Defending champion Ryggs Johnston could not overcome a six-stroke deficit entering the final round and finished second at the 102nd Montana Men’s State Amateur Championship at Meadow Lark Country Club in Great Falls.
The three-day tournament ended on Saturday, July 27, and Johnston made an early charge at leader Joey Moore on the last day but could not overtake the Billings native, who played bogey-free golf in the first two rounds. Moore shot 66-64 on the first two days to reach 14-under par before closing with a six-over 78.
Johnston, a Libby native, shot 67-69-75 (-5) at the tournament. The four-time high school state champion will begin his collegiate career at Arizona State University in the fall. Moore, who won back-to-back Class AA state titles at Billings West in 2016 and 2017, is on the golf team at San Diego State.