WESSON — Perry Katherine Furr is recognized as the little girlwith a big drive. Standing 5-foot-3, the 15-year-old Furr usuallyoutdrives boys her age and older when they’re competing on the golfcourse.

Furr’s prowess on the links has served her well at Wesson HighSchool. As a freshman this season, she was second in theMississippi High School Activities Association’s first girls stategolf tournament. Most of the season she plays on the Wesson teamwhich consists of boys.

“My strongest point is my driver,” said Furr. “I like it a lot.My short game is not too sharp.”

Furr averages 230 yards on her drives. She uses a Callaway BigBertha Titanium.

Also in her bag are Cobras irons, an Odyssey putter and a TommyArmour 3-wood.

“I like the whole thing about golf,” said Furr. “I like playingoutside. I’ve been playing since I was 12. My dad (Richard Furr)always played golf. He took me when I was little.”

In recent action, Furr was third in the Mississippi Women’s GolfAssociation Girls State Amateur Championship at Briarwood CountryClub in Meridian. She’s returning to that location today for thestart of the MGA’s Women’s State Am.

At Gulfport’s Windance Country Club last weekend, she placedsecond in the Mississippi Junior Golf Association event. She shotan 88 on the par-72 course.

“Windance was really nice,” said Furr. “I enjoyed playingit.”

In the recent Mississippi Junior State Amateur at Meridian, Furrshot two rounds of nine holes, posting a score of 45-47–92.Fourteen-year-old Shelby Sandifer of Florence shot 40-43–83 to winthe event. Mary Landon Gallagher of Greenwood was second.

The top six finishers advance to the Tri-State Girls Junior GolfTournament in Glenwood, Ark. next month. They will face the topplayers from Arkansas and Louisiana.

“I’m excited about going to Arkansas,” said Furr. “I knownothing about the course. I’ll practice a day or two before thetournament starts.”

This week, Furr is competing in the 4-day Miss. Women’s GolfAssociation State Amateur. It runs Sunday through Wednesday at theBriarwood Country Club in Meridian. Golfers compete in stroke playin the opening round. Then golfers are put in flights. There ismatch play in the final round.

Furr tries to play golf every day at Wolf Hollow Golf Club onthe Co-Lin campus. She gets pointers from her dad and lessons fromRonny Ross, a PGA teaching professional and general manager at theBrookhaven Country Club.

Her favorite hole at Wolf Hollow?

“I like No. 1 because it’s a wide open, par-5,” answered Furr.”It’s a birdie hole.”

For inspiration, Furr closely follows LPGA stars. “I like AnikaSorenstam because she kills everybody. Michelle Wie is amazing.Everybody watches her.”

Looking to the future, Furr said, “I would love to playprofessional golf. That’s a big goal for me.”

She went to the Masters in Augusta, Ga., with her father thisspring and got to watch the PGA’s major stars in action.

P.K.’s mother, Robin, stays busy trying to manage her daughter’sbusy schedule. She’s also been involved in dance, cheerleading andother sports, like softball and basketball.

“I’ve always played softball and basketball, way before golf,”said P.K. ” I loved them first.”

Mrs. Furr said her daughter elected to discontinue dance andcheerleading because of the demands of school and the other threesports. She plays softball, basketball and golf for Coach JemmyeAnn Helms at Wesson. She has been on Wesson’s varsity golf teamsince the seventh grade. Currently, Warren Hood is the No. 1 playeron the Wesson golf team and Furr is No. 2. Hood will be a juniorthis fall and Furr a sophomore.

As a freshman Furr won the longest drive contest in a highschool tournament held at Duncan Park in Natchez, outdriving olderand stronger male competitors from several schools. Driving is herstrength.