The Hamilton Golf Course was flooded with high school golfers on Saturday at the annual Hamilton Invitational. And along with the golfers, there were parents circling the golf course on Golf Course Road, on the service roads on the course and using binoculars to see their golfer playing.
Unlike other sports, parents of golfers have not been allowed to be on the course while the tournament is going on. But that will change this year during the post season.
Spectators will be allowed on the course during the divisional and state tournaments. Spectators must pay $10 and then they will be allowed on the course. They must remain at least 40 yards from the golfers all of the time. Positive encouragement will be allowed but no advice can be given. Cell phones must be turned off. There will be monitors stationed around the courses to ensure the rules are followed.
Hamilton coach Owen Burch said he thought it was a good change but wondered if bringing the rule out at the divisional tournament might bring about some problems the organizers hadn’t anticipated and felt it might put more pressure on the student/athletes at a critical time. The Western A Divisional is at Libby this upcoming weekend. The Class A State tournament is back here in Hamilton the following weekend.
The Stevensville boys won the team scoring with 315. Ryggs Johnston of Libby won the boys. He shot a 66. For the girls team scoring, Polson combined for a score of 404. Tricia Joyce of Butte Central won the girls individual. She shot an 80.
Stevensville’s Zel Frost and Jayce Painter each scored a 77 and tied for fourth in the tournament. Ivan Yazvac tied with Polson’s Trey Kelley for sixth with 79. Jacob Watters tied for ninth with Hamilton’s Zach Taylor. They each shot an 82. Sean Craft shot an 84 and tied for 14th but his score did not count on the team’s score.
Hamilton finished second with 321. Tristan Hanson led the Broncs by shooting a 72. Bryce Reed was eighth with 81. Tanner Hanson tied for 20th with an 86. Although his score did not count towards the team scoring, Brayce Clack shot a 92.
Corvallis was ninth. Luke Schlimgen tied for 16th with teammate Matt Glenn, and Mason Pyron of Frenchtown and Jayce Cripe of Whitefish. They all shot an 85. Michael McKay shot a 93 for the Blue Devils and Ashton Pintok shot 105.
For the girls, Corvallis and Hamilton tied for second with 412 each. Corvallis’ Macee Greenwood shot an 87 to come in second place. Keelee Storrud tied for eighth with Megan Archibald with a 96. Sami Knapp shot a 109. Sidnee Storrud shot 120 as did Kalie Patterson, although Patterson’s score did not go towards the Corvallis score.
Hamilton’s Kelci Martin came in tied for 11th with a 99. She tied with teammate Sophia Doyle and Amanda Farley of Polson. Alyson Rose tied for 15th with 101. Rounding out the scoring for Hamilton were Hayley Bender with 113 and Halie Spear with 114, although her score did not count towards the team score. She tied with Grace Blintz of Frenchtown.