Johnston, Gordon Labor Day champs
Ryggs Johnston capped off a nationwide amateur summer tournament schedule with a victory while Kali Gordon celebrated her birthday, a few days late, by claiming her second title at the 78th International Labor Day Tournament on Monday at Buffalo Hill Golf Club.
Johnston, a freshman at Libby High School, took the lead for good on the 13th hole to win by a stroke over Brock Robillard of Calgary, Alberta.
Johnson closed with an even-par round 72, along with Robillard.
They finished the 54-hole event with 205 and 206 totals, respectively.
“I hit the ball quite a bit better,” Johnston said for his final round.
“I didn’t putt good.”
But that did not work against him. He was efficient with his short game to give him plenty of par opportunities.
“I played good enough to win,” he said.
“So you can’t complain with that. You can always do stuff better.”
Johnston earlier this summer played in the U.S. Amateur Championships in Illinois and the Big I National Championship in Hutchinson, Kansas.
“That’s always nice,” he said of ending a season with a victory.
“I’m ready to put the clubs away for awhile.”
Johnston played this event for the first time last year and finished fourth.
“I like playing in men’s tournaments,” he said.
“Just playing with adults and different people.”
Kalispell’s Logan Lindholm, seeking his third Labor Day title, was third and two shots behind Johnson. Lindholm shot a 74 on the final day.
Lindholm topped the leader board after the first day and shared the lead with Johnston after 36 holes.
Gordon, who was four shots off the pace after 36 holes, rallied for a 3-shot victory over defending champion Sarah Moodie of Whistler, British Columbia and Teigan Avery of Kalispell.
Gordon finished with a 3-over-par 77 on the final day. She was 16 over for the tournament
Moodie closed with 76 and Avery, a senior at Glacier High School, carded an 84.
“I finally pulled it together,” Gordon said after being the runner-up here the last three years.
She won this tournament in 2011, her first appearance.
“It’s a fun tournament to play in because of my birthday,” she said.
Gordon turned 29 on Sept. 3.
“This one,” she said of which Labor Day title meant the most to her.
“Because we had horrible weather.”
Golfers played the first round Saturday in a steady rain.
They were greeted with blustery conditions on Sunday.
Monday was chilly and damp.
“She had a rough day,” Gordon said of Avery.
“But Sarah (Moodie) had a good day and we battled back and forth.”
Gordon started strong on the final day on the Championship 18. She was 1-under after four holes.
“Teigan had a few rough holes and I made it up,” she said. “I knew I caught up with Teigan, but I knew Sarah and I were close. I don’t like to think ahead.”
78th International
Labor Day Tournament
Buffalo Hill Golf Club,Sept. 5-7
Men
Championship Flight (Par 210)
1st Gross - Ryggs Johnston (205)
2nd Gross - Brock Robillard (206)
3rd Gross - Logan Lindholm (207)
4th Gross - Ryan Santa (211)
5th Gross - Brian Beach (212)
6th Gross - Ryan Keenan (213)
1st Net - Kyle Mossfeldt (208)
Tie 2nd Net - Ryan Buls (214); Ken Bush (214)
First Flight
1st Gross - John Cole (221) *won playoff
2nd Gross - Don Walter (221)
3rd Gross - Tim Kiley (225)
4th Gross - Jim Olson (228)
Tie 5th Gross - Harley Paugh (230); Brett Damaskos (230)
Tie 1st Net - Jason Milliquet (217); Ryan Gordon (217); Steve Desrochers (217)
Second Flight
1st Gross - Jose Chirino (234)
2nd Gross - Mike Hagel (238)
3rd Gross - Rene Desmarais (239)
4th Gross - Brandann Rohrer (240)
5th Gross - Zach Falk (242)
6th Gross - Doug Edwards (244)
1st Net - Brian Hensleigh (218)
2nd Net - Mike Combs ( 220)
3rd Net - Bill Gardner (222)
Third Flight
1st Gross - Paul Beaver (233)
2nd Gross - Chris Luciuk (237)
3rd Gross - Lon Eliason (240)
4th Gross - Tim Wenz (242)
5th Gross - Pete Blair (243)
6th Gross - Tim Allen (248)
1st Net - Randy Hinzman (211)
2nd Net - Colin Gordon (215)
Tie 3rd Net - AJ Grande (217); Jim Morgan (217)
Fourth Flight
1st Gross - Mike Seymour (237)
2nd Gross - Rielly Manger (245)
3rd Gross - Frank Nguyen ( 246)
4th Gross - Terry Falk (249)
5th Gross - Tom Hensleigh (251)
6th Gross - Jack Weis (256)
1st Net - Rick Swan (210)
2nd Net - Mike Lasorte (215)
3rd Net - Dale Haarr (216)
Fifth Flight
1st Gross - Brad Holmgren (257)
2nd Gross - Shaun White (260)
3rd Gross - Ralph Stevens (268)
4th Gross - Barry Fallesen (269)
5th Gross - Walter Pahl (271)
6th Gross - Guy Sipprell (274)
1st Net - Matt Rigg (209)
2nd Net - Richard Lober (216)
3rd Net - Ron Scott (219)
Women
Championship Flight (Par 216)
1st Gross - Kali Gordon (232)
Tie 2nd Gross - Teigan Avery (235); Sarah Moodie (235)
1st Net - Wendy Chirino (213)
Tie 2nd Net - Amber Winkler (215);Debbie Boreson (215)
First Flight
1st Gross - Jeanette Cheney (266)
2nd Gross - Billie Jean Bloxham (275)
3rd Gross - Jenna Gordon (281)
1st Net - Bernice McAllister (217)
2nd Net - Sue Rossiter (221)
Second Flight
1st Gross - Carolyn Carlburg (289)
2nd Gross - Janet Buckey (307)
3rd Gross - Heidi Sahm (313)
1st Net - Lynne Combs (209)
2nd Net - Laura Pahl (219)
Mixed Derby
1st - Ryan Buls & Teigan Avery
2nd - Brock Robillard & Jeanette Cheney
3rd - Don Walter & Debbie Boreson
Putting Contest
Cancelled due to weather
Saturday Flag Prizes
($20 each)
Closest to Pin No. 7 & No. 16 (men) - Jason Winkler
Most Accurate Drive No. 8 & No. 17 (men) - Dan Turner
Closest to Pin No. 9 (men) - Walter Pahl
Most Accurate Drive No. 11 (men) - Kirk Pesceone
Most Accurate Drive No. 11 (ladies) - Sarah Moodie
Closest to Pin No. 12 (men) - Kirk Pesceone
Closest to Pin No. 12 (ladies) - Shawna Matthews
Closest to Pin No. 16 (men) - Tim Wenz
Closest to Pin No. 16 (ladies) - Jerie Clark
Sunday Flag Prizes
($20 each)
Closest to Pin No. 7 & No. 16 (men) - Jack Weis
Closest to Pin No. 1 & No. 10 (ladies) - Paula Pervais
Most Accurate Drive No. 8 & No. 17 (men) - Bruce Billingsley
Most Accurate Drive No. 8 & No. 17 (ladies) - Sherri Sonju
Closest to Pin No. 9 (men) - Tim Kiley
Most Accurate Drive No. 11 (men) - AJ Grande
Closest to Pin No. 12 (men) - Lon Eliason
Closest to Pin No. 16 (men) - Walter Pahl
Monday Flag Prizes
($20 each)
Closest to Pin No. 7 & No. 16 (men) - Jim Morgan
Most Accurate Drive No. 8 & No. 17 (men) - Dan Buls
Closest to Pin No. 9 (men) - Jason Allard
Most Accurate Drive No. 11 (men) - Derek Benson
Most Accurate Drive No. 11 (ladies) - Laura Pahl
Closest to Pin No. 12 (men) - Chris MacDonald
Closest to Pin No. 12 (ladies) - Georgia Desmarais
Closest to Pin No. 16 (men) - Jimmy Cowan
Closest to Pin No. 16 (ladies) - Shawna Matthews