PO Box 4306, Helena MT 59604-4306 (406) 458-3359 July 2017 - Volume 7, Issue 7

Two Aces in One Round: AGAIN!Nick Dietzen, MSGA Communications DirectorJuly Tournaments

7/1/17Stillwater Open

Stillwater GC (Columbus)7/4/17

Firecracker OpenBig Sky GC (Big Sky)

7/4/17Red, White, & Blue

Airport GC (Wolf Point)7/5/17

Missoula Junior Golf TourCanyon River GC (Missoula)

7/5/17 - 7/7/17Rotary Junior Golf CampPrairie Farms GC (Havre)

7/6/17Drive, Chip, & Putt Qualifier - Juniors

Canyon River GC (Missoula)7/6/17

Tough Enough to Wear PinkAirport GC (Wolf Point)

7/7/17Drive by Night

Trestle Creek GC (St. Regis)7/7/17 - 7/9/17

Member GuestBeaverhead GC (Dillon)

7/8/174 Person Red Ball

Stillwater GC (Columbus)7/8/17

Annual Couples TournamentForsyth CC (Forsyth)

7/8/17Club Tournament

Plentywood GC (Plentywood)7/8/17 - 7/9/17

Miller Lite Men’s InvitationalAnaconda CC (Anaconda)

7/8/17 -7/9/17Scotch Ball Mixed

Signal Point GC (Fort Benton)

Stop me if you’ve heard this before, a Montana golfer makes not one, but two holes-in-one in a single round.

In May, Jan Quessenberry put two aces on her card at Eagle Bend. This incredible feat of two holes-in-one in one round didn’t even last a month before history repeated itself in Big Sky Country.

This time, on June 6th, George Cook of Great Falls wasted no time going from never having had a hole-in-one to amassing two in three holes. Cook accom-plished the feat in league play at Anaconda Hills. Cook said that a Google search result suggested a one-in-two billion chance, yet this marks twice in two weeks in the Treasure State.

Using a seven iron on hole 13 from 149 yards, Cook described the shot, “When I hit it, it was just like butter. Oh man, I thought, I hit it good; it hops twice and boom, right in the hole.”

Cook’s league match opponent, Kent Cox, advised Cook to put the ball (a Titleist) away for safe keep-ing. The change in equipment from Titleist to Noodle and 7 iron to sand wedge created the same result just two holes later on the 112-yard 15th hole. “It was butter again. Pow. Nice and high, it hops once and boom – right in,” Cook recounted.

Cook not only made good on the two perfect shots, but added a birdie on hole 18 and parred his final hole, the 10th, to shoot 33 (two-under) a wonderful performance for the duffer who regularly shoots in the low 40’s for nine holes.

Cook’s feat gained attention via national media. “I’m just a hack, like everyone else. I’d never even been close to one before,” Cook said.

Keep up the good work Montana golfers! We’ll gladly save space in next month’s newsletter for another astounding feat – there’s no quota for holes-in-one this year, why not get two in your next round?

George Cook, Two Holes-in-one

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7/8/17 - 7/9/17The Gleason Haralson

Sidney CC (Sidney)7/8/17 - 7/9/17

Tri-Tee TourneyTrestle Creek GC (St. Regis)

7/9/17Rotary Blast

Prairie Farms GC (Havre)7/10/17

Big Bros Big Sisters Celebrity TournBig Sky GC (Big Sky)

7/10/17Cascade County Junior Golf Tour

Eagle Falls GC (Great Falls)7/10/17

PNWPGA (WMC) Pro-AmOld Works GC (Anaconda)

7/10/17RMSPGA (YC) Pro-Am

Cottonwood Hills GC (Bozeman)7/10/17

Wheat Montana Junior TourValley View GC (Bozeman)

7/11/17Missoula Junior Golf TourThe Ranch Club (Missoula)

7/12/17Cascade County Junior Golf Tour

Pondera GC (Conrad)7/12/17

Hawaiian Open Ladies InvitationalLivingston GC (Livingston)

7/12/17 - 7/13/17Buffalo Hill Junior Club Championships

Buffalo Hill GC (Kalispell)7/12/17 - 7/13/17

RMSPGA (YC) Yellowstone Jr ChampPowell GC (Powell, WY)

7/13/17CHS

Marias Valley GC (Shelby)7/13/17

Mission Mountain Ladies Best BallMission Mountain GC (Ronan)

7/13/17MLWGA Ladies Invitational

Meadow Lark CC (Great Falls)7/13/17 - 7/15/17

MCC Men’s Member-GuestMissoula CC (Missoula)

7/14/17Flathead Builders Assoc Scramble

Village Greens GC (Kalispell)7/14/17 - 7/16/17

The Cannon Ball (Member Guest)Scobey GC (Scobey)

7/15/17A.L.E.R.T. Scramble

Village Greens GC (Kalispell)

Congratulations to our newest Ace Club Members!

Did you get a hole-in-one? Go to www.msgagolf.org to see how to get your MSGA Hole-in-One Certificate!

Mark Kohoutek, 6/25/17, Meadow Lark CC, Hole #4, 123 yds, Pitching Wedge Blain Nicholls, 6/22/17, Canyon River GC, Hole #14, 174 yds, 6 Iron Dan Petersen, 6/21/17, Meadow Lark CC, Hole #6, 173 yds, 5 Wood Michelle D. Luce, 6/13/17, Yellowstone CC, Hole #8, 93 yds, 9 Iron Daniel Ehlang, 6/4/17, Exchange City GC, Hole #12, 162 yds, 4 Iron

2017 Montana State Junior Champions CrownedNick Dietzen, MSGA Communications Director

Marias Valley Golf & Country Club played host to the 2017 MSGA State Junior Tournament, June 19-20.

Joey Moore, no stranger to both prep and junior golf success won the 16-18 age group with a total of 137 (-5). Moore, who will be a senior at Billings West this fall, closed with a sizzling six-under-par 66 after opening with 71.

Moore came back from a six shot deficit to begin the final round, forcing a playoff with high school teammate Caleb Trost, who opened with the low round of 65 (-7) and finished with even par 72 on day two. The first playoff hole witnessed a dramatic conclusion as Moore promptly holed a wedge shot from 67 yards for eagle to win.

Rylan Perriman, a senior-to-be at Great Falls High, finished in third, three shots back, with rounds of 72-68, 140. West, Trost, Perriman, and Colton Hudson 69-72, 141, of Huntley, all finished under par for the tournament and will play in the Junior America’s Cup represent-ing Montana.

Perriman will also compete in the Montana-Alberta Cup with Bucky Crippen of Missoula, Jack Thorsen of Bozeman, and Braxton Humphrey of Billings. ...Continued on the next page

Boys 16-18: 1st, Joey Moore; 2nd, Caleb Trost; 3rd, Rylan Perriman; 4th, Colton Hudson

Boys 14-15: 1st, Carson Hackmann; 2nd, Jarek Shepherd; 3rd, Nick Pasquarello; 4th, Konner Flint

Boys 13 & Under: 1st, Jordan Verge; 2nd, Justus Verge; 3rd, Tyler Avery; 4th, Conor Walsh

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7/15/17Club Championship

Airport GC (Wolf Point)7/15/17

Digger OpenTrestle Creek GC (St. Regis)

7/15/17Pepsi Tournament

Stillwater GC (Columbus)7/15/17

Sheridan Memorial Hospital FoundtnPlentywood GC (Plentywood)

7/16/17Alice Ritzman Junior Golf Fundraiser

Buffalo Hill GC (Kalispell)7/17/17

Ladies InvitationalWhitefish Lake GC (Whitefish)

7/17/17PNWPGA (WMC) Pro-Am

Butte CC (Butte)7/17/17

Wheat Montana Junior TourRiverside CC (Bozeman)

7/18/17Missoula Junior Golf TourUniversity GC (Missoula)

7/20/17 - 7/21/1721st Mission Mountain SeniorsMission Mountain GC (Ronan)

7/20/17 - 7/22/17Montana State Men’s Amateur

Missoula CC (Missoula)7/20/17 - 7/22/17

MT State Women’s & Sr Women’s AmLaurel GC (Laurel)

7/20/17 - 7/22/17The Lark Member-Guest

Meadow Lark CC (Great Falls)7/20/17- 8/6/17

vTour THE “BIG DOG” RUNRegister at msgavtour.golfnet.com

7/21/17NW Montana Association of Realtors

Village Greens GC (Kalispell)7/22/17

DFMAN Redball TourneyJawbone Creek CC (Harlowton)

7/22/17Marias Mixer (Couples Event)

Marias Valley GC (Shelby)7/22/17

River Runs Through ItLivingston GC (Livingston)

7/22/17 - 7/23/17MT Disabled American Veterans Tourn

Bill Roberts GC (Helena)7/24/17

Cascade County Junior Golf TourSignal Point GC (Fort Benton)

STATE JUNIORS ... from previous pageFinishing out things on the boys’ side, Jordan Verge of Bozeman won the 13 and under division with rounds of 68-67, 135. Carson Hackmann of Laurel had low

honors for the 14-15 flight with 74-68, 142. Hackmann and Jack Shepherd of Conrad, who fin-ished second in the division with 77-80, will be members of the Montana-Alberta Cup team.

On the girls’ side, Macee Green-wood of Corvallis posted 86-77, 163, to win the 13 and under title. Isadora Tomazeli of Mis-soula shot 78-79, 157, to win the 14-15 age group, Carrie Carpen-ter of Billings 81-80, 161, was second. Tamazeli and Carpenter will compete in the Montana-Alberta Cup.

Butte’s Tricia Joyce 76-72, 148, won the girls’ 16-18 division and earned a bid to the Junior America’s Cup. Joyce edged out Missoula’s Kylie Esh who fired 74-75, 149. Joyce and Esh will be joined by Laurel Ward (78-74, 152) and Hannah Rosanova (76-78, 154), both of Bozeman, on the Junior America’s Cup squad. In addition to the 14-15 age competitors, the Montana-Alberta Cup Team will feature Joyce, Esh, and Ward, along with Kinsey Irvin 78-76, 154, who was defeated in a playoff for fourth.

For complete results, go to http://www.msgagolf.org/tournament-results.

Girls 13 & Under: 1st, Macee Greenwood; 2nd, T.J. Nordahl; 3rd, Karsyn Swigart; 4th, Isabella Johnson

Girls 14-15: 1st, Isadora Tomazeli; 2nd, Carrie Carpenter; 3rd, Katie Fagg; 4th, Ashtyn Swigart

Girls 16-18: 1st, Tricia Joyce; 2nd, Kylie Esh; 3rd, Laurel Ward; 4th, Hannah Rosanova

100th Men’s State AmateurDeadline: July 13th

100th Women’s State AmateurDeadline: July 15th

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7/24/17County Juniors

Laurel GC (Laurel)7/24/17

RMSPGA (YC) Pro-AmPowell GC (Powell, WY)

7/24/17Wheat Montana Jr Tour (Ages 7-13)

Headwaters GC (Three Forks)7/24/17

Wheat Montana Jr Tour (Ages 14-17)Madison Meadows GC (Ennis)

7/24/17 - 7/25/17Men’s US Amateur QualiferThe Ranch Club (Missoula)

7/25/17Missoula Junior Golf TourLinda Vista GC (Missoula)

7/25/17RMSPGA (YC) Ladies Pro-Am

Hilands GC (Billings)7/25/17 - 7/27/17

Boys Junior America’s CupThe Home Course (Dupont, WA)

7/25/17 - 7/28/17CSGA Junior Academy

Missoula CC (Missoula)7/26/17 - 7/27/17

RMSPGA (YC) Gallatin Valley Jr ChampBridger Creek GC (Bozeman)

7/27/17 - 7/29/1729th Annual Governor’s Cup

The Flathead Valley7/28/17

2-Man Practice RoundStillwater GC (Columbus)

7/29/17Bobcat Scramble

Polson Bay GC (Polson)7/29/17

Ladies InvitationalBeaverhead GC (Dillon)

7/29/17Sizzler

Marias Valley GC (Shelby)7/29/17 - 7/30/17

2-Man TournamentStillwater GC (Columbus)

7/29/17 - 7/30/17Mens & Ladies Club Championship

Canyon River GC (Missoula)7/29/17 - 7/30/17

Tobacco Root ClassicHeadwaters GC (Three Forks)

7/31/17Cascade County Junior Golf TourAnaconda Hills GC (Great Falls)

7/31/17Missoula Junior Golf Tour Champ

Missoula CC (Missoula)

June Tournament RoundupNick Dietzen, MSGA Communications Director

Old Works AmateurSean Benson of Billings fired rounds of 75-72, 147, to claim the Old Works Amateur. Jackie Mee of Missoula was low net finisher with 72-76, 148, and a 140 net. Day one leader, Caleb Stetzner was second gross with 71-79, 150. Josh Heath was third with 78-74, 152.

88th Oilfield InvitationalSean Gilligan picked up his second Oilfield Trophy thanks to rounds of 71-71, 142 (-2), as Marias Valley Golf & Country Club in Shelby hosted the 88th Oilfield Invitational.

Gilligan of Sunburst, who won in 2015, edged out Mis-soula’s Bob Hasquet 70-73, 143 (-1). Ross Bartell of Great Falls was third with 71-74, 145. James Russell of Shelby shot 149, and defending champion, Brady Kirkeby of Helena, was fifth at 150.

Trusted Choice Big I National Junior QualifierJoey Moore of Billings and Kameryn Basye of Bozeman are headed to Annandale Golf Club in Madison, Missis-sippi, by virtue of winning medalist honors in regional competition to compete for the Big I Junior Champion-ship.

Bridger Creek in Bozeman played host to the qualifier. Moore’s two-day total of 133 and Basye’s 155 were good enough to vault the junior golfers to Mississippi. The championship will be contested August 7-10.

Park City’s Liam Clancy finished second on the boys side, with a 137 total, and also will be headed to the national tournament thanks to his performance.

This year, more than 70 golfers entered the state tourna-ment. Nationally, more than 2,000 boys and girls golfers

participated in 60 local and state qualifying tournaments.

Joey Moore

Liam Clancy

Kameryn Basye

ALL proceeds go to support Junior golf programs in Montana! Go to www.msgagolf.org/raffle-fundraiser for more informa-tion and to download a brochure with application. Twelve great trips are offered, including Scotland, British Columbia, Hawaii, and a Mexican Riviera Cruise! Don’t want to go it alone? Have a mini-raffle with your league group, your workmates, or your friends, and buy a ticket together. With only 300 tickets sold, and 2 winners a month, your chances are good for a return on the cost of the ticket.

And, ultimately, it goes toward a great cause... our kids, the future golfers of Montana. Get your ticket today! Thanks for your support!

Raffle Tickets on Sale Now!

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7/31/17PNWPGA (WMC) Pro-Am

Green Meadow CC (Helena)7/31/17

RMSPGA (YC) Pro-AmEaglerock GC (Billings)

7/31/17Wheat Montana Junior Tour

Cottonwood Hills GC (Bozeman)

Billings’ Sean Benson Claims Montana State Match Play ChampionshipNick Dietzen, MSGA Communications Director

The Magic City was well represented as Sean Benson defeated fellow Billings’ golfer Jordy Donoven 4 & 3 in the Montana State Match Play Championship held at Green Meadow Country Club.

Both golfers not only claim Billings as a hometown, but they are left-handed golfers and have had tremendous success in the Frontier Conference. Benson, who will be a junior at Montana Tech this fall, uncharacteristically struggled in the stroke-play qualifier and by virtue received the 27th of 32 seeds for Match Play. That was the most resistance the sweet-swinging lefty had as the rest of the weekend was mostly stress-free considering the format.

Benson and Donoven (who competed at Rocky Mountain College) have squared off in stroke play many times before, but in match play through eight holes it was all knotted up. Benson moved quickly from all-square status to three-up with consecutive victories on holes nine through eleven. After finding the hazard on the par-three 12th hole, Benson was able to get up and down and tie Donoven, continue the momentum and eventually seize hold of the match on the par-four 14th hole. Benson elected to lay up to a water hazard and safely reach the green in regulation as Donoven at-tempted to drive the green and make up ground. Donoven’s ball found the hazard and with that the match’s result was nearly solidified as Benson went on to win 4 & 3.

Benson’s route to the championship included victories over Drew Vanyo of Missoula, Rob Logsdon of Helena, Garrett Woodin of Billings, and Brady Kirkeby of Helena. In the consolation match, Hel-ena golfers Kirkeby and Marc Parriman were head to head. Kirkeby, no stranger to the semifinals of the tournament won his match 3 & 2 to claim third place.

Tournament organizers Bennett MacIntyre and Spencer Williams, both of Hel-ena, have rejuvenated the event that was traditionally held on the western half of the state before being discontinued. The past five years have seen Green Meadow play host and entries have risen. This year’s field of 55 entrants made for a com-petitive group, bringing golfers from all around Montana to the Queen City.

“Our goal is to attract the best players in Montana,” MacIntyre said. “The real-ity of this is it’s the only amateur tournament in Montana with a cut. There’s some good players who didn’t even make it. We hope to continue to have a strong field and increased entries going forward.”________________________________________________________________________________________________

The MSGA caught up with the 2017 champion Sean Benson to discuss the uniqueness of playing match play, golf ’s oldest format.

MSGA: How do you like playing match play in comparison to all the events that you play which are stroke play?

SB: I love it. It’s totally different. You don’t have to worry about making doubles, you just go out and play each hole and try to beat your opponent. If you do well, you don’t have to play all 18, you just move on to ...Continued on the next page

Semi-finalists Match Play

Sean Benson (Photo by Jerek Wolcott)

Jordy Donoven(Photo by Jerek Wolcott)

Marc Parriman(Photo by Jerek Wolcott)

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MATCH PLAY ... from previous pagethe next match.

MSGA: How often do you play matches?

SB: This is the second time I’ve played in this tournament. To win was awesome. Last year I had a bad taste in my mouth losing to Caleb Stetzner the way I did (6 & 5). I have played some Ryder Cup style matches in the past with the Rocky Mountain Junior Golf Tour down in Arizona. I don’t get to play it a lot, so I prefer it since it’s so rare to get the chance.

MSGA: What did you think of this year’s change going from qualifying to matches on day one?

SB: I’m used to playing 36 holes in a day during Frontier Conference play, so that was not a problem for me. I had my girlfriend, Courtney, caddying for me so it was a good walk.

MSGA: Was the qualifier the most nerve-racking of the whole weekend?

SB: Yeah, especially considering I had two shanks, four doubles, and a triple during that round. After that, I had to go into the clubhouse and just move on from that and focus on matches.

MSGA: What, if any, changes in your mindset occur when you play matches?

SB: I really just focus on each hole and trying to be aggressive, put my foot on the pedal, and go. I am flag hunting more, worried less about position on drives – try to hit it long, throw a wedge in close, and make as many birdies as I can.

MSGA: Congrats on the victory, it’s been a good start to the summer. What’s up next for you before the college season comes around again?

SB: Thanks. I played in the Old Works Open and played well, was able to beat Jackie Mee, and with this win, it’s been a good start. I will play the 4th of July Tournament in Whitefish, the State Amateur in Missoula, and then it’s August, so we’ll kick things off with practice and on to the season.

Sean Benson

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