Cielak advances to state on hot streak

Libby junior Jonny Cielak was not too concerned with the talent level of other Northwest A golfers entering the season. As far as Cielak was concerned, he knew a committed offseason cut several strokes off his game. He was playing better than he ever had and was confident he was in a strong position to win tournaments.

Cielak finished third at Thursday’s divisional golf tournament in Columbia Falls’ Meadow Lakes Golf Course, qualifying him for the state tournament. Teammates Luke Adamson, Kyle McNew and Lily Feeback will also join him at state. Hamilton will host the two-day state tournament beginning Friday.

Cielak’s divisional performance ended a four-tournament winning streak that was most recently extended Tuesday at the Columbia Falls Golf Invitational at West Glacier. Cielak’s 2-under-par round of 67 bested Columbia Falls’ Gabe Love by two strokes. Libby’s Luke Adamson finished third with a 73.

“Jonny played exceptionally well,” Libby Coach Dann Rohrer said. “He is really playing his best.”

Cielak said his showing at West Glacier was some of the best golf he has ever played. The path to his dominance this year began at last year’s state tournament.

“I shot in the mid-80s, and it was around that time that I decided I was sick of not being one of the top dogs,” Cielak said.

Cielak described his ball striking a year ago as erratic, slicing and hooking too many of his drives. He began his training early this year, playing nearly every day since late March. He credits his father, Joe, for instructing his game. He estimates that he has played at least 35 rounds of 18 holes this year, and the change in ball striking is apparent.

“I drive the ball about 290 or 300 yards,” Cielak said. “I bet I can hit seven or eight out of 10 drives where I want to now.”

Golfing since he was eight years old, Cielak says he modeled his game after Tiger Woods, his favorite golfer.

“I’ve started to be more aggressive and attack some holes that other golfers can’t,” Cielak said. “At state this year I want to go for more of the holes that people are laying up on. I’m not going to go out there thinking other people can beat me.”

Cielak hopes to earn a top place at this year’s state tournament, but is also looking forward to next year when he will be joined by incoming freshman Ryggs Johnston, an eighth grader who has already placed in national-level junior competitions.

“He is probably better than me,” Cielak said. “It’s going to be a lot of fun to compete in tournaments with Ryggs during my senior year.”

Columbia Falls Golf Invitational at West Glacier

Tuesday

GIRLS 457 4th

Lily Feeback 95 4th

Hanna Stewart 102 8th

Asia Jones 114

Samantha Regan-Nelson 146

BOYS 316 1st

Jonny Cielak 67 1st

Kyle McNew 87

Luke Adamson 73 3rd

Eli Alspaw 89

Devon Fuhlendorf 110