The 77th International Labor Day golf tournament begins Saturday at Buffalo Hill Golf Club.

The 54-hole stroke-play event will conclude Monday afternoon.

Action starts at 8 a.m. all three days. The top men and women will tee off Saturday between 9-10:30 a.m.

As usual, a full field of 200 players (155 men and 45 women) from nine states (Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Texas, Washington and Wyoming) and two Canadian provinces (Alberta and British Columbia) will be on the course.

Golfers will play 36 holes on the Championship 18 and play the Cameron Nine twice.

“It should be a great weekend,” Buffalo Hill head PGA professional Dave Broeder said.

“The course is in nice condition. If the weather will cooperate, we should have an awesome time.”

Eight former champions are in the men’s field. Logan Lindholm, of Kalispell, is a two-time champion and won last year’s tournament.

He was a wire-to-wire winner in 2013. He shot 61-69-76—206 for a three-stroke victory over Kyle Mossfeldt, the 2011 champion.

Some of the other top challengers are: Brian Beach of Missoula, Scott Desmarais of Calgary, Alberta, Jason Winkler of Whitefish, Jason Dunfee of Kalispell, Justin Dorr of Spokane, Dan Kiley of Seattle and Brad Grattan of Whitefish. 

Thirty-players have a handicap of four or less.

On the women’s side, Teigan Avery, a two-time defending champion, will again be one of the favorites. Kali Gordon of Okotoks, Alberta, Janell Tanner-O’Neal of Bigfork, Katelyn Dunning of Calgary, Wendy Madison of Kalispell, Sarah Moodie of Vancouver, British Columbia, and Cindy Reimers of Missoula are expected to push Avery for the title.

Avery, a junior at Glacier High School, cruised to a 13-shot victory over runners-up Gordon and Moodie last fall.

There will be a putting contest on Saturday evening and a mixed derby on Sunday evening starting at 5 on the Cameron Course.