Libby golfer 3rd at Hawaii tournament
Ryggs Johnston poses with a glass bowl trophy he won for taking third at the Hawaiian Classic.
Libby youth golfer Ryggs Johnston took third place in his division while competing at the Hawaiian Classic Golf Tournament on Dec. 20-22 in Maui.
Playing on the Ka’ananpali Kai Course in the 10-year-old boys division, Johnston finished with a three-round score of 232 – 12 shots behind winner Max Ting of Hong Kong and one shot behind runner-up Garrett Barber of Bethesda, Md.
After shooting practice rounds for two days, Johnston opened the tournament with a round of 76 to finish the day one stroke behind Ting, who led from the beginning. Johnston followed up with a 77 on the second day and remained in second place five shots behind the leader.
A highlight of the tournament for Johnston occurred on day two when he landed a shot three inches from the pin on the par-3 hole No. 6. He finished off the hole with a birdie.
On the third day, Johnston shot a 79 and slipped into third behind Barber. He ended up with eight birdies, 12 bogeys and six double-bogeys over the 54 holes.
Ting, Barber and Johnston earned an automatic berth to the U.S. Kids World Championships at Pinehurst, N.C. As a top five finisher at the tournament, Johnson recevied a etched glass bowl trophy.
The tournament features 164 competitors – 22 in the 10-year-old boys divison – from 23 states and seven countries. Johnston was the lone Montana entrant.
Johnston will next compete on Feb. 20-21 in Phoenix at the U.S. Kids Desert Shootout at Wigwam Golf Resort.