Johnson sees strong year at golf tourneys

Since he was three years old, eighth grader Hardy Johnson has had an interest in playing golf, an interest started when his father, Joey, put on golf tournaments for the Wyoming FFA Foundation.

"I just picked up a golf club and started hitting golf balls at the driving range, the now 14-year-old said. Among his accomplishments from this year included his first hole-in-one on Aug. 14, on the 14th hole of the Pro-Am Thermopolis Tournament. He also tied for first at the tournament.

Among his other accomplishments in 2017 were:

First in the Wyoming Junior Golf Tour (WJGT) – Thermopolis

Second in the Rocky Mountain Junior Golf Tour (RMJGT) Colorado Jr. Open at Colorado National

Third in the IMG Academy Junior World Qualifier

First in the Big Horn Basin Junior Golf Series – Thermopolis

First in the Big Horn Basin Junior Golf Series – Cody

First in the Big Horn Basin Junior Golf Series – Worland

Rocky Mountain PGA Yellowstone Junior Championship

First in the RMJGT Utah Junior Open at Davis Park

Eighth in the Optimist Junior Golf Qualifier in June, with an opportunity to got to the Optimist Junior Golf Championship in Florida, and second at the Optimist Junior Golf Qualifier in October. He played at the Optimist Junior Golf Championship, and though he did not place he learned a lot while being among the 160 kids from 23 countries playing.

He's been doing tournaments for seven years, his first being the Wyoming State Championship in Worland, which he won, and every year he looks for a new golf association to play in for different tournaments. While playing plenty around the state, tournaments also take him to Colorado and Utah, even as far as Florida. This year might also see him in Arizona.

When travelling to the tournaments, he said, it's more a "go, go, go" scene rather than having time to take in the sights. He takes the time to get acclimated, play a couple days to get a feel for the course and hit some range balls.

His mom, Melissa, said, "I've never seen somebody with so much focus and drive before." She remembered how he scooped out an area of snow he could chip into.

"Usually I'm out at the golf course in the summer for eight hours a day," Hardy said, and there are a lot of local golfers that include him in their rounds. Donnie Bjorhus has also given him some coaching and a game plan. He also does simulators in Billings, and Melissa added he chips and putts in the house in inclement weather.

Hardy said he enjoys playing golf because it provides a challenge. He added it's definitely a mental game because if you have a bad hole you definitely have to try to make the next a good one. At the local course, his average is even par.

Currently in eighth grade, he plans to pursue the sport when he gets into high school "and hopefully until I'm 80, 90 years old."

He added he's also made a lot of friends while golfing, and plans to later become a PGA tour pro. As for college, he would like to study architectural engineering, inspired by the golf courses on which he loves spending time.