GOLF: Bigfork's Joseph Potkonjak finishes 2nd at State Junior Championships

BILLINGS — Billings’ Caleb Trost shot a 2-under-par 70 in the final round to overtake Bigfork graduate Joseph Potkonjak and win the Montana State Golf Association’s State Junior tournament Tuesday afternoon at Briarwood Golf Club.

The tournament began Monday with Potkonjak carding a 70 to take a four-shot lead into the second and final round. Potkonjak fired a 76 on Tuesday and fell just one stroke short of Trost to wind up second in both his age group (16-17) and the overall standings. Potkonjak finished with a 2-over 146 and was two strokes ahead of third-place finisher Joey Moore.

At the state juniors a year ago, when the event was held at Polson Bay Golf Club, Potkonjak finished sixth in the 16-17 age group. The Carroll College commit was eight strokes behind tournament champion Caleb Stetzner in 2015.

Libby’s Ryggs Johnston, the tournament’s two-time defending overall champion, did not compete this year.

Kylie Esh won the girls tournament in dominating fashion with a two-day total of 155. Esh was 11 strokes better than her closest competitor and shot the two lowest rounds of the tournament — 76 on Monday and 79 on Tuesday. No other golfer in the girls field carded a round under 83.

Montana State Golf Association

State Juniors Tournament

At Briarwood Golf Club (Billings)

Par 72

June 20-21

Boys 16-17

Final Leaderboard

Caleb Trost 75-70 145

Joseph Potkonjak 70-76 146

Joey Moore 74-74 148

Colton Hudson 81-73 154

Liam Clancy 81-77 158

Schafer Paladichuk 76-82 158

Dylan Beckman 84-75 159

Chase Morehouse 80-80 160

Duncan Hollar 85-76 161

Parker Jones 79-82 161

Logan Martin 82-79 161

Carson McDaniel 81-84 165

Riley Kaercher 84-82 166

Tucker Thomas 82-84 166

Keaton Sunchild 86-80 166

Rylan Periman 78-90 168

Ben Kaul 87-82 169

Riley Lawrence 88-82 170

Braxton Humphrey 92-81 173

Thain Johnson 89-84 173