Labor Day golf tourney at Buffalo Hill

Players from eight states and two Canadian provinces will tee it up Saturday for the 76th Labor Day Tournament at Buffalo Hill Golf Course.

The event features another full field (154 men and 56 women) with both the men’s — Logan Lindholm of Kalispell — and women’s — Teigan Avery of Kalispell — reigning champions back to defend their titles.

Other past winners entered are: men — Mark Mance, Whitefish; Shawn Tucker, Whitefish; Cody Sherrill, Kalispell; Ryan Buls, Kalispell; Jeff Bishop, Portland and Steve Lucas, Polson; women — Sarah Moodie, Vancouver, B.C.; Mary Kruse, Kalispell; Wendy Madison, Kalispell; Vicki Lucas, Polson and Cindy Reimers, Missoula.

Players will tour the Championship 18 twice in the 54-hole stroke-play event and play a round on the Cameron 9.

“A great weekend of excellent golf,” Dave Broeder, head professional at Buffalo Hill, said.

“Spectators are welcome and encouraged to also attend the Sunday evening ‘Horse Race’ starting at 5 p.m. It features the top 10 men and top 10 ladies paired into two person teams, playing an elimination derby on the Cameron course.”

Players participating are from: Alberta, British Columbia, Arizona, California, Idaho, New Mexico, Montana, Oregon, Texas and Washington.

The men’s leading flights will tee off on Saturday from 8-10 a.m. on the Cameron course.

The women’s leading flights will tee off from 10:15-11:00 a.m. on the Championship course.

Lindholm last year shot 67-65-72—204 to finish three shots ahead of Scott Desmarias of Calgary.

Avery’s title last year was her second in three years. She was a wire-to-wire winner, shooting 82-77-79—238 to finish four shots ahead of Kali Gordon of Calgary, who won the tournament in 2011.