Whitefish High School Girls Golf Team Claims 2026 Class A State Title

It’s been a while, but the Whitefish girls golf team is back on top after its biggest state title drought since the program won its first of 19 total in 1981.

“We’ve got high expectations here at Whitefish golf, and this is just the start of something,” first-year Bulldogs coach Danny Neff said. “This is the first year I’m head coach, and I look forward to a lot more of these coming in the future.”

The Bulldogs’ championship-clinching rounds were led by senior Karlee Brown, who captured a second-place overall finish. Brown shot a 158 (82-76) and helped the Bulldogs’ girls golf program win its first state title since 2015 (19th overall).

Whitefish, which led after the first day, won with a 134-over 710 (352-358) after being the state runner-up in 2025 at Sidney Country Club. Lewistown (745) and Corvallis (749) took second and third.

“It’s crazy that we haven’t won one since, but it’s very awesome to be a part of it, especially (during) senior year,” Brown said. “Now we get to end on a high note.”

Following Brown was fellow senior Ryhlee Scott, who led the first day with a 78. Scott scored a 91 on Saturday to complete her 169, which tied her for sixth with Polson’s Sara Dumouchel (88-81).

Brown was in fourth place entering Saturday, a position she finished in at state last year, while her second-day 76 was tied for the second lowest score by a girls golfer on the day.

“I use this phrase called, ‘See it, feel it, trust it,’ and I think that really helped me today,” Brown said. “It was from a psychology book I read about golf, and it literally has helped my golf game so much.”

Also scoring for Whitefish were freshmen Jillian Wagner and Mary Hannah Smith. Wagner took ninth with a 175 (88-87) and Hannah Smith tied for 21st with Polson’s Harlie Fischer, as both went 104-104 for 208s on the tournament.

Sophomore Baylee Hyland also took 52nd (230) for Whitefish, which held a 24-stroke lead through the first round.

“It really came down to our senior leadership, you know, getting through the first day, grinding the second day, and then just (having) all four, five of the girls battling,” Neff said. “We were blessed with some great weather today. Wind wasn’t an issue, and the girls hung onto that lead. It was good to see.”

This all also comes after the Bulldogs finished as state runner-up last year.

“It’s awesome,” Brown said. “I knew it from the beginning. I was like, ‘Girls, we all have a chance this year. Literally just go play our game and we got it.’ And it’s exactly what we did.”

Now, like Neff said, Whitefish is aiming for more in years to come, both for the girls team and the boys team, who secured a third-place finish in Shelby this year.

“I’m over the moon, man,” Neff said. “I’m so excited for these girls.

“The boys, we had high expectations going into the state tournament. And getting third is just awesome. I’m so happy for a lot of these kids, especially on the boys side. We had a lot of seniors. So going out like that is just great.”

This article excerpt originally appeared in 406mtsports.com