Former tour professionals. Collegiate golfers. The best amateurs in Montana.
The field of contenders at last week’s 79th annual Earl Hunt Memorial Fourth of July golf tournament at Whitefish Lake Golf Club was, as always, as competitive as any event in the state.
Being the youngest player in the tournament, a mere 15 years old, it would be normal to be intimidated; a boy among men.
Not Ryggs Johnston.
The teenage phenom from Libby shot one of the best scores of the three-day tournament in Saturday’s final round, a 3-under 69, and finished tied for third overall, 73-70-69 — 212.
Kalispell’s Logan Lindholm, a talented amateur who consistently dominates the state’s tournament circuit, placed second with 68-68-75 — 211. Bob Conrad, a former pro from Yarrow Point, Washington, captured the title with 65-71-66 — 202.
Johnston’s third-place finish was impressive but not completely unexpected.
From an early age growing up in Libby, he has stood out as a rare talent.
“When he was young, you could tell he was something special,” said Jeff Dooley, a PGA certified professional who has been the director of golf at Cabinet View Golf Club in Libby the past eight years.
By 18 months old, Johnston had his first set of clubs, a gift from his parents. By 5, he was swinging with exceptional ease. By 9, he was navigating the narrow fairways of Cabinet View with success and developing a notable short game. By 11, he was known around town as the kid who already had two hole-in-ones and had qualified for regional junior tournaments.
Last summer, at 14, he posted the best score in tournament history at the Teen World Championship, a 10-under 62 that included nine birdies and an eagle. Just as incredible, he achieved that record score on the Pinehurst No. 6 course in North Carolina, the same world-famous site that has hosted the U.S. Open.
Now 15, the 6-foot-1 striker is a rising star who continues to defy odds and expectations before even starting high school.
In May, he competed against the best adults in the region, including a handful of professionals, at the U.S. Open Qualifier in Missoula. He shot a 2-under 33 on the front nine to tie for the lead with Daniel Brunson, a pro from Wyoming. In his final nine holes, he carded a 39 to finish tied for eighth place with a final round even par 72 at the Missoula Country Club. He had the third best round among amateurs and was only four shots shy of moving on to the regional qualifying event, which determined who advanced to the U.S. Open at Chambers Bay in Tacoma, Washington.
Usually playing every other day in summer, he’s whittled his handicap down to +2.3. That means he shoots, on average, 2-under par for 18 holes.
And it’s only destined to keep descending.
“He’s growing into the whole package,” Dooley said. “I know what his goals are: to make the PGA Tour. I know he’ll easily get a college scholarship and I imagine he’s already on a lot of radars. And he’s doing exactly what he needs to do. He’s playing tournaments all over.”
A conversation with Johnston sheds light on how he approaches the game of golf. He’s calm and steady — just like his game — but also direct and businesslike. He’s unassuming but analytical. He’s fiercely self-motivated. He’s also quite smart. Throughout middle school he was a straight-A student and a member of the Libby Educational Enrichment Program for gifted and talented students.
“The thing that really stands out about him is he’s pretty mentally tough. He’s not a head case,” Dooley said. “Some kids can have trouble with that but he’s really good with pressure. It’s almost like he’s numb to it.”
Johnston trailed last month’s Montana State Junior Championship golf tournament in Polson by one stroke in his age division and three strokes for the overall junior title.
As the defending champ and presumptive favorite, the pressure was solely on his shoulders.
“I just focused on playing my own game. I figured if I shot as good as I could shoot, I wouldn’t have a problem,” he said.
He birdied the last four holes and carded a 3-under 69 on the final day to finish 7-under for two rounds, 137. He won his age division and the overall junior title for the second year in a row.
“Nothing was great. Nothing was bad,” he said. “I was just steady and played my game.”
Spoken like a true professional.