGA/Hooters Tour has helped more than 100 professionals acquire their PGA, Senior PGA, and Nationwide Tour cards. In fact, 42% of the players that earned their 2008 PGA Tour card, and 47% of the players that earned full exempt status on the Nationwide Tour started their careers on the NGA/Hooters Tour.
And in terms of holding the event at Dancing Rabbit Golf Club, Barbee said the players will be challenged with this course that is among the top in the nation.
"Golf Magazine said this is the only "Augusta National" golf course the regular golfer can play on," said Barbee. "This is a fantastic venue, course and with Hilton Gardens Inn as a major sponsor, the pro golfers we have coming here will enjoy a great week."
Beasley said also the event will continue to showcase everything there is offered by Dancing Rabbit and Pearl River Resort.
"We hope that everyone who comes here will leave with a feeling they have been a part of something special," Beasley said. "Hopefully they will our ambassadors in spreading the word about Dancing Rabbit, the golf tour and the resort area."
As is customary with the NGA/Hooters events, some of the proceeds from the tournament will go to benefit local charities. In the case of the upcoming Hilton Gardens Inn Classic, some of the funds raised will go to the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians Boys and Girls Club.
Sports
Pro golf tour coming to Dancing Rabbit
NGA/Hooters Tour bringing in tomorrow's links stars
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Clarkdale serves notice in rout of Enterprise
The Clarkdale girls’ basketball team served notice that it belonged among the top teams in MHSAA Class 2A with a 59-56 division win at defending 2A state champion Scott Central on January 31.
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Northeast Lauderdale stuns, upsets Northeast Jones in opening round.
Shaquanta McDonald and Tarmecia Mack each scored 10 points as The Trojans beat the Tigers 42-28 in the opening round of the District 5-4A District Tournament held at West Lauderdale Tuesday. Brittany Williams added nine points for Northeast Lauderdale (5-21).
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Season Ender
The defense was there, but the offense never came around and Meridian High saw its playoff hopes disappear as Oak Grove pulled away in the final minutes to knock off the host Wildcats 58-48 on Tuesday night in the Region 5-6A Tournament.
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Kemper County wins thriller over Heidelberg
In a division with traditional powerhouses Choctaw Central, Southeast Lauderdale and Newton – the fourth-and-fifth-seeded Kemper County and Heidelberg girls both were hoping to just punch their ticket to the Class 3A state playoffs and hope to hit a hot streak.
Part one of that equation was successful for Kemper County Tuesday night, but it was far from easy. -
New-look Lions set to open 2012 softball season
Coming off the most successful season of fast-pitch softball competition in the program’s history, the East Mississippi Community College Lions are set to open their 2012 softball campaign by playing host to Marion Military Institute Tuesday afternoon on the Scooba campus. First pitch for the season-opening doubleheader is set for 1 p.m.
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Yellowjackets survive Hornets, keep season alive
Rarely does a team commit 46 turnovers and not get run out of the gym, but the Union girls overcame their ballhandling woes to knock off Lake 41-38 in overtime of the MHSAA Division 6-2A Tournament Monday night.
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Roundup — MCC baseball splits pair at tourney
The Meridian Community College Eagles salvaged a split of its final games in the 2012 T.J. Fleming Invitational at Lurleen B. Wallace Community College on Sunday. -
Crusaders use experience, speed to topple Tornadoes
Philadelphia and Sacred Heart both entered Friday's Class 1A/2A/3A soccer state championship game looking for their first state crown.
The Crusaders, though, had finished as runners-up the previous two seasons, and used that experience and their speed to their advantage as they scored three first half goals in route to a 3-1 win. -
Roundup — West girls rally past Louisville
The West Lauderdale girls basketball team overcame an early deficit to top visiting Louisville 60-56 to close out the regular season Friday.
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Dreams Dashed
A real life David vs. Goliath meeting took place in the Class 1A/2A/3A girls state championship soccer game Friday afternoon at Clinton High School's Arrow Field.
Having never advanced farther than the second round of the MSHSAA soccer playoffs, Clarkdale entered looking to shock the state and win its first state title. In th way stood Our Lady Academy, a nine-time state champion from Bay St. Louis.
The Crescents blanked the Bulldogs 5-0 for their third straight title and 10th since 2000. - More Sports Headlines
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