Familiarity seems to be paying off.

Kalispell’s Logan Lindholm had a masterful back nine at the 27th Montana State Men’s Mid-Amateur golf championship on Thursday at Buffalo Hill Golf Club, making four birdies and an eagle to increase his lead to nine strokes entering the final round.

“I hit the ball well today,” Lindholm said. “I missed a few short putts (on the front nine), then on the back I started making them.”

Lindholm’s push came on a day when only one other golfer went under par. His closest competitor, Christoph McConnell of Lewistown, had a double bogey on 11 and bogeyed each of the last two holes to finish his day 2-over-par, falling back to 1-under for the tournament. Whitefish’s Mark Mance shot even par for the second straight day to move to third and Great Falls’ Ross Bartell, in third to start the day, had four bogeys in his round, finishing 2-over par to fall back to 1-over in a tie for 4th.

“The course played a little harder today,” Lindholm said. “The greens were a little faster, a little firmer. The placements were a little harder.”

Kalispell’s John Cole was the only golfer to keep in step with Lindholm, making eagle on the par-5 seventh and going bogey free on the back nine, making four birdies on the trip in to finish 3-under for the round and move into a tie with Bartell at 1-over. Whitefish’s Shawn Tucker was golfing well until the final two holes, going bogey, double bogey on 17 and 18 to finish his round 1-over and tie Cole and Bartell for the tournament.

The tournament concludes tomorrow.

27th Montana State Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship

Friday

At Buffalo Hill Golf Club

Kalispell

Yardage: 6,605; Par 72

Second Round

Logan Lindholm, Kalispell 65-69 — 134

Christoph McCnnll, Lwstwn 69-74 — 143

Mark Mance, Whitefish 72-72 — 144

Ross Bartell, Great Falls 71-74 — 145

John Cole, Kalispell 76-69 — 145

Shawn Tucker, Whitefish 72-73 — 145

Earl Rife, Kalispell 74-73 — 147

Jim Coleman, Billings 72-75 — 147

Spencer Williams, Great Falls 73-74 — 147

Doni Walter, Kalispell 73-75 — 148

Bennett MacIntyre, Helena 75-74 — 149

John Morberg, Whitefish 78-73 — 151

Joe Cielak, Libby 75-76 — 151

John Beyer, Bozeman 76-76 — 152

Brad Grattan, Whitefish 73-79 — 152

Bill Dunn, Missoula 74-78 — 152

Jon Schenk, Fairfield 73-79 — 152

Craig Hurlbert, Hamilton 79-74 — 153

Jamey Perlinski, Bozeman 78-76 — 154

Parker Heller, Helena 78-76 — 154

Padraig Barron, Missoula 80-74 — 154

Nick Jankiewicz, Great Falls 77-79 — 156

Ryan Santa, Kalispell 80-77 — 157

Jeff Epperly, Kalispell 80-77 — 157

Dan Brown, Billings 79-79 — 158

Geoffry Bchanan, Jffrson Cty 82-76 — 158

Jose Chirino, Kalispell 81-78 — 159

Dave Streeter, Whitefish 79-80 — 159

Craig Court, Missoula 85-74 — 159

Greg Mellem, Kalispell 79-81 — 160

Jason Winkler, Kalispell 85-76 — 161

Bill Schwarzkoph, Billings 80-81 — 161

Dow Powell, Whitefish 84-79 — 163

Bryon Mayala, Billings 81-82 — 163

Brandon Jurasek, Great Falls 82-81 — 163

Mike Lincoln, Kalispell 83-80 — 163

Chris Vidulich, Kalispell 82-82 — 164

Cassidy Degele, Billings 78-87 — 165

Scott Hagel, Kalispell 86-79 — 165

Dan Lieberg, Helena 86-80 — 166

Chasen Little, Billings 83-83 — 166

Dave Weaver, Bozeman 81-85 — 166

Gary Rodman, Whitefish 84-82 — 166

Robert Cline, Deer Lodge 81-85 — 166

Mike Hagel, Kalispell 85-82 — 167

Lyle Allen, Lewistown 84-84 — 168

Jon Lowry, Kalispell 83-86 — 169

Bill Sprinkle, Helena 87-82 — 169

Stephen Babb, Great Falls 84-86 — 170

Lee Pelletier, Dillon 82-88 — 170

Brett Thackeray, Lewistown 86-84 — 170

Loren Tinseth, Kalispell 87-84 — 171

Ron Alles, Helena 85-86 — 171

Justin Walsh, Helena 90-81 — 171

Dale Mack, Billings 85-87 — 172

Brett Barker, Columbus 90-83 — 173

Blake Stough, Bozeman 87-86 — 173

Pete Peterson, Lewistown 85-90 — 175

Todd Van Voast, Helena 91-84 — 175

Josh Buls, Kalispell 88-87 — 175

Scott E Carlson, Kalispell 83-92 — 175

Dean Sorensen, Harlowton 91-85 — 176

Steve Noreen, Cut Bank 85-92 — 177

Sheldon Degele, Columbus 90-87 — 177

Mike Fauth, Laurel 85-93 — 178

Bob Degele, Billings 92-86 — 178

Bill Schilling, Havre 91-87 — 178

Bruce Reid, Lewistown 88-91 — 179

Todd Dundas, Billings 96-84 — 180

Troy Stiles, Billings 93-88 — 181

Jim Rutherford, Lewistown 86-95 — 181

Jamie Boyer, Great Falls 92-89 — 181

Dennis Sacry, Whitehall 93-89 — 182

Mike Wadsworth, St.Ignatius 91-93 — 184

Bill Lelievre, Whitefish 92-93 — 185

Tom Strizich, Kalispell 92-94 — 186

Roger Amundson, Malta 90-98 — 188

DJ Oneal, Bigfork 97-91 — 188

Wayne Gransbery, Columbus 95-94 — 189

John Braun, Billings 97-92 — 189

Barrett Byrne, Missoula 99-94 — 193

Terry Evans, Deer Lodge 88-106 — 194

Jeff Sell, Harlowton 102-94 — 196

David Riggin, Glasgow 105-93 — 198

John Sargent, Missoula 98-101 — 199

Brad Reid, Missoula 101-100 — 201

Larry Berg, Judith Gap 101-104 — 205

Dave Tennant, Kalispell DQ

Bill Nipps, Columbia Falls WD