It’s been a long time coming, but Jim Mee, local golf whiz, is going to try his luck on the professional golf circuit after showing he has the chops to play with the pros. 

Mee, a 23-year-old graduate of Libby High School and Carroll College, demolished the field at the Town Pump Montana Open earlier this month, winning his first professional tournament by five strokes.

He shot a 203 during the three-day tournament, a full 13-under par.

“It was a blast,” Mee said. “It was my first full professional tournament.”

Now, fresh off the Montana Open win, Mee is heading to Phoenix, Ariz., to get on the Gateway Pro Tour, the feeder for the PGA Tour.

Mee has been golfing since he was 4 years old, guided into the sport by his family and particularly his grandfather, also named Jim Mee.

The elder Mee caddied for the younger at the Montana Open, a drizzly few days at the Larchmont Golf Course in Missoula marked by thick rough, fast greens and a lightning delay. All failed to rattle Mee, who, even as the youngest professional in the tournament, was predicted by sportswriters to contend.

   When The Western News called the elder Mee’s household, he was –predictably – on the course. Eileen Mee, the younger Jim’s grandmother, had some admittedly biased praises of her grandson.

   “Now, this is grandma speaking, but he’s a very nice, very good person,” she said. “It always was his ambition to become a pro golfer.”

   When his grandparents aren’t lauding him with praise, Mee often spends time with his high school team.

   He was at the driving range with the three state-bound Libby boys on Monday, filling in as head coach Dann Rohrer took a little vacation.

   “He’s been a big part of our golf team for a long time,” Rohrer said of the talented golfer. “I’m pretty excited about Jimmy’s future.”

   Mee earned NAIA Player of the Week honors in college, and was instrumental in helping the Carroll College Saints to a 19th place finish at NAIA championships.

   Before heading south for the winter Gateway Tour, he plans on playing a few tournaments in the Northwest.

   But Mee doesn’t delude himself.

   “If I can’t make any money playing I’m not going to force it,” he said.

   After all, when you have a degree in civil engineering to fall back on, why not take a shot at your dreams?