Bria Manning

BUTTE — Fall foliage framed the grounds of the Butte Country Club on Thursday amidst a backdrop of low, gray clouds smeared across the sky which threatened to derail the first day of Class AA state golf.

This did not deter Payton Tryan, however, as the Billings Senior junior held fast in first place for most of the day.

Tryan has played strongly all season. She won both the Eastern AA divisional tournament last weekend and the Optimist Jr. District Championship in August.

“I feel like it gave me some confidence,” Tryan said of her divisional win setting her up for state.

She continued that momentum by grabbing the lead after round one of the state tournament with a four-stroke lead over second-place Heidi Huber of Bozeman. Tryan finished the first day with a score of 76.

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