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Mills said he has played the HCC twice before. Recognized for its tree-lined fairways, the course was devastated by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 when over 100 towering pine trees were uprooted.
"The (HCC) greens were really fast when I played it," said Mills.
He qualified for the Overall tourney last Monday at Grenada's Dogwood Golf Club. Mills fired a 2-under par 70 and then won a 2-hole playoff with a birdie putt on the ninth hole. He defeated Alex Malmay of Riverfield (La.) for medalist honors in AA state.
Prentiss Christian School won the AA team title, beating River Oaks (La.) by 2 strokes, 327-329. As a team, Brookhaven Academy placed sixth.
Brookhaven Academy golf coach Barry Gray said Mills played extremely well. "Jennings had 5 birdies in the first 12 holes. He was on fire."
Mills said a triple bogey on a tough par-3, 195-yard hole on the back 9 hurt his score.
"I loved the greens, said Mills. "I liked the fairways and the bunkers, too. The fairways were mostly lined by woods. There were very few out of bounds (markers)," he noted.
The 17-year-old son of Julie and Dr. Steve Mills has been playing golf since he was 7 years old. His dad got him interested in the game."
"I started to get into it when I was about 7 years old," said Mills. He and his family are Brookhaven Country Club members.
Asked about his golf skills, Mills said, "My driving is the best part of my game right now. I need to work on my short game."
He averages around 280 yards per drive. He uses a Titleist D2 driver, plus Titleist irons and wedges. He relies on an Odyssey putter.
Mills receives occasional lessons from VJ Trolio, the PGA pro at Ole Waverly in West Point. He said his favorite course is Bandon Dunes in Oregon, a course he and his father played. "It runs right along the Pacific Ocean."
Asked about his favorite player on the PGA Tour, Mills said, "I like Phil Mickelson. He's a real nice guy."
He said he wouldn't mind playing golf on the collegiate level. He said Copiah-Lincoln Community College golf coach and PGA professional Ronnie Ross has encouraged him to play for the Wolfpack.
Mills also established himself as a sure-handed wide receiver during the 2008 football season as the Cougars captured the District 4-AA title. He also played cornerback on defense.
BA head football coach Herbert Davis has expressed interest in moving Mills to a running back position. "I need to gain some more weight to play running back," said Mills.
His first priority is making a strong showing in tomorrow's tournament in Hattiesburg.
