Golf: Locals in the lead at Kalispell Invitational
Flathead’s Ryan Keenan and Glacier’s Teigan Avery are hoping to make it two golf titles in two weeks in two different cities.
An ambitious task, but one nearing reality for the two senior standouts.
Both were medalists at the Butte Invitational II last week in Butte; Keenan winning by six shots and Avery by seven.
On Thursday at the Kalispell Invitational, the dynamic duo was in command again.
Keenan shot a 3-under-par 69 at Northern Pines Golf Club while Avery turned in a 2-under 70.
Avery has a five-shot edge on Coral Schulz of Whitefish heading into today’s final round at Buffalo Hill Golf Club. Play starts at 10 a.m.
Katie Fyall of Whitefish is third with a 79.
Keenan, on the other hand, is up by three shots on Sean Ramsbacher of Missoula Sentinel.
Sentinel’s Nate Fuge is third with a 73.
Tom Mann of Glacier is tied with Sentinel’s Blake Hasquet and Tyler Seifert for fourth, all with 75s.
Sentinel leads the team standings with a 295 total. Flathead, 315, is second.
The Whitefish girls are first, 332, with Glacier second at 344.
“It’s a tough course, but it makes you better,” Avery said of today’s challenge at Buffalo Hill.
Avery started Thursday’s session on the back nine. She birdied two holes and had one bogey for a 35.
That was the same story for the front nine, where she had another 35.
“I hit a lot of greens and gave myself opportunities,” she said.
“I was putting about average.”
On the par 4 seventh hole, 280 yards, she posted an eagle. She pitched to the green from 60 yards with her shot resting one foot from the hole.
“I’m content with it,” she said of her round.
“Under par is what I should be shooting.
“You will always have days you won’t be under par,” she added.
“I always strive to do better and not be satisfied with any score.”
Like Avery, Keenan was just as steady.
He opened with a birdie on No. 1.
“Hit a 9-iron to within three feet,” he said.
He was 2-under after the first nine with four birdies and two bogeys.
“I was struggling with my driver at the start,” he said.
“Giving it a little bit of a push, but it never cost me any shots. I kept it in play.”
When he stepped on the tee box for the back nine, he was thinking about one thing.
“I was hoping to get my speed down with my putting,” he said.
“We practice at Village Greens and Buffalo Hill and those greens are running a lot slower now because they punched (aerated) them.
“I had three bogeys on the front (nine) because I was a little too aggressive,” he said.
“On the back nine, I adjusted to them (greens). I didn’t have any three putts.”
On the backside, he pitched shots on two holes for easy birdie putts.
“I like being in the lead,” he said.
“I’d rather be chased than chasing.”
Last week marked the first prep competition of the season for Keenan. He spent the last month playing American Junior Golf Association events in the Pacific Northwest.
“A lot of college coaches watch those,” he said.
“I was even par pretty much for every round.”
He finished in the top 15 and 25 at two events. The other was match play.
“Emailing a few (college) coaches,” he said.
“Texting.”
But he said it was great to be back playing for Flathead.
“I missed being with my team,” he said.
“We have a really good team this year. It would have been nice to see how we would have done in Great Falls with me (in the lineup).”
That was the season opener on Aug. 17-18. The Braves were ninth in the team standings.
Avery finished second at that event. She had the best round on the final day and finished two shots off the pace.
Kalispell Invitational
Thursday
Northern Pines Golf Club
Boys
Par 72, 6,628 yards
Team Totals
Missoula Sentinel 295, Flathead 315, Great Falls 328, Glacier 329, Whitefish 332, Polson 335, C.M. Russell 345, Columbia Falls 379, Glacier JV 385, Missoula Hellgate 400, Missoula Big Sky 414.
No Team Score: Whitefish JV; Browning; Flathead JV.
Individuals
Ryan Keenan, FH 69
Sean Ramsbacher, Sen 72
Nate Fuge, Sen 73
Tom Mann, Gla 75
Blake Hasquet, Sen 75
Tyler Seifert, Sen 75
Carson McDaniels, Pol 77
Gabe Love, CF 79
Cole Turgeon, WF 79
Joey Walp, WF 80
Duncan Hollar, CMR 80
Evan Miles, FH 80
Schafer Paladichuk, GF 81
Keaton Sunchild, GF 81
Rylan Periman, GF 81
Tucker Thomas, CMR 81
Nick Weaver, FH 81
Brayden Aurich, Gla 82
Ben Kaul, CMR 83
Noah McDonald, Pol 84
Jack Kahle, WF 84
Thain Johnson, GF 85
Cooper Barrett, FH 85
AJ Grande, Gla 85
Noah Love, FH 86
Curtis Capdeville, Pol 87
Matt Hobbs, Pol 87
Sam Nelson, Gla 87
Spencer Johnson, Gla 87
Escher Kornick, FH JV 88
Rielly Manger, FH JV 88
Brendan Buls, WF 89
Brandon Olsen, Gla JV 89
Jack Johnston, Sen 89
Trae Kennerly, Bro 90
Justyn Martinko, GF 92
Aiden Chisholm, HG 93
Zach Harvey, BS 94
Logan Lybbert, CF 95
Ethan Lockwood, Gla JV 95
Ryan Kemm, WF JV 96
Jon Sorensen, Gla JV 97
Logan Peck, CF 98
Ryan Domako, HG 98
Colin Kenney, Pol 100
Cole Ashby, WF 100
Connor Ferguson, CMR 101
Keaden Morisaki, FH JV 102
Thomas Carloss, WF JV 103
Haydn Schlepp, Gla JV 104
Ben Huguet, HG 104
Matthew Hoskinsons, BS 104
Jack Lam, WF JV 105
Soren Rasmussen, HG 105
Garrett Johns, BS 106
LJ Panasuk, CF 107
Wyatt Gordon, BS 110
Tucker Pietrykowski, CMR 112
Keven Gallagher, Bro 113
Trey Perkins, CF 116
Hunter Berke, Gla JV 118
Girls
Par 72, 5,421 yards
Team Totals
Whitefish 332, Glacier 344, Great Falls 353, Missoula Sentinel 385, C.M. Russell 397, Flathead 415, Missoula Hellgate 417, Glacier JV 445, Flathead JV 457.
No team score: Polson, Columbia Falls, Whitefish JV, Browning, Missoula Big Sky.
Individuals
Teigan Avery, Gla 70 Coral Schulz, WF 75 Katie Fyall, WF 79 Rylie Carmichael, CMR 82 Catrina Babinecz, GF 86 Renae Heisler, GF 87 Holly Hileman, WF 88 Summer Kennerly, Bro 89 Casey Babinecz, GF 89 McKenna Tinseth, Gla 89 Kyrsten Seibenaler, Gla 89 Hailey Hileman, WF 90 Tiara Gilham, Bro 90 Sara Michell, Sen 90 Kayla Slavik, GF 91
Savanna Voyles, CMR 93
Tessa Howe, Gla JV 95
Serina Breum, Sen 95
Gabi Mammana, Gla 96
Shayla Johnson, BS 96
Blake Remy, GF 97
Maddie Keiper, HG 97
Sydnee Nowlen, Sen 98
Liz Lorentz, FH 100
Aly Meeker, Gla JV 102
Emily Gmeiner, HG 102
Mackenna Van Soest, Sen 102
Maddie Huestis, FH 104
Becca Knutson, FH 105
Katie Stobie, FH 106
Taryn Gutierez, FH 107
Morgan Corkish, FH JV 107
Lauren D’Angelo, HG 108
Blair Hebnes, CMR 109
Kate Trunkle, Gla 109
Sami Ormesher, BS 110
Megan White, HG 110
Kiyara McCue, Pol 111
Paige Sproul, WF 112
Mikaila Jorgenson, FH JV 112
Sarah Harrison, Bro 113
Gillian Kitchell, CMR 113
Ava Munzing, FH JV 113
Shea Lefebvre, CF 118
Maya Buckingham, Gla JV 120
Emily Davis, Pol 122
Kerry Lanners, CF 124
McKenna Osentowski, CMR 125
Cassidy Lavin, FH JV 125
Skye Smith, Gla JV 128
Jez Schussler, Gla JV 129
Carly Eason, WF JV 132
Marissa Breum, Sen 132
Amanda Farley, Pol 133
Jayde Nail, FH JV 136
Chloe Austin, BS 142
Scoring courtesy of Roy Antley