Twenty Wyoming Golfers at High School National Invitational

Several golfers from around Wyoming are participating in the High School Golf National Invitational at Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina.

The tournament is presented by the National High School Golf Association and features an “invite-only” field. It started on Monday, Aug. 3, and continues through Wednesday, Aug. 5.

There are six girls from Wyoming and 14 boys from the Cowboy State.

The ladies are Maria Farnum, Karissa Tranas, Darby Barstad, Arilyn Johnson, and Hailey Westbrook from Thunder Basin High School in Gillette, plus Samantha Spielman from Sheridan.

Farnum led the Bolts to the school’s first-ever Wyoming High School state golf championship in the fall of 2019. She finished atop the 4A girls’ field by eight strokes. Spielman placed second behind Farnum. Tranas, Barstad, and Johnson all finished in the top eight last year.

Spielman shot a first-round total of 90, or 18-over par. She is tied for 71st. Farnum is right behind after an opening-round 91, or 19-over par, and is tied for 74th.

On the gentlemen’s side, you have Jaren Calkins from Lander, Worland’s Karsten Simmons, JT Klinghagen, and Landen Gilmore. From Kelly Walsh, it’s Parker Paxton, Taj Sutherland, Russel Sprecher, Austin Neuman, and Dane Rasmussen. The final five are from Thermopolis. They are Hardy Johnson, Jeffry Clark, Hadley Johnson, William Clark, and Seth Weyer.

Hardy Johnson is a two-time Class 2A state champion, who led the Bobcats to their second consecutive Wyoming high school state title last fall. Calkins in the defending Class 3A state champ, who led the Tigers to the team crown. Simmons finished as the 3A runner-up. Sutherland was the Class 4A medalist and led Kelly Walsh to the 4A boys’ state title for a third straight year.

After the first round, Calkins was tied for 12th-place after a 1-under 71 on Monday. Paxton was tied for 27th.

The players are playing on Pinehurst Course No. 6 and No. 8 over the three days of golf.