The 2003 Arkansas PGA Junior Golf Tour stopped in Forrest City today to play the fourth course on the five-site tour.
Approximately 35 junior golfers teed off at Forrest City Country Club Thursday morning in the Northeast Regional stop including six Forrest City entries --Barrett Astin, Chance Pearson, Brent DeVazier, Tyler McCluskey, Matthew Howton and Wilson Parker.
All players, 11-under, will play nine holes today while players 11 and older will play 18 holes.
The overall championships will be played Thursday, July 24, at Greystone in Cabot for age qualifiers 14-15 and 16-17, while the 9-11 and 12-13 qualifiers will play at North Little Rock Burns Park Gold Course on Wednesday, July 23.
The Tournament of Champions will be played at Indian Springs Country Club in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, Aug. 4-5-6.
Besides todays round at Forrest City, the tour has already made stops at Jonesboro, Ridgepoint and Sage Meadows with Blytheville remaining on the schedule.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
The 15-year-old District 7 Tournament opened today at Forrest City's Sports Complex as eight Babe Ruth all-star teams began the quest for the championship.
The tournament, a double-elimination style bracket, will continue through the weekend with the championship game set for Sunday at 6 p.m. If needed the second championship game will be played Monday, July 7, at 6 p.m.
Forrest City's 15-year-old All-Stars are being coached this year by Darry Banks and will play their first game tonight at 7 p.m., when they take on White Hall.
A win brings Forrest City back Friday night at 7 p.m. while a first-round loss brings the team back Friday at 3 p.m.
Pine Bluff Northern and Pine Bluff were paired for the tournament's opening game today at 1 p.m.
Marion and Helena are scheduled to play at 3 p.m. followed by Wynne and West Memphis at 5 p.m.
A year ago, the Forrest City 15s lost their first two games and were eliminated early in the competition.
In other district tournaments this weekend, the 13 and 14-year-old district tournaments will be played at Marion.
The Forrest City 13s will open play today at 5 p.m., when they take on Pine Bluff Northern while the Forrest City 14s will open play Saturday, when they take on the winner of the Marion-Pine Bluff Northern first-round game.
Monday, the Forrest City 12s won the district championship, defeating Pine Bluff Seabrook 9-5.
Forrest City is sending two teams to the Cal Ripken 5-6-year-old T-Ball state tournament, which starts Friday at Sherwood.
Forrest City teams are scheduled to play at 10 a.m. and at 4 p.m.
Other teams in the 18-team bracket include Cabot, Marion, Sylvan Hills, Stuttgart, Maumelle, Dumas, Lonoke, Pine Bluff, Vilonia, Wynne and Star City.
The pitching machine state tournament begins next weekend at Sherwood while the Forrest City 11-year-old All-Stars will open state tournament play July 11, at Maumelle.