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MADISON, Miss. — The Misssissppi Golf Association’s 100th season got off to a windy start this past weekend at the 2025 Bill Cass Senior Four-Ball hosted by Lake Caroline Golf Club.

Friday’s first round saw southerly winds gusting above 40 miles per hour. The winds were no match for some of the state’s best senior golfers, however, as every team across all three championship flights recorded scores under par on Friday.

Senior championship flight leaders, Timothy Roop (Hernando) and Michael Hammett (Hattiesburg) carded a 9-under 63 to take a one-shot lead. In the Super-Senior championship flight, Greg Brooking (Natchez) and Pete Powell (Natchez) commanded their own one-shot lead following a 5-under 67. Everyone was bested by Grand Master leaders Danny Hooker (Pontotoc) and Judson Vance (Belden). The pair navigated the winds to double-digits and a tournament-best 10-under 62.

Due to the threat of potentially dangerous weather, Saturday’s second round was canceled. The event was moved to a 36-hole championship and play resumed Sunday to crown three new state champions.

Grand Master (Age 70+)

Hooker and Vance began the day up two strokes on the Grand Master championship leaderboard. Stumbling out of the gate with a bogey on the par-4 first hole, the two-man crew quickly got comfortable at the top.

BIrdies on Nos. 2, 5, 6 and 7 helped grow their lead as they trudged through a bitter north wind. Beginning on No. 8, Hooker and Vance carded seven straight pars while they saw their lead shrink to just one shot over a charging duo of Bill Byrne (Madison) and Chan Henry (Madison).

Hooker and Vance shut the door on any advancements with a barrage of birdies on holes 15, 16 and 17 to get to 16 under par. With a par on the challenging par-4 18th, Hooker and Vance took home the Grand Master Championship with a 16-under 128.

Super Senior (Ages 60-69)

Greg Brooking and teammate Pete Powell worked hard to fight off a handful of teams for the Super Senior division championship. One shot back of two teams after Friday’s opening round, Brooking and Powell got out to a hot start.

Birdies on the opening three holes brought on good vibes early. Through No. 12, the team got to 9 under before dropping their first shot of the tournament at the par-3 13th. Not ones to dwell, Brooking and Powell got right back on pace with a birdie on No. 14 and tacked on two more at Nos. 16 and 1 before closing the event out with a bogey on 18 to win the Super Senior Championship by a stroke at 10-under par.

Senior Championship (50-59)

Ahead of Sunday’s final round, Hernando’s Tim Roop was looking to do something he had never done before — win the Bill Cass Senior Four-Ball Championship. His teammate, Michael Hammett had done it back in 2018 with Larry Boyd, but the Stan Hall Memorial trophy was one that had always alluded both Roop and Hammett when they were teamed up together.

No wind, rain, tornados or any other pair of golfers would get in the way of Roop and Hammett not hoisting that trophy come Sunday afternoon The duo were locked in from the get-go. Hammett holed out from about 50 yards on No. 2 for an eagle which was followed by a team birdie to quickly get out to a two-shot lead over Kevin Bound (Brandon) and Casey Ham (Natchez).

Roop and Hammett went out in 30 and were a well-oiled machine, despite the 30+ mile per hour winds, as they looked to close out the championship. 

In fact, it wasn’t until the par-3 13th on Sunday that the pair carded their first bogey of the championship. By the time they got to the 18th tee, Roop and Hammett were able to enjoy the cart ride up the fairway with a five-shot lead over the rest of the field.

Michael Hammett would close out the championship with one more birdie, this time a 30-foot bomb, to seal the title. With the putt, a dream that finally came to fruition.

The Mississippi Golf Association will be back in action on April 2nd at Castlewoods CC in Brandon, MS, to kick off our brand new Edwin Watts One-Day Series! For more information regarding One-Day Series events click here.