Posted: Thursday, August 20, 2009 4:07 pm

Big rewards — Former Martin resident Charles Willoughby recently won the Mississippi State Open Golf Tournament with three rounds of 72 to finish at even par. He won The Trustmark Invitational at the Dancing Rabbit Golf Club in Philadelphia, Miss. He finished two strokes ahead of defending champ Tim Yelverson and earned $4,000 with the win. The 110-player field consisted of 30 professionals from Mississippi. Willoughby earned the title as Low Professional Champion and also won the William E. "Sonny" Lawson Cup as the professional with the lowest opening round score. Willoughby, who attended Fulton City High School and the University of Tennessee at Martin resides in Robinsonville, Miss. He is employed as the assistant golf professional at Tunica Golf and Tennis Club at Tunica, Miss.