Bozeman’s Bourret leads AA Golf; Pack’s Engellant, Braves’ Morris close

Bozeman's Cooper Bourret blasts out of a bunker on the fourteenth hole during the Class AA State Golf Tournament at Northern Pines Golf Club in Kalispell on Thursday, Oct. 3. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Great Falls Hanna Boyd tees off on the tenth hole during the Class AA State Golf Tournament at Northern Pines Golf Club in Kalispell on Thursday, Oct. 3. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Glacier's Sam Engellant tees off on the twelfth hole during the Class AA State Golf Tournament at Northern Pines Golf Club in Kalispell on Thursday, Oct. 3. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Butte's Chase Choquette tees off on the first hole during the Class AA State Golf Tournament at Northern Pines Golf Club in Kalispell on Thursday, Oct. 3. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Glacier's Abbi Townsend tees off on the eighth hole during the Class AA State Golf Tournament at Northern Pines Golf Club in Kalispell on Thursday, Oct. 3. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Flathead's Kyrie Gislason tees off on the fifth hole during the Class AA State Golf Tournament at Northern Pines Golf Club in Kalispell on Thursday, Oct. 3. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Flathead's Dylan Morris tees off on the eleventh hole during the Class AA State Golf Tournament at Northern Pines Golf Club in Kalispell on Thursday, Oct. 3. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Glacier's Torren Murray hits his approach on the fourteenth hole during the Class AA State Golf Tournament at Northern Pines Golf Club in Kalispell on Thursday, Oct. 3. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Glacier's Tanyon Murray tees off on the thirteenth hole during the Class AA State Golf Tournament at Northern Pines Golf Club in Kalispell on Thursday, Oct. 3. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Bozeman's Kira Connell tees off on the tenth hole during the Class AA State Golf Tournament at Northern Pines Golf Club in Kalispell on Thursday, Oct. 3. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Missoula Sentinel's Hudson Goroski hits his approach on the fourteenth hole during the Class AA State Golf Tournament at Northern Pines Golf Club in Kalispell on Thursday, Oct. 3. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Helena's Morgan May tees off on the fourth hole during the Class AA State Golf Tournament at Northern Pines Golf Club in Kalispell on Thursday, Oct. 3. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

Glacier's Kendall Tkachyk tees off on the seventh hole during the Class AA State Golf Tournament at Northern Pines Golf Club in Kalispell on Thursday, Oct. 3. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider

by JON ALLEN
Staff Writer | October 4, 2024 12:00 AM

Bozeman’s Cooper Bourret eagled the eighth hole and shot an opening round 70 to take a one-shot lead after the first day of the AA State Golf Tournament Thursday at Northern Pines Golf Club.

Bourret’s eagle capped off a 33 on the course’s front nine — his second nine of the day — and helped him overcome a triple bogey on the 17th hole.

Helena Capital’s John Gilbert sits in second, while four players — including Glacier’s Sam Engellant — sit three shots behind in a tie for third.

Engellant and the Wolfpack sit in third in the team competition with an opening round 302, just five shots behind leaders Missoula Sentinel. Bozeman is second after shooting 300 in the first round.

“It was a challenging day out there,” Glacier coach Jim Ness said. “I wouldn’t say we performed at our best level. A lot of tall grass out there, course is playing fast, greens are playing fast. I’m proud of the kids, they hung in there, and there is a new day tomorrow.”

Jonah Wynne (74) and Luke Sheppard (76) also sit in contention for the Wolfpack with Torren and Tanyon Murray not far behind.

Flathead’s Dylan Morris sits tied for eighth after an opening round 74. Morris held the lead during his back nine after an eagle-birdie stretch at the 17th and 18th before fading slightly late.

“The kids were steady today,” Flathead assistant coach Philip Jackson said. “Dylan Morris had a great round today, had a couple bobbles late, but bounced back and is in a great position to play well tomorrow.

“As a whole, the entire field had a tough time on the greens, which is kind of expected, and I expect the kids to come back tomorrow and make some more confident putts.”

The Braves sit in a tie for ninth in the team standings after shooting 330.

Korbin Eaton finished with an 81 on the day to sit in a tie for 36th.

On the girls’ side, Great Falls’ Hanna Boyd shot a 78 Thursday and leads Bozeman’s Kira Connell and Billings Senior’s Becca Washington by three shots.

Abbi Townsend sits tied for 23rd after shooting a 94 to lead the Wolfpack girls — who are tied for seventh as a team after a first round 401.

The Wolfpack have work to do on Friday to catch up to leaders Billings West at 350 after the first day. Billings Senior (352) and Gallatin (356) round out the top 3.

“The tall grass got to us a little bit today,” Ness said. “It’s a little bit of an uphill battle for the girls.”

Flathead’s Kyrie Gislason ended the day tied for 36th with an opening round 100, while teammate Becky Schmidt sits one shot behind Gislason in a tie for 40th.

Coaches expect a bit stronger wind as the tournament wraps up on Friday.

“I think it’s going to play a little tougher tomorrow,” Ness said. “It really becomes important to control your ball flight and trajectory, it adds another element that is a challenge for the kids.”

Jackon agreed: “The wind is going to be a factor tomorrow and the greens will still be quick.”

The second round is set to start at 10 a.m.

AA State Golf Tournament

Northern Pines Golf Club

Thursday

BOYS

Team standings — 1, Missoula Sentinel 297; 2, Bozeman 300; 3, Glacier 302; 4, Billings West 308; 5, Helena Capital 309; 6 (tie), Billings Skyview and Butte 317; 8, Gallatin 318; 9 (tie), Flathead and Billings Senior 330; 11, Missoula Big Sky 341.

Individual top 15

Cooper Bourret, Bozeman 70

John Gilbert, Capital 71

Reid Wilkinson, Bozeman 73

Sam Engellant, Glacier 73

Hudson Goroski, Sentinel 73

Jack Schaefer, Sentinel 73

Jack Pinski, CMR 73

Zander Brester. West 74

Dylan Morris, Flathead 74

Jack Mckee, Bozeman 74

Willy Nowlen, Sentinel 74

Jonah Wynne, Glacier 74

Cole Lozier, West 75

Ayden Platt, CMR 76

Luke Nelson, Glacier 76

Billy Benjamin, Skyview 76

Isaac Mosser, Skyview 76

Chase Choquette, Butte 76

Glacier — Sam Engellant 73; Jonah Wynne 74; Luke Nelson 76; Torren Murray 79; Tanyon Murray 80.

Flathead — Dylan Morris 74; Korbin Eaton 81; Isaac Gall 86; Hunter Fann 89.

GIRLS

Team standings — 1, Billings West 350; 2, Billings Senior 352; 3, Gallatin 356; 4, Bozeman 359; 5, Helena 381; 6, Belgrade 399; 7 (tie), Glacier and Helena Capital 401; 9, Butte 433.

Individual top 15

1, Hanna Boyd, Great Falls 78

2, Kira Connell, Bozeman 81

2, Becca Washington, Sentinel 81

4, Quincy Weymouth, CMR 82

4, Lilia Troxel, Belgrade 82

6, Kiah Holmes-Morrissey, Gallatin 84

6, Anna Fenhaus, West 84

6, Live Kobold, Sentinel 84

9, Addison Bleile, Gallatin 85

9, Mielle Kavran, West 85

9, Presley Clark, Hellgate 85

12, Mia Taylor, Helena 87

12, Paige Loberg, West 87

14, Cat Helmer, Hellgate 88

15, Payton Tryan, Sentinel 89

Glacier — Abbi Townsend 94; Maggie Mitton 98; Kendall Tkachyk 102; Vaida Cole 107; Braelyn Ryan 111.

Flathead — Kyrie Gislason 100; Becky Schmidt 101.

Helena's Morgan May tees off on the fourth hole during the Class AA State Golf Tournament at Northern Pines Golf Club in Kalispell on Thursday, Oct. 3. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Casey Kreider