The City of Brookhaven and the Brookhaven Country Club takecenter stage today, Monday and Tuesday of this week. The Class 4AState Golf Tournament tees off Monday morning a the BCC’s par-70layout.

Brookhaven golf coach Ryan Ross realized Brookhaven had anopportunity to host the state tournament when the Mississippi HighSchool Activities Association was looking for the right locationlast winter. His older brother, Ronny, serves as BCC’s generalmanager and PGA professional.

“We went to Jackson to request to be the host team. Ronny saidhe would be more than glad to host so we went to work on it.”

There will be a practice round today. The tournament format is36 holes, 18 on Monday and 18 on Tuesday. Individual medalists fromschools without teams in the tournament will tee off at 8 a.m.

Eight divisions, two schools from each division, qualified forstate tournament. The top two medalists from each division alsoadvance. There are usually five players on each team.

Joining Brookhaven in the tournament are Terry, Alcorn Central,Grenada, Kosciusko, Neshoba Central, Picayune, Stone County,Quitman, Oxford, West Jones, D’Iberville, St. Stanislaus, Pearl andFlorence. West Jones is the defending state champion.

Brookhaven was runner-up to Terry in the division tournament.The Bulldogs shot 307 at Brookwood Country Club in Byram. ThePanthers shot 315 and finished second.

Playing for the Panthers are Brandt Hinton, Phillip Hammond,Cody Jordan, Austin Mills and Shane Price. Another key player,Grant McDonnieal, suffered a broken leg in a baseball game fourweeks ago at Wesson.

“Cody Jordan has been our leading scorer in the last fewtournaments,” said Coach Ross. “He shoots in the mid to upper70s.”

Jordan is a junior. Hammond also has been playing well,according to Ross. “Austin has fought through some hard times buthe shot 80 at district.”

Brandt Hinton shot 86 in division play. Hammond shot 75, Jordan74. Mills shot 80. Shane Price withdrew.

Ronny Ross said he welcomes the opportunity to showcase thecourse and the city. “We are proud to host this event. People fromacross the state will get to see our course and the Brookhavencommunity.

“The motels are booked solid so this tournament should have apositive economic impact on the city, too,” said Ross.

“I want to thank our members for allowing the tournament to beheld,” Ross continued. “They are sacrificing some playing time toaccommodate these young golfers who are the future of thegame.”

Ross said the new, asphalt cart paths have been completed.”Anyone wishing to follow the tournament is welcome to rent acart.”

Panther Paws: Ryan Ross has accepted theposition of offensive coordinator for the football team atSouthwest Mississippi Community College in Summit. “This issomething I always wanted to do. I love Brookhaven so I had tothink about it a lot.”

Ross, a 1992 graduate of BHS, coached with Greg Wall from1998-2000 at BHS and then was hired at McComb for one year beforereturning to Brookhaven for the 2002 campaign.