GOLF: Libby's Ryggs Johnston finishes 3rd at Western Junior

ROYAL OAK, Mich. — Libby’s Ryggs Johnston torched the fourth round at the 99th Western Junior Championship, shooting a tournament low 6-under-par 66 to finish 7-under 281 in third place in the oldest national junior golf tournament in the United States on Thursday at Red Run Golf Club in suburban Detroit.

Johnston, who won the Class B state championship with an all-class record score in his freshman year with the Loggers this spring, finished three strokes behind 16-year-old Sean Maruyama of Los Angeles. Maruyama, who just finished his sophomore season at Campbell Hall High School, is the son of former PGA Tour player Shigeki Maruyama.

Maruyama held off a hard charge from Austin, Texas’ Trevor Brown, who briefly took the lead in the final round before settling two strokes back. Maruyama retook the lead with a birdie on the par-5 13th and took a three-stroke lead on the 16th with a birdie after a Brown three-putt for bogey.

Brown, 18, is signed to play at Rice University in the fall.

Johnston, a two-time Montana state junior champion, carded even par in the first two rounds and sat in a tie for 14th entering the final day. He scored a 1-under 71 in the third round in the morning before carding a tournament-low 66 in the afternoon. Maruyama shot 66 in the second round to vault into the lead.

The finish earned Johnston an exemption for next year’s Western Junior, to be held at Park Ridge Country Club in suburban Chicago.

Previous winners of the Western Junior include current PGA Tour stars Rickie Fowler, Hunter Mahan and Jim Furyk. Three of the past four winners have come from California.

Cielak signs at UGF

GREAT FALLS — Libby’s Jonny Cielak signed to play golf this fall at the University of Great Falls.

The Argos, who will return a roster with four sophomores and one senior, finished third in the Frontier Conference this spring, a program best.

“Jonny is extremely solid and consistent,” UGF head coach Nick Jankiewicz said in a press release. “He is a great student and a pleasure to be around. He is really going to round out an already deep team. I’m really excited to see what the men’s Argo team produces this upcoming season.”

Cielak was a four-time state qualifier for the Loggers and earned all-state honors this spring, finishing 15th at the Class B state tournament. He won the first two tournaments of his senior season, shooting a 67 at the Spring Swing at the Missoula Country Club and a 72 to win the Eureka Invitational at Indian Springs Ranch. In 2015, Cielak participated in the Junior America’s Cup and the Montana-Alberta Ryder Cup. He also took second place in the 16-17 age group and fourth overall at state junior championships.

Cielak graduated as an honor roll student and plans on pursuing a career in the medical field at UGF.