Posey, Hart in State Am top flight

By By Austin Bishop / EMG Regional Sports Director
June 18, 2002
Cissye Gallagher of Greenwood is not the only golfer setting her sights on a record-setting 10th title in this week's Mississippi Women's Golf Association Amateur Championship.
Meridian's Lou Hart, a nine-time winner like Gallagher, carded a 78 on Monday in the qualifying round of the Women's State Am at President Broadwater Golf Course in Biloxi, to become one of 16 golfers to make the championship flight.
Gallagher received a bye into the championship flight, which determines the state champion, because she won last year's event played at Canebrake Golf Club in Hattiesburg.
Meridian's Pam Posey, the 2000 State Am winner, shot a fine 73 on Monday. It tied her with Alexis Rather for the second-best score of the day.
The best round was shot by Picayune High School junior Amanda Mathis, who carded a 72.
Three rounds of match play begins today, with the title being settled on Thursday.
Gallagher, the wife of PGA touring pro Jim Gallagher, is a former member of the LPGA tour and was a standout golfer at LSU.
She is still sore from an ankle she broke two months ago, but is still considered the player to beat this week.
Gallagher described the ankle injury as weird.
Two weeks ago Gallagher turned in a 71 in the qualifying round of the Southern Amateur and advanced all the way to the quarterfinals before being eliminated.