Bill Hassell has been the Tiger Woods of Warren County golf lately.

The former Vicksburg High star won the Vicksburg Country Club championship in June and has won the last two Warren County Championships. He’s a favorite to make it three county championships in a row when the tournament begins Saturday morning at Clear Creek, but everything from the venue to the competition makes him stop short of guaranteeing a threepeat.

“It’s only a two-day tournament, so there’s not much room for error,” Hassell said, adding that the field is wide open. “There’s probably 10 guys I can name that have a chance to win it.”

The Warren County Championship actually gets started Friday with a shootout for the top 12 finishers from last year. The shootout works like an elimination match, with one golfer getting knocked out after each hole until only one remains.

On Saturday, the tournament begins in earnest at 8 a.m. The best golfers in the county will compete for bragging rights, with the top 36 after the first round making the cut and advancing to Sunday’s championship flight.

Clear Creek pro Kent Smith, who used to be the pro at Vicksburg Country Club, said the championship is the biggest tournament in town in terms of prestige, if not numbers.

It’s one of only two times each year that large numbers of players from the county’s public and private courses compete against each other. The other is the Warren County Cup, held this year Aug. 20 and 21 at Clear Creek.

Berths in that tournament will also be on the line for Clear Creek members this weekend. The top 12 finishers who are also Clear Creek members will qualify.

“As far as prestige, it is,” he said. “You’ve got Warren County and country club players competing against each other.”

Smith said about 60 players had signed up for the championships, but players are welcome to enter until Friday. The entry fee is $100, and all players – even the ones who miss the cut – are guaranteed two rounds of golf with a cart.

IF YOU GO

Warren County championships

Saturday, 8 a.m. at Clear Creek

Entry fee: $100

For more information, call 601-638-9395.