Lady Griz's Jasi Acharya wins state amateur title just one stroke ahead of future UM teammate Britney Hayes

RONAN - The University of Montana's ladies golf team swept the top spots in the women's amateur division as Mission Mountain County Club hosted their first Women's State and Senior Amateur Golf Championship last week.

"It went Grizzly, Grizzly, Grizzly, Bobcat," Ryan Funke, assistant golf professional said of the top four finishers.

Lady Griz golfer Jasi Acharya of Laurel finished in the lead with a 215 total on the par-72, 5,441 course, just one stroke ahead of second-place finisher Britney Hayes, who joins the Lady Griz this fall. Hayes, who opened the first day with a 69, began her golf career in Polson before her family moved to Bozeman, Funke said.

Griz coach Joanne Steel trailed her own golfers, placing third overall with a three-day total of 221.

Kylie Anderson, a Bobcat lady golfer hailing from Great Falls, finished fourth.

The top spot out of 77 golfers in the senior amateur division went to Robin Koontz of Missoula, followed by Gerry Jovanovich of Fort Benton in second place and Sheila Penaluna of Butte in third.

Local Mission Mountain golfers Mindy Nowlen and Michaelene Nowlen finished in second place in each of their flights, while Jenni Fangsrud placed third in the ninth flight.

Locals in the senior division included Mardene Skogen, finishing in first place in the 5th flight and Ky Bartels ending the tourney in third place in the seventh flight.

Mission Mountain Country Club members Bev Horner and Fairlynn Ross competed as well.

"These women were a large part of why we were able to hold the tournament here," Funke said. "Without them and the other volunteers - this would not have run so smoothly."

Most of the women golfers had nothing but good things to say, Funke said.

Final Round Results

Amateur

Championship

1. Jasi Acharya, Laurel 72 70 73 - 215

2. Britney Hayes, Bozeman 69 70 77 - 216

3. Joanne Steele, Missoula 74 73 74 - 221

Presidential

1. Sarah Ogle, Kalispell 77 75 71 - 223

2. Carlie Breen, Three Forks 77 75 76 - 228

3. Cindy Reimers, Missoula 77 81 75 - 233

Senior

Championship

Robin Koontz, Missoula 74 76 82 - 232

Gerry Jovanovich, Fort Benton 81 84 79 - 244

Sheila Penaluna, Butte 83 81 82 - 246

Presidential

Susan Toder, Missoula 84 91 88 - 263

Daphne Swedman, Helena 88 88 91 - 267

Renee Mitchell, Missoula 90 89 91 - 270

Local golfers' results

Kristine Samsel, Polson 90 81 93 - 264

Bonnie Taylor, Polson 96 83 93 - 272

Mindy Nowlen, Ronan 92 97 90 - 279

Michaelene Nowlen, Ronan 97 92 94 - 283

Mardene Skogen, Ronan 95 93 99 - 287

Laurie Gregory, Polson 95 98 100 - 293

Jenni Fangsrud, Ronan 98 101 104 - 303

Ky Bartels, Ronan 98 109 100 - 307

Fairlynn Ross, Ronan 111 98 105 - 314

Bev Horner, Ronan 108 123 116 - 347

Lee Morrison, Polson 114 121 123 - 358