For a decade, the Warren County Championship has been marked by dynasties.

It’s time for some new blood.

Four-time defending champion Chris Whittington has moved to Hinds County and is no longer eligible to compete. With a half-dozen golfers who have been in the hunt but never won in the past few years, it means there’s likely to be a new name added to the trophy in what should be a wide tournament this weekend at Clear Creek Golf Course.

“There’s a lot of people not playing. It’s pretty wide open, to be honest. Anybody can win. I’ve never really had a chance to win the Warren County. It’ll be pretty exciting, for sure,” said Gabriel Riveros, who finished fourth in 2013 and earlier this week won the Warren County Junior Championship.

A shootout tournament for the top 12 finishers will be held Friday at 5 p.m., and the main tournament will begin Saturday at 8 a.m. The second round will begin Sunday at 8 a.m., with the championship flight teeing off around 11.

Clear Creek pro Kent Smith said the course will be open to the public in the afternoon both days, but closed in the morning while the tournament golfers cycle through their tee times.

“We’ll block off tee times both times, but after lunch the course will be open,” said Smith, who is also the tournament director.

Whittington won the last three of his four county championships on the last hole.

In 2012 he outlasted Parker Rutherford for a two-shot win that went to the wire. In 2013 he chipped in from the back of the 18th green to beat Rutherford by a stroke. Last year he birdied No. 18 and then won when Nick Mekus missed a long par putt.

The status of two other contenders was up in the air. Joel Greer won the Clear Creek Club Championship in June, which comes with a spot in the County Championship and on the Warren County Cup team.

Smith said Greer’s club membership had lapsed, however, and he isn’t a county resident.

To be eligible for the County Championship, golfers must be either a club member or a resident. Smith said it was possible Greer’s status as club champion would merit a waiver for the requirements.

Smith also said that two-time champion Mike Hurley had a schedule conflict and might not play.

Rutherford and Mekus are expected to be among the 80 or so golfers competing when the tournament gets under way Saturday morning.

Based on past performance, both figure to be in the championship hunt again.

Rutherford has finished in the top three each of the last five years but never won, while Mekus won the MHSAA Class 1A championship as a high schooler at St. Aloysius in 2011 and 2012.

Riveros, who is heading into his senior year at St. Al, and teammate Channing Curtis could also challenge for the title.

Both are accomplished junior golfers who regularly shoot in the 70s at Clear Creek. Curtis finished fourth at last year’s County Championship.

Riveros beat his friend in the Warren County Junior Championship and made the cut at the Mississippi State Amateur in June, but Curtis had a better finish in the Junior Amateur.

“There’s six or seven guys that can run away with it, or it can be really close. I feel like it’ll be a big toss up,” Curtis said.

Whoever wins, it could usher in the start of another dynasty.

Before Whittington’s four-peat, Chase Smith accomplished the same feat from 2007-10.

Before that, Hurley and Bill Hassell both went back-to-back.

The last time there were different winners in three consecutive years was 2002, which was also the last time there was a first-time champion.

Rutherford, Mekus, Riveros and Curtis are all in their late teens or early 20s and should be good enough to contend if they continue to live in Warren County.

That makes this a tournament Curtis said he looks forward to.

“It’s the most fun.”