Garland wins Senior tourney

By Pat Ryan - 08/08/2008

Montana State Senior Golf Tournament leader Ron Garland of Bozeman watches his tee shot from the third tee during the final round of golf Thursday afternoon at the Butte Country Club golf course.

Ron Garland of Bozeman overcame a bad first shot to emerge victorious at the 53rd Montana Senior golf tournament, which wrapped up Thursday evening at the Butte Country Club.

Garland shot what he called an “ugly” 75 to hang on against a last-round charge from Missoula’s Bob Gray Jr., and win his second senior title in as many tries. Garland finished with a 215, two shots better than Gray, who hit par on Thursday. Mark Nedrud of Missoula fired a third-round 71 for 220 and third place overall.

Garland led from start to finish, but his entire tournament seemed in doubt after his first tee shot of the competition on the par-3 sixth hole at the Country Club. Garland shanked the ball and had to scramble to save bogey before going on to lead the field with a first-day 70.

Another 70 on the lengthy Old Works layout on Wednesday put him in the lead by two strokes over Helena’s John Reeves, and all looked well on Thursday until the fourth hole, where Garland took a triple bogey.

“Every iron shot after that was a worry,” Garland said.

The final round was suspended for 45 minutes on a rain delay, as the leading group was midway through putting on the 12th green. Play resumed once the lightning threat passed, though the rain continued to fall.

The conditions didn’t seem to bother Gray, who scored a pair of birdies with long and accurate putting skills on display.

“I’m a pretty good putter,” Gray said. “I think it comes from playing so much pool.”

Gray said he was a state champion 8- and 9-ball pool player “back in the day.”

Though Gray pulled within two by the end — and had a chance to come within a stroke with a birdie putt on the 18th green — the final outcome seemed out of reach by that point.

“I’ll call that last hole a smart bogey,” Garland said. “It was a situation where it doesn’t matter ‘how,’ just ‘who.’”

Garland said the win was a measure of redemption for the 2004 Mid-Am where he “gave away” the win on the last green. Needing to make a short two-putt for the title, he took three and lost the tourney on a playoff hole.

“I learned that I putt the ball harder when the adrenaline’s flowing,” he said. “I played it safe today.”

Many of the golfers in the field left for home after the rain delay, accounting for a number of withdrawn scores Thursday.

One golfer who stuck it out was senior division champion Les Barnes.

“I was ready to go home, but I realized that I only needed to hit a 103 today to win the thing,” Barnes said with a laugh. “I decided I wasn’t giving up. I wanted to win the number five super senior.”

Barnes, who hit 85 Thursday and finished with a 265, has won the senior division of the event every year since he turned 77. The 82-year-old Billings resident was a member of the Billings Mustangs baseball team during the first year of the Pioneer League in 1948.

“I’ve been very fortunate,” he said.

Nedrud was the top sophomore division finisher, while Carl Henry won the junior division with a 231.

Anaconda’s Dale King won the freshman division ninth flight, while Butte’s Bill Spear claimed the 10th. Bob Miller of Butte won the sophomore sixth flight.

53rd Montana State Senior Golf Tournament

At Butte Country Club and Anaconda Old Works Golf Course

Final results

Freshman Flight 1

Ron Garland, Bozeman 70-70-75—215

Bob Gray Jr., Missoula 72-75-70—217

George Geise, Great Falls 73-78-75—226

Earl Rife, Great Falls 75-71-83—229

Bruce Christofferson, Hamilton 75-79-77—231

Ben Schmitt, Montana City 79-76-76—231

Chuck Thoennes, Belgrade 74-87-75—236

Robert Cummins, Missoula 76-83-80—239

James Mullins, Helena 80-80-80—240

Bob Bergeson, Billings 78-84-86—248

John Reeves, Helena 71-71-wd—wd

Tom McNeely, Billings 78-75-wd—wd

Mark Denton, Missoula 79-79-wd—wd

Freshman Flight 2

Bob Sainsbury, Great Falls 77-77-82—236

Rick Gatlin, Broadus 77-81-78—236

Jim Buller, Billings 72-80-88—240

Cam Balentine, Butte 85-84-74—243

Russ Cravens, Helena 81-80-86— 247

Bill Ehresman, Huntley 80-82-87—249

Dennis Schweitzer, Bozeman 85-87-81—253

Danny Marek, Billings 92-76-wd—wd

Butch Strain, Butte 81-79-wd—wd

John Tremain, Lewistown 82-83-wd—wd

Gary Miller, Anaconda 84-83-wd—wd

Rex Tanberg, Great Falls 85-84-wd—wd

Freshman Flight 3

Bill McLain, Bozeman 74-76-76—226

Chas Lansing, Dillon 76-80-75—231

Dean Wright, Billings 83-74-78—235

Bert Bridger, Laurel 77-82-78—237

Dan Little, Whitefish 83-76-82—241

Hal Bellusci, Seeley Lake 81-81-82—244

Sparkey McLean, Anaconda 87-82-84—253

Alan Young, Elliston 91-89-92—272

Ron Jovanovich, Fort Benton 106-94-wd—wd

Frank Thompson, Lewistown 84-79-wd—wd

Bill Widaman, Fort Benton 84-82-wd—wd

Lynn Dickey, Clancy 88-84-wd—wd

Stormy Knight, Great Falls 92-90-wd—wd

Freshman Flight 4

Bill Sprinkle, Helena 77-78-83—238

Ron Johnson, Hardin 85-78-78—241

Bill Schauer, Helena 84-77-82—243

Tom Buller, Red Lodge 86-77-83—246

Dennis Sacry, Whitehall 80-84-83—247

William Price, Bozeman 80-82-88—250

Ed Yeo, Butte 83-86-84—253

Mike Beggs, Great Falls 84-84-86—254

Jim Anderson, Deer Lodge 85-85-84—254

Ron Chase, Forsyth 84-80-wd—wd

Mick Cabbage, Great Falls 89-83-wd—wd

Dan McLean, Helena 95-79-wd—wd

Freshman Flight 5

Dennis Davis, Fairfield 79-87-80—246

Frank Palakovich, Great Falls 86-80-86—252

Roy Hayworth, Missoula 83-87-87—257

Dick Fisher, Fort Benton 91-82-89—262

Carmen Jensen, Chester 90-90-87—267

Rob Porch, Missoula 85-97-85—267

Dan Gaughan, Helena 100-89-97—286

Mike Schmidt, Brady 101-101-89—291

Larry Peterson, Great Falls 93-97-wd—wd

Ron Olson, Whitefish 85-85-wd—wd

Carl Conte, Great Falls 87-90-wd—wd

Mike Haran, Boulder 102-95-wd—wd

Freshman Flight 6

Jim Pellegrini, Helena 84-88-91—263

John Tripp, Billings 91-88-84—263

Gene Herman, Colstrip 101-84-82—267

Rick McClanahan, Lewistown 90-90-94—274

Rod Sundsted, Helena 91-92-92—275

Earl Terwilliger, Great Falls 86-95-95—276

Gary O’Farrell, Butte 92-97-87—276

Roland Redmond, Missoula 97-91-91—279

Mark Schlepp, Choteau 106-105-96—307

Clark Broadbent, Helena 90-87-wd—wd

Freshman Flight 7

Don White, Great Falls 77-84-88—249

Tom Yochem, Anaconda 85-88-90—263

Gerald Shinn, Whitefish 85-88-90—263

Ken Mosby, Bozeman 94-85-95—274

Ron Jupka, Great Falls 95-90-89—274

Mel Zuidema, Great Falls 98-88-94—280

Bob Goodan, Lewistown 91-92-98—281

John Kelly, Superior 93-90-100—283

Jim Chiotti, Butte 107-91-88—286

Mike Giovando, Columbus 96-97-100—293

Terry Guptill, Butte 99-99-100—298

Arden Will, Hardin 97-97-105—299

Freshman Flight 8

Bradley Wenz, Augusta 92-90-93—275

Mark Redfern, Lewistown 93-93-89—275

Joe Shevlin, Helena 100-92-85—277

Anthony Wuest, Colstrip 87-94-97—278

John Dobak, Missoula 96-87-97—280

Steve Pallister, Helena 100-89-94—283

Wayne Pittard, Great Falls 98-87-100—285

Patrick Karns, Great Falls 96-98-92—286

Paul Johnson, Missoula 94-95-100—289

Skip Rader, Forsyth 102-91-97—290

Tom Balzarini, Great Falls 101-101-97—299

Freshman Flight 9

Dale King, Anaconda 94-90-99—283

Bob Shaw, Whitehall 96-95-95—286

Larry McLaughlin, Missoula 92-103-91—286

Vince Pons, Helena 97-94-101—292

Charlie Delaney, Butte 98-101-97—296

Joseph Adney, Kalispell 105-100-94—299

Roy Hamilton, Havre 104-95-102—301

Allen Juel, Scobey 97-89-118—304

Ed Poitras, Missoula 103-105-101—309

Glen Crosby, Livingston 106-102-102—310

Charlie Hunter, Billings 98-113-100—311

Rick Weiler, Forsyth 113-106-103—322

Freshman Flight 10

Bill Spear, Butte 93-100-103—296

Ed Hughes, Great Falls 98-95-105—298

Ken Baird, Billings 102-99-103—304

Garland Shaw, Philipsburg 99-107-102—308

K. C. Sullivan, Superior 105-100-104—309

Robert Whitehead, Colstrip 101-103-106—310

Jim Briney, Butte 102-104-105—311

Dave Reeves, Great Falls 97-112-107—316

Ben Danelson, Scobey 108-103-107—318

Ron Marcum, Missoula 108-113-102—323

J. A. Jernberg, Billings 112-110-107—329

Joe Josserand, Colstrip 111-109-113—333

Sophomore Flight 1

Mark Nedrud, Missoula 76-73-71—220

Randy Brown, Ennis 78-70-79—227

Ace Brown, Anaconda 78-74-77—229

Jerry Ledbetter, Butte 81-78-76—235

Don Tatge, Butte 73-85-78—236

Jim Bryngelson, Billings 81-81-78—240

Bob Stolzenbach, Kalispell 80-77-84—241

Tom Gai, Billings 79-81-wd—wd

Neil Duddy, Butte 79-87-wd—wd

Jeff Pallister, Great Falls 79-87-wd—wd

John Selon, Big Sandy 88-87-wd—wd

David Shopay Gallatin Gateway 92-83-wd—wd

Sophomore Flight 2

Fred Ferreira, Hamilton 76-78-78—232

Steve Browning, Helena 77-75-81—233

Tedd Stanisich, Dillon 81-75-79—235

Jack Evans, Butte 83-84-72—239

Chuck Burdette, Wilsall 82-78-81—241

Bill Hickey, Anaconda 89-82-86—257

Chet Birkeland, Billings 82-79-wd—wd

Len Judd, Helena 78-86-wd—wd

Chuck Tolson, Clancy 83-83-wd—wd

John Jacobson, Billings 87-83-wd—wd

Gerry Eller, Helena 82-90-wd—wd

Pete Ridgeway, Missoula 86-90-wd—wd

Douglas Satchell 86-79-wd—wd

Sophomore Flight 3

Gary Rodman, Whitefish 77-79-79—235

Frank Williams, Missoula 79-77-81—237

Bill Gilman, Missoula 80-77-85—242

Ron Collins, Butte 90-79-76—245

Jim Burns, Livingston 86-86-81—253

Rich Dwyer, Butte 84-95-87—266

G. Todd Baugh, Billings 89-91-87—267

Tim Jerhoff, Billings 89-93-86—268

Ed Dolezal, Great Falls 85-90-wd—wd

Archie Caraveau, Forsyth 90-79-wd—wd

Bill Pedersen, Billings 94-88-wd—wd

Sophomore Flight 4

John Hayes, Great Falls 79-84-82—245

Dale Huffine, Lewistown 84-86-82—252

Harold Bouse, Bozeman 87-84-87—258

Ralph Wetzel Jr., Billings 90-85-84—259

Roy Stanley, Lakeside 86-92-82—260

Carl McAfee, Missoula 89-84-87—260

Harlan Rimer, Billings 85-90-91—266

Gary Poppinga, Helena 89-97-87—273

Richard Poitras, Missoula 94-90-90—274

Bill Yunck, Whitefish 93-88-96—277

Terry Morton, Great Falls 108-99-96—303

Dan Noennig, Billings 83-83-wd—wd

David Magee, Twin Bridges 94-94-wd—wd

Sophomore Flight 5

Eugene Brosovich, Billings 85-87-90—262

Bob Slaven, Lincoln 83-88-93—264

Dennis Yarbrough, Bigfork 89-86-89—264

Woody Hahn, Billings 89-88-91—268

Fid Fitterer, Great Falls 96-81-92—269

Maurice Buls, Kalispell 92-87-91—270

Don McNees, Lewistown 91-91-90—272

Tom Vincent, Livingston 95-87-91—273

Phil Maurer, Wilsall 92-96-85—273

Mike Nybo, Billings 91-92-91—274

Paul Loehnen, Missoula 94-95-87—276

Bassett Hoiness, Livingston 96-101-83—280

Dave Cashman, Great Falls 95-97-100—292

Sophomore Flight 6

Bob Miller, Butte 92-89-86—267

Gary Brooks, Mesquite 90-89-90—269

Bill Hogart, Butte 85-96-90—271

Joel Schmidt, Missoula 87-89-96—272

Duane Behm, Laurel 99-86-87—272

Ron Duncan, Great Falls 95-93-86—274

Gary Young, Elliston 96-85-97—278

Mike Anderson, Lakeside 90-92-97—279

Mike Karns, Great Falls 95-93-93—281

John Coghlan, St. Regis 99-89-94—282

Dan Lean, Butte 105-88-91—284

Jim Heaton, Scobey 100-95-93—288

Larry Lorfing, Laurel 97-101-101—299

Sophomore Flight 7

Bob Connaghan, Billings 95-89-95—279

Wiley Tayler, Colstrip 91-95-93—279

Jerry Lynch, Butte 93-92-97—282

Jerry Mitchke, Helena 97-98-87—282

Robert Harrington, Butte 100-90-93—283

Dan Sundling, Livingston 93-100-96—289

Brooks Hanna, Butte 97-98-94—289

Tom Sullivan, Butte 96-92-103—291

Gene Leonard, Missoula 96-100-101—297

Ronald Hilbig, Great Falls 113-99-101—313

Carl ‘Ole’ Patterson, Sun City 108-108-111—327

Steve Johnson, Big Timber 120-107-112—339

Sophomore Flight 8

Mick Tucker, Helena 105-108-124—337

Neil Dunham, Kalispell 100-98-93—291

Gordon Nelsen, Conrad 103-97-102—302

Dale Enerson, Malta 101-104-99—304

Bob Gersack, Livingston 106-92-107—305

Terry Dunfee, Butte 103-104-100—307

Cecil Dalby, Glasgow 101-105-107—313

Don Jacobson, Great Falls 108-102-103—313

Jim Willits, Fort Benton 106-100-108—314

Roy Schmidt, Billings 103-112-103—318

Sophomore Flight 9

Larry Lett, Malta 96-95-108—299

Pete Schonsberg, Butte 106-100-96—302

Robert Nelson, Fort Benton 96-99-112—307

Ted Cerise, Billings 102-101-105—308

Dick Walton, Missoula 103-100-111—314

Nicholas Papagni, Augusta 106-107-104—317

Wayne Nelson, Livingston 117-101-114—332

Dave Hanni, Butte 108-111-115—334

Loren Hanni, Butte 109-110-116—335

Ron Hanni, Butte 116-108-115—339

Doug Ferguson, Fort Benton 120-121-133—374

Dan Watts, Billings 107-102-wd—wd

Junior Flight 1

Carl Henry, Bigfork 74-75-82—231

John Dayries, Missoula 77-81-78—236

Bill Redmond, Kalispell 76-84-81—241

Everett Egbert, Belgrade 79-84-80—243

Angelo Veroulis, Helena 78-88-80—246

Lloyd Saunders, Albuquerque 89-79-83—251

John McMorrow, Billings 82-87-86—255

Norm Daluiso, Ennis 85-87-91—263

Dick Fish, Bozeman 88-88-93—269

Leon Squires, Glasgow 95-94-88—277

Bill Meagor, Butte 82-83-wd—wd

Jerry Ivers, Conrad 86-79-wd—wd

Tom Olson, Bozeman 92-94-wd—wd

Jim Callaghan, Missoula 96-90-wd—wd

Ken Kelly, Great Falls 93-96-wd—wd

John Seliskar, Helena 100-109-wd—wd

Junior Flight 2

Bob Livesey, Florence 89-84-86—259

Don Stever, Butte 89-83-89—261

Orren Vinger, Billings 91-91-82—264

Dick Correll, Missoula 88-89-87—264

Jack Peterson, Butte 93-83-89—265

Dan Larsen, Helena 87-92-86—265

Dennis Harriman, Billings 89-84-93—266

Maury Colberg Jr., Billings 90-88-91—269

Bob Skates, Billings 95-91-89—275

Bob Fischer, Butte 90-93-94—277

Gary Warthan, Anaconda 96-92-94—282

Don Knievel, Butte 99-92-91—282

Dick Stahl, Laurel 101-86-96—283

Ken Dahinden, Superior 102-92-93—287

Junior Flight 3

Mannie Farren, Ft. Worth 85-82-84—251

Jim Hansen, Bigfork 88-81-90—259

Kermit Ulstad, Anaconda 97-86-85—268

Ray Frank, Billings 95-90-93—278

Joe Balek, Great Falls 96-93-90—279

Jim McNally, Billings 93-93-94—280

Dave Farris, Butte 95-95-90—280

Jack Vaughn, East Helena 94-94-93—281

P. J. Moran, Livingston 92-97-95—284

Tom Schneider, Helena 101-90-94—285

Lee Wilson, Hysham 97-98-93—288

Karl Heberle, Forsyth 101-90-106—297

George Denton, Livingston 115-100-94—309

Junior Flight 4

Harry Birkenbuel, Great Falls 91-91-92—274

Jim Heatherly, Billings 92-93-94—279

Irv Studebaker, Federal Way 97-96-90—283

Bob Williamson, Billings 100-89-98—287

Greg Parker, Anaconda 96-96-95—287

Glen Christiansen, Townsend 93-98-98—289

Dave Hamilton, Havre 100-99-95—294

Rocky Ginter, Missoula 102-100-99—301

Roger Mead, Choteau 100-103-111—314

Bob Bylund, Fort Benton 103-112-102—317

Jerry Cooper, Great Falls 111-116-116—343

Joe Summers, Great Falls 100-98-wd—wd

Mayo Ashley, Helena 106-100-wd—wd

Junior Flight 5

Loy Carroll, Manhattan 96-92-107—295

Ken Hansen, Glasgow 98-100-98—296

Charles McOmber, Anaconda 96-100-101—297

Jerry Johnson, Lewistown 103-100-102—305

Bill Shull, Plains 106-103-102—311

Don Petersen, Whitefish 104-107-103—314

Dave Sauvageau, Three Forks 99-103-113—315

Ron Perrin, Missoula 99-106-116—321

Gerald Huber, Great Falls 108-118-113—339

Roland Grant, Billings 121-111-111—343

William Smith, Malta 113-122-116—351

Dan Piazzola, Butte 118-116-133—367

Senior Flight 1

Les Barnes, Billings 86-94-85—265

John Matovich, Billings 93-95-96—284

Arch Hewitt, Helena 92-91-102—285

Jerry Feda, Glasgow 93-96-96—285

Deb Long, Great Falls 94-99-100—293

Paul ‘Bo’ Stanich, Butte 95-99-101—295

Hal Avery, Big Sky 99-101-101—301

Ed White, Great Falls 100-104-98—302

John Mandeville, Billings 104-98-115—317

Senior Flight 2

Bill Mendel, Winifred 100-99-97—296

Clayton Huntley, Wisdom 99-97-104—300

Zane Dawson, Laurel 104-101-100—305

Jack Whelan, Butte 102-105-105—312

Mahlon Wipperman, Conrad 104-103-107—314

Don Pehlke, Glasgow 108-106-101—315

Mac McKinsey, Great Falls 105-104-108—317

George Harper, Helena 103-112-105—320

Joe Harris, Kalispell 118-107-115—340

Jim Barfknecht, Helena 126-122-116—364

Senior Flight 3

Sarge Manion, Circle 99-97-111—307

Frank McIntyre, Glasgow 103-116-100—319

Jim Purcell, Butte 115-110-117—342

Carl ‘Tots’ Totman, Malta 113-115-116—344

Marshall Wood, Battleground 118-123-116—357

Lou Sather, Glasgow 115-121-125—361

Chuck Strong, Forsyth 119-121-126—366

Glen Williamson, Dodson 132-131-134—397