Local Golf Report: Class and sportsmanship is real in golf

If you watched the final round of the 2015 PGA Championship Sunday, you really got to see what golf is all about. You got to see exactly why it’s called a gentleman’s sport.

Honestly, many, many professional golfers are classy, but it’s widely known around the PGA Tour that there’s none more classy than Jason Day. And so it was no surprise that so many of his fellow competitors took to Twitter in the moments following Sunday’s conclusion to congratulate Day on his first professional major championship. And, Jordan Spieth should continue to be commended on how classy he was in defeat.

In other words, sportsmanship is alive and well in golf, and there’s no reason it shouldn’t be that way with all athletics.

I was also moved by Day’s performance because it got me thinking about the summer he’s gone through, and in a weird way, I was able to go through a small piece of it with him. I was one the ninth green at Chambers Bay when Day collapsed on the second day of the 2015 U.S. Open. In fact, I have a video of Day walking right past me just seconds before he collapsed on the green, with what was later discovered to be a bout of vertigo.

So it was amazing to witness that and less than two months later, watch him hoist the Wannamaker Trophy at Whistling Straits. With what Day has endured, he’s certainly an inspiration to all of those who love the game of golf.

Back on the home front, it’s definitely playoff time now at Prairie Farms. The ladies are in their final week of the season, with the championship match scheduled for Thursday night. In last Thursday’s semifinals, Independence Bank beat D.A. Davidson 19.5 to 16.5 and Northern Montana Health Care took out Patrick Construction 19-17, and those two winners will meet in the championship match. Low gross last Thursday went Julie Mariani with a 46, while low net went to Terry Lillevedt with a 30.

Last week also saw the men’s league regular season come to an end, with eight more teams qualifying for the playoffs, which starts tonight.

Last Tuesday, Hi-Line Drilling took high-team honors with 21 points. The team is composed of Josh Bebee, Justin Kallenberger, Pete Christenson and Dustin Nyber. Randi Mudge was low gross with an even-par 36, while Justin (Gus) Jensen was low net with a 29.5. Hole 19, already a playoff team won the second half standings, while Bing-N-Bob’s finished second, followed by Northern Edge and Korb Construction.

Last Wednesday, the final night of the regular season, saw Master Sports score high-team honors with 22.5 points. The team was made up of Wayne Bolken, Mark Kato, Kyle Sheppard and Dave Sheppard. At 1-under par, Jordy Donoven, Kevin Harada and Kyle Sheppard shared low gross, while Dennis Murphy beat yours truly by a .5 stroke to win low net. Still, my Havre Ford team locked up first-place honors in the second half, while Master Sports, Gallery Lounge and Mariani Insurance rounded out the top four.

Tonight’s first-round pairings for the playoffs include, D.A. Davidson taking on Vic’s Place, Gallery Lounge battling Korb Construction, Wagner Plumbing against Mariani Insurance and Aaron’s against Patrick Construction. The other side of the bracket has Hole 19 taking on Michelob Light, Master Sports against Northern Edge, Havre Ford against Rock Solid and Bear Paw Credit Union facing Bing-N-Bob”s. The playoffs will continue Wednesday night, and next Tuesday and Wednesday.

On the tournament front, this Sunday will see the Men’s Club Championship take place at Prairie Farms. The 18-hole stroke play tourney will be flighted by handicap, and players can sign up at the Pro Shop at Prairie Farms. Beaver Creek Golf Course will also play host to a special tournament at the end of this month. On Aug. 29, the Second Annual MSU-Northern Nursing Golf Tournament will be held. The tourney is a four-person scramble and the proceeds go to the MSU-N Class of 2016. For more information, or to register, call Kendra at 406-291-4267.

Prairie Farms Golf League Standings

Tuesday Night Men

(Final)

1. Hole 19-158.5

2. Bing-n-Bob’s-158

3. Northern Edge-155

4. Korb Construction-154

5. Patrick Construction-152.5

6. Vic’s Place-152

7. Dan Wagner Plumbing-152

8. Nalivka’s-146.5

9. Stockman Bank-144.5

10. Havre Ford-139

11. Tilleman Motor Co.-138.5

12. Havre Muffler-137.5

13. Triple Dog Brewery-137.5

14. BKD Law-131.5

15. Hi-Line Drilling-131

16. Property West-130.5

17. Rock Solid- 29.5

Wednesday Night Men

(Final)

1. Havre Ford-166.5

2. Master Sports-157.5

3. Gallery Lounge-156.5

4. Mariani Insurance-155

5. Michelob Light-154.5

6. Valley Furniture-151

7. Independence Bank-148.5

8. Bear Paw Credit Union-147

9. Yummy Foods-143.5

10. D.A. Davidson-141

11. Triangle Communications-140

12. Aaron’s-136.5

13. Koefod Agency-118.5

14. Central Machine-80

15. Ruff Real Estate-76.5