WHITEFISH — Kalispell’s Ryan Porch birdied his last four holes on the way to carding a 4-under-par 68 at the 78th annual Earl Hunt Memorial Fourth of July Golf Tournament at Whitefish Lake Golf Club Thursday. Porch, who just finished his freshman season on the University of Idaho golf team, hit nine birdies in his round to take a two-stroke lead after the opening round of the three-day tournament.

Dorsey Addicks of Gallatin Gateway leads the women by two strokes, posting a 73.

“I got off to a good start,” Porch said. “I hit it really well, hit it in the fairway. Then I kept myself below the hole and made a lot of good putts.”

Porch started his round with a birdie and closed with four birdies to counter a few bogies and a double-bogey in his round. Putting and ball placement was key on a day when the greens were fast.

“I definitely wanted to keep (the ball) in the fairway, but more importantly, to stay below the hole,” Porch said. “The greens are pretty quick and if you get above the hole, you can’t really make putts. You can’t be aggressive.”

The tournament was delayed for an hour because of a thunderstorm, but once they got going, temperatures were high and the ball was flying long for the top players at the event.

Whitefish’s Joel Mallams entered the clubhouse at 70 and Scott Anderson of Columbus, Ohio, shot 71 to finish the day in second and third, respectively. Defending tournament champion Kramer Hickok of Westlake, Texas, is one of six golfers tied at 72, four strokes behind Porch. Twelve more golfers are tied for 10th at 73.

Addicks, who just finished her freshman season on the Seattle University golf team, took an early lead with her opening round 1-over-par 73, leading Three Forks’ Haylee Folkvord at 75 and a group of four golfers at 76, including defending tournament champ Lindsay Reeve of Missoula.

The tournament continues today with the men teeing off on both courses at 7:20 a.m. and the women on the North Course at 10:30 a.m.

Fourth of July Tournament

Thursday

At Whitefish Lake Golf Club

Whitefish

North Course (Men): Par 72; South Course (Women): Par 72

Leaders

Men

First Round

Ryan Porch, Kalispell 68

Joel Mallams, Whitefish 70

Scott Anderson, Columbus, OH 71

Conor Rooney, Whitefish 72

Ross Martell, Great Falls 72

Dan Conkling, Whitefish 72

Byron Olson, Calgary 72

Brian Beach, Missoula 72

Kramer Hickok, Westlake, TX 72

Mark Mance, Whitefish 73

Crah Hurlbert, Hamilton 73

Spencer Williams, Great Falls 73

Brittain Walton, Steamboat Springs, CO 73

Robb Bergeson, Billings 73

Joe Wagner, Del Mar, CA 73

Justin Miller, Phoenix 73

Brandon Wilkerson, Winston-Salem, NC 73

Easton Enott, Great Falls 73

Ron Janney, Colbert, WA 73

Mike Swingle, Bellevue, WA 73

Dalan Refioglu, Foster City, CA 73

Women

First Round

Dorsey Addicks, Gallatin Gateway 73

Haylee Folkvord, Three Forks 75

Morgan Lee, Great Falls 76

Lindsay Reeve, Missoula 76

Meg Nicholson, Calgary 76

Jackie Mee, Libby 76

Coral Schulz, Whitefish 78

Lauren Hausauer, Bozeman 78

Chelsea Mossfeldt, Whitefish 79

Carly McNaughton, Lethbridge 79

Maggie Crippen, Missoula 79

Katherine Wills, Missoula 80

Jolene Wood, Calgary 80

Darah Newell, Helena 80

Lindsay Woolley, Dillon 81

Margaux Ullett, Calgary 81

Sadie Crippen, Missoula 81

Anne Hakula, Austin, TX 82

Marcy Holt, Spokane 82

Maya Waldemar, Westlake, TX 82