Golf: Lindholm leads Labor Day Tournament
Logan Lindholm shook off the rain, ignored the chill — temperature in the mid40s — to post the best round Saturday at the 78th International Labor Day Tournament at Buffalo Hill Golf Club.
The Kalispell golfer shot a 7-under-par 59 on two trips around the Cameron Nine.
“I was just trying to keep up with Brock Robillard (Calgary, Alberta),” Lindholm said of a player in his foursome.
Robillard was just as impressive, carding a 60.
Robillard’s strong play helped Lindholm take his mind of the lousy playing conditions. But not all the time.
“The rain bothers you, but I was able to stay dry for the most part,” he said.
And to keep warm.
Libby’s Ryggs Johnston shot a 61, which puts him solidly in third place, just two strokes behind Lindholm.
Brian Beach of Missoula was next with a 62.
Jordan Alford of Calgary and Ryan Santa of Kalispell are tied for fifth with 64s.
On the women’s side, Glacier senior Teigan Avery and Sarah Moodie of Whistler, British Columbia, both shot 4-over 78s on the Championship 18 to top the leaderboard.
Moodie is the defending tournament champion.
Kali Gordon of Okotoks, Alberta, is third with her 82.
Kalispell’s Debbie Boreson and Wendy Madison are tied for fourth with 85s.
Lindholm was solid all the way around, stumbling just once, on the final hole.
“Just one blemish,” he said.
“Hit into a bunker. Was not able to get it up and down.”
Lindholm, a two-time champion of this event (2012-13) came in hoping to shoot a 58 despite the weather.
“That’s about as close to a perfect round as you can get,” he said on the Cameron Nine.
It also matched his best score on the Cameron. This 59 meant more, however, as it was in tournament play.
“Got off to a fast start,” he said.
“Made a bunch of putts, some up and downs to keep the round going. I played pretty solid the rest of the way.”
His most memorable hole on opening day was the fifth, a par 4, 390-yarder.
“Hooked my second shot from 150 (yards) into a bunker,” he said.
“I didn’t have much green to work.”
He blasted out, his shot going three feet past the hole.
“A slippery putt, down hill,” he said.
“I put a good stroke on it. That kept the round going, kept it together.”
Lindholm will tee it up with Scott Desmarais of Calgary, a former champion of this event, along with Eric Allard and Kenny Gregory at 10 a.m. today on the Championship 18.
The 54-hole event ends Monday.
Play today starts at 8 a.m.
78th International
Labor Day Tournament
Buffalo Hill Golf Club
Saturday’s Results
Men
Cameron Nine (Par 66)
Logan Lindholm, Kalispell 59
Brock Robillard, Calgary, Alberta 60
Ryggs Johnston, Libby 61
Brain Beach, Missoula 62
Jordan Alford, Calgary 64
Ryan Santa, Kalispell 64
Don Walter, Kalispell 65
Henry Emmerson, Portland 65
Ryan Keenan, Bigfork 66
Ryan Buls, Kalispell 66
Joseph Potkonjak, Bigfork 66
Jimmy Cowan, Calgary 66
Women
Championship 18 (Par 74)
Teigan Avery, Kalispell 78
Sarah Moodie, Whistler, B.C. 78
Kali Gordon, Okotoks, Alberta 82
Debbie Boreson, Kalispell 85
Wendy Madison, Kalispell 85
Debbie Hadley, Kalispell 86
Wendy Chirino, Kalispell 86
Amber Winkler, Kalispell 90
Jeanette Cheney, Whitefish 90
Georgia Desmarais, Calgary 91
Katelyn Dunning, Calgary 92