Avery and Johnston lead field at 4th of July tourney
It was admittedly not her best day on the course.
“Couldn’t buy a putt out there,” Teigan Avery said. “It was so frustrating, but that happens all the time.”
Avery leads the women’s field at the 84th Annual Earl Hunt 4th of July Golf Tournament after two days of play. She shot a 68 on Thursday and an 80 on Friday.
Though she took that in stride, something else struck Avery more profoundly while she was out on the course — the absence of someone important to her.
Avery’s father, Jerad, who was a counselor at Glacier High School, died by suicide in November 2019.
“I just really missed him a lot out there today,” Avery said, misty-eyed. “I just really felt that he was gone and after the good round yesterday it’s always hard to do things that I know he’d be so proud of. But it’s just golf, and I’m glad we get to compete in these COVID times. I’m pretty lucky we still get to participate in (my sport). So I’m looking forward to tomorrow and beautiful weather.”
A 2020 graduate of the University of Montana with degrees in economics and political science, Avery plans to take advantage of the extra year of athletic eligibilty given by the NCAA while starting a masters program in economics in the fall. Spring athletics were canceled due to the COVID-19 health crisis, so Avery did not get to play her senior year.
“Definitely a weird way to have your senior year go down,” Avery said. “Nobody could have predicted it. In a lot of ways, weirdly, I’m grateful, cause golf was pretty hard after my dad and it made me appreciate how much I loved golf when the season got taken away. I’m really looking forward to another year there.”
Cora Rosanova of Bozeman is nipping at Avery’s heels in second place of the tournament. She’s one stroke behind the two-day leader after carding a 77 on Friday.
Flathead High School rising senior Marcella Mercer finished 5-over par for 81-77—158, tied with Hannah Rosanova for fourth place.
Libby’s Ryggs Johnston has a three-stroke lead on Oscar Maxfield after carding a 69 in Friday’s round.
Maxfield, a redshirt freshman on the golf team at the University of Utah, finished his round one over par.
Maxfield’s father, Nalin, and grandfather, Marshall Kreuter, are also competing in the tournament.
“We always come for the Fourth and we have family here,” Maxfield said. “It’s a fun event, really great course.”
Two-time tournament winner Andrew Medley is tied for fifth place with Bill Dunn. He shot a 73 on Friday.
Medley, of Scottsdale, Ariz., won the tournament his first year competing in 2012 and again in 2014.
“It’s so great to be here,” Medley said. “I love coming up to Whitefish. In today’s world it’s nice to get a break from being inside. A little breath of fresh air.”
The final rounds of the tournament start at 8 a.m. Saturday at Whitefish Lake Golf Club.
84th Annual
Earl Hunt Memorial
4th of July Tournament
Friday
At Whitefish Lake Golf Club
Women’s Division
Championship Flight
North Course
Par 72
Teigan Avery 68-80—148
Cora Rosanova 72-77—149
Cathie Tronson 77-79—156
Hannah Rosanova 78-80—158
Marcella Mercer 81-77—158
Kinsey Irvin 78-83—161
Bobbie Lacklen 82-84—166
Marcy Holt 80-89—169
Karen Jacobson 83-87—170
Alana Griffin 92-82—174
Ginny Larence 85-93—178
Jannell Tanner-O’Neal 95-90—185
First Flight
Marcia Reimers 84-83—167
Cheryl Breidenbach 91-79—170
Isabella Johnson 85-88—173
Jeanette Cheney 87-90—177
Jo Anne Duncan 93-89—182
Tracey Whisenand 93-90—183
Linda Ray 91-94—185
Chloe Tanner 93-94—187
Cheryl Walter 95-95—190
Ruth Fenn 102-99—201
Kristin Hetzer 100-102—202
Stacy Denning 108-102—210
Men’s Open Division
Championship Flight
South Course
Par 71
Ryggs Johnston 66-69—135
Oscar Maxfield 66-72—138
Caleb Trost 72-69—141
Joey Moore 70-73—143
Andrew Medley 71-73—144
Bill Dunn 72-72—144
Craig Hurlbert 73-72—145
Garrett Woodin 73-73—146
Liam Clancy 72-74—146
Mark Mance 73-73—146
Payton Taylor 74-73—147
Jason Johnstone 75-73—148
Marcus Drange 70-78—148
Sean Ramsbacher 70-79—149
Bob Hasquet 73-76—149
Sean Benson 73-77—150
JR Small 76-74—150
Byron Olson 77-74—151
Riley Lawrence 73-79—152
Chris Goldan 79-73—152
Paull Veroulis 72-82—154
Matt Hobbs 74-80—154
Samuel Berry 77-78—155
Tyler Avery 75-80—155
Justin Dorr 77-78—155
Brad Grattan 77-78—155
Ben Kaul 78-78—156
Paul ONeil 77-80—157
Art Doorn 83-76—159
Bryce Reed 78-81—159
Will Ellegard 82-77—159
Joe Stover 82-79—161
Tristan Hanson 80-81—161
Grant Carey 81-81—162
Scott Larson 85-79—164
Joe Opitz 89-81—170
Men’s First Flight
South Course
Par 71
Jack Johnston 70-76—146
Brady Cady 71-76—147
Shawn Tucker 71-76—147
Cameron Kahle 77-73—150
Mack Duvall 75-75—150
Jason Winkler 73-77—150
Zachary Taylor 75-78—153
Akku Acharya 75-78—153
Carson Hackmann 78-76—154
Mark Houser 76-78—154
Jace Rhodes 79-75—154
Blake Finn 84-71—155
Dan Conkling 77-79—156
Marty Mehl 76-81—157
Parker Heller 79-79—158
Ross Bartell 74-87—161
Cole Jaworski 81-81—162
Austin Brady 80-82—162
Peter Ellis 80-82—162
Bradley Hogin 75-91—166
shayne Knight 84-83—167
Sean Ryan 81-87—168
Men’s Senior Division
Championship Flight
North Course
Par 72
Ron Ramsbacher 72-70—142
Dave Eames 71-74—145
Dow Powell 71-78—149
Gregory Hetzer 75-76—151
Tim Kiley 74-77—151
Nalin Maxfield 77-79—156
Baker Montgomery 79-79—158
Dan Lieberg 81-80—161
Sam Saunders 77-84—161
John Brubaker 75-86—161
Jeff Niesen 76-86—162
Gary Holt 83-79—162
Rod Brady 78-84—162
Bill Kleinecke 82-82—164
Walt Barnes 86-83—169
Mike Bailey 87-84—171
Dave Streeter 84-88—172
First Flight
Ted Johann 81-78—159
Kevin Woodin 87-74—161
Chris Vidulich 81-81—162
Mike Lincoln 83-82—165
Bill Lelievre 83-83—166
Andy Breidenbach 80-86—166
Vincent DePinto 83-83—166
Larry Schwenke 84-85—169
Steve WoodNone 89-85—174
Dann Rohrer 85-91—176
Greg Betthauser 88-93—181
Dan Wagner 91-90—181
Robert Sandman 89-95—184
Scott Smith 96-92—188
Russ Warnick 95-99—194