Rocky Mountain College golfer D.J. Kovach has constructed a five-shot cushion heading into today's final round at the 92nd annual Montana State Men's Amateur.

Kovach, who is from Malta, fired a 2-under-par 68 on Friday at the Butte Country Club and is sitting at 3-under 207 after 54 holes. Spencer Williams of Great Falls and Bill Dunn of Missoula are tied for second at 2-over 212.

Dunn's 69 was the only other sub-par round on the day.

Kovach, who will be a senior at Rocky, last won at a junior varsity tournament in high school.

"I didn't think I'd be leading the State Am," he told The Montana Standard newspaper. "These guys are good."

Over at the 92nd Women's State Amateur in Missoula, Rose Stepanek of Billings is setting the pace at 3-over 147 after carding a 1-under 71 during second-round play at The Ranch Club.

The 21-year-old Stepanek, who is a member of the Montana golf team and a former Billings Central athlete, leads Polson's Jennifer Orchard by one stroke. Orchard, who plays golf at Rocky, shot a 1-over 73 and is at 4-over 148.

Montana golf coach Joanne Steele is two shots off the lead.

"Right now I'm putting and hitting the ball off the tee pretty well," Stepanek told The Missoulian newspaper. "When you have those two parts of the game usually you can turn a good score in. But you have to think through every shot here."

In the Senior Am competition, Missoula's Julie Andrew Jones shot a 77 on Friday and has a nine-stroke lead with her 156 total.

The 54-hole women's tournament also ends today.

There are 126 men competing in Butte, and 160 women are on the course in Missoula.

The 21-year-old Kovach has led or shared the lead throughout the first three rounds over the tight, par-70, 6,304-yard layout. He shot 34-34 on Friday, with three birdies and a bogey.

"This course is made for me," Kovach said. "I'm a straight hitter. I never worry about hitting long. The longer guys are getting into trouble."

Marcus Williams of Missoula and Geoff Oliphant of Billings are tied for fourth at 213. Nathan Bailey of Laurel is sixth at 215, while defending champion Gordon Webb of Malta is tied for seventh at 216.

One of the second round's co-leaders, Butte's Ty Wengel, was disqualified on Friday for playing with an altered club.

On hole No. 9, Wengel threw a club at his bag, breaking his driver and putting a small dent in the shaft of his putter.

Wengel used the putter to complete a 39 on the front nine.

On No. 10 green, he realized the dent on the club and brought it to the attention of the rest of the group.

The rules state that you can't play with a club that was altered, and Wengel's tournament was over.

"It's in there," Wengel said of the rule. "It's one of those deep-in-the-book ones."

Wengel, 18, won't win a trophy, but he earned some admiration from many of his fellow golfers by turning himself in for the dent his competitors said they never would have noticed.

MEN

92nd Montana State Men's

Amateur Championship

at Butte Country Club

Par 70, 6,304 yards

Third round scores

D.J. Kovach, Malta 67-72-68-207

Spencer Williams, Great Falls 69-70-73-212

Bill Dunn, Missoula 72-71-69-212

Marcus Williams, Missoula 71-68-74-213

Geoff Oliphant, Billings 74-69-70-213

Nathan Bailey, Laurel 72-69-74-215

Shawn Tucker, Whitefish 71-72-73-216

Gordon Webb, Malta 71-71-74-216

Joe Cielak, Libby 72-71-74-217

Jeff M. Allen, Billings 73-71-74-218

Andy Rutz, Billings 74-73-71-218

Bob Wengel, Butte 68-77-74-219

Gary Koprivica, Missoula 76-72-71-219

Kelbi Lee, Billings 72-72-76-220

Jon Johnstone, Butte 76-72-73-221

Derek Fuhs, Bozeman 73-75-73-221

Travis Gates, Billings 69-74-79-222

Ben Ternes, Helena 74-76-72-222

Bob Gray, Missoula 72-75-76-223

Jordan Michael, Billings 72-77-74-223

Graham Schmaltz, Kalispell 77-70-76-223

Jacob Richards, Billings 75-74-75-224

Ron Garland, Bozeman 71-76-78-225

Sean Gilligan, Sunburst 73-72-80-225

Derek Colberg, Missoula 72-79-74-225

Brandt Matosich, Butte 74-76-75-225

Ty Stetzner, Missoula 75-77-74-226

David Ness, Billings 76-76-74-226

Bennett MacIntyre, Helena 75-74-77-226

Bryson Buska, Helena 80-73-73-226

Shayne Henderson, Butte 73-71-83-227

Brady Kirkeby, Helena 75-77-75-227

Jake Amerman, Butte 75-75-77-227

Matthew Koehler, Missoula 78-74-76-228

Joel Mallams, Whitefish 77-75-76-228

Justin Newton, Kalispell 77-76-75-228

Lee Montoya, Butte 79-73-77-229

Kris Henningsen, Butte 75-79-76-230

Bob Lutz, Ennis 77-74-79-230

Hunter Lloyd, Bozeman 77-78-76-231

Austin Edwards, Missoula 76-74-81-231

K.C. Kindle, Malta 74-83-74-231

Lee Pelletier, Dillon 80-77-74-231

Chad Lisac, Butte 79-76-76-231

Justin Sullivan, Butte 79-81-72-232

Todd Waterman, Helena 75-77-81-233

Cory Donahue, Anaconda 79-79-76-234

Chris Goldan, Manhattan 75-81-78-234

Reid Lende, Livingston 78-79-77-234

Patrick O'Rourke, Butte 79-73-82-234

Grayson Kunst, Forsyth 75-76-83-234

Craig Ross, Fort Benton 77-75-82-234

Marcus Drange, Billings 79-79-77-235

Chad Godbout, Butte 75-78-82-235

Adam Zwemke, Billings 81-78-76-235

Tom Meyer, Livingston 77-80-79-236

Trevin McNeil, Billings 79-78-79-236

Brad Colberg, Missoula 81-74-81-236

Geoff Easton, Missoula 80-80-77-237

John Reeves, Helena 80-78-79-237

Cassidy Degele, Billings 79-79-79-237

Drew Stetzner, Helena 81-78-79-238

Nathan Smith, Big Timber 82-80-76-238

Aaren Remus, Great Falls 73-87-78-238

Chad Thelen, Bozeman 78-79-81-238

Shawn Swenson, Miles City 79-79-80-238

Blair Monson, Billings 81-80-77-238

Austin Dean, Billings 77-79-82-238

Mac Keating, Billings 79-79-81-239

Dave Streeter, Whitefish 78-84-77-239

Cody Kisling, Billings 85-78-76-239

D.J. Kunst, Forsyth 80-82-77-239

Lucas Markuson, Miles City 87-73-79-239

Christian Butler, Billings 78-81-80-239

Joe Rossman, Belgrade 75-79-85-239

Mark Nedrud, Missoula 76-84-79-239

Charlie Cline, Emigrant 75-85-80-240

Nick Shull, Missoula 78-83-79-240

Jim Huber, Dillon 81-81-78-240

Cody Pleas, Billings 82-73-86-241

Jake McKinney, Circle 81-73-87-241

Karson Morris, Fort Benton 79-80-82-241

Jerry Faechner, Great Falls 80-80-81-241

Tate Stanaway, Red Lodge 80-88-74-242

Don Foley, Butte 84-78-81-243

Joe Perry, Big Sky 76-90-77-243

Thane Tokerud, Shelby 82-81-81-244

Rick McCloskey, Butte 81-83-80-244

Pete Yerkich, Butte 80-83-82-245

Chad Eskro, Great Falls 75-89-81-245

Grant Doorn, Bozeman 78-81-87-246

Jimmy Edwards, Missoula 81-88-78-247

Travis Smith, Clancy 81-79-87-247

Jesse Swenson, Townsend 78-86-84-248

Joe Easton, Missoula 89-78-81-248

Robert Garlati, Philipsburg 85-82-81-248

Corey Lacey, Butte 82-79-87-248

Dan Ellis, Laurel 81-86-82-249

Pat DiFronzo, Butte 81-80-88-249

Mark Hodges, Butte 83-83-84-250

Jon Kelly, Billings 81-85-84-250

Jase Sanderson, Miles City 81-88-81-250

Conlan Burk, Helena 86-86-79-251

Blaine Carlson, Vaughn 84-83-84-251

Ron Collins, Butte 84-85-82-251

Jason Dokken, Bozeman 84-84-84-252

Brian Schwarzkoph, Billings 92-80-80-252

Jason VanHoy, Tracy 85-83-85-253

Roy Lende, Livingston 82-88-83-253

Mark Luce, Bozeman 80-84-90-254

Marko Stanisich, Dillon 77-86-91-254

Gene Burns, Missoula 89-82-84-255

Josh Prebil, Helena 83-87-86-256

John Michunovich, Laurel 97-84-75-256

Joe Little, Divide 89-79-92-260

Michael Dunn, Missoula 89-90-83-262

Seve Michelotti, Billings 94-88-86-268

Mike McGurk, Butte 89-90-89-268

Jeff Saad, Big Sky 91-92-85-268

Ed Dolezal, Great Falls 85-91-93-269

J.B. Carlson, Vaughn 81-91-97-269

Carl McMahon, Helena 93-96-88-277

John Michelotti, Billings 90-95-94-279

Ty Wengel, Butte 69-70-DQ

WOMEN

92nd Montana State Women's Amateur

At The Ranch Club

Missoula, Par 72

Second round

Championship flight

Rose Stepanek, Billings 76-71-147

Jennifer Orchard, Polson 75-73-148

Joanne Steele, Missoula 77-72-149

Julie Campbell. Bozeman 73-78-151

Chelsea Ray, Whitefish 81-75-156

Morgan Lee, Great Falls 82-76-158

Katie Michunovich, Laurel 81-80-161

Ashley K. Willett, Dillon 84-78-162

Presidential Flight

Natalie Beard, Great Falls 82-81-163

Hillary Folkvord, Three Forks 82-83-165

Emily Slayton, Helena 84-82-166

Brittani Jones, Billings 83-84-167

Erin King, Billings 87-85-172

Capri Ingram, Livingston 93-82-175

Kim Hartman, Bozeman 92-85-177

Cristina Burns, Billings 88-89-177

First Flight

Kelsie Crippen,Missoula 79-81-160

Haylee Folkvord, Three Forks 77-84-161

Sable Hamilton, Colstrip 81-84-165

Lindsay Erickson, Helena 81-84-165

Meg Boynton, Anaconda 81-86-167

Marianne Crippen, Missoula 89-78-167

Sydnee M. Crosser, Dillon 88-80-168

Second Flight

Marcia Reimers, Missoula 85-84-169

Tia Roller, Red Lodge 83-86-169

Karli Aurich, Kalispell 94-81-175

Julia DiGiallonardo, Polson 85-90-175

Vickey Ward , Missoula 86-92-178

Debra Erwin, Great Falls 90-90-180

Third Flight

McKenzie Webinger, Laurel 86-75-161

Erin Heaney, Anaconda 81-87-168

Haley Swain , Billings 83-88-171

Bobbie Lacklen, Libby 87-86-173

Libby Rutz, Billings 87-87-174

Mary Spanbauer, Anaconda 87-87-174

Margo Salsbery, Forsyth 97-87-184

Fourth Flight

Stephanie Campbell, Bozeman 93-92-185

Lana M. Scott, Columbus 93-93-186

Brooke DeBolt, Missoula 101-87-188

Julie Houk, Missoula 98-92-190

Ellie Stanisich, Dillon 99-95-194

Brianna DeWitt, Butte 99-101-200

Lisa Bakker, Missoula 97-104-201

Fifth Flight

Sarah Fitzgerald, Whitefish 88-96-184

Karen Colberg, Missoula 94-92-186

Tracy Harding, Great Falls 91-98-189

Jeri Heard, Laurel 96-94-190

Mary Porter, Missoula 93-102-195

Denise Chumrau, Missoula 97-99-196

Jennifer McCurry, Columbus 93-109-202

Sixth Flight

Stephanie Berg-Tossoun, Sidney 110-95-205

Pat Jette, Great Falls 107-99-206

Laurie Michunovich, Laurel 100-107-207

Carole Byrnes, Helena 102-105-207

Teresa Felzer Brown, Great Falls 102-106-208

Paulette Roma, Laurel 111-105-216

Jessica Olson, Missoula 111-108-219

Seventh Flight

Becky Wimmer, Havre 94-101-195

Ruth Fenn, Libby 94-102-196

Morgan Scott, Columbus 100-103-203

Gail Peters, Missoula 102-103-205

Rochelle Wolfe, Anaconda 115-108-223

Jodi Johnston, Butte 113-114-227

Rhonda Maun, Frenchtown 121-129-250

Seniors Championship Flight

Julie Andrews Jones, Missoula 79-77-156

Gerry Jovanovich, Fort Benton 85-80-165

Mary Bryson, Helena 80-85-165

Sue Bryant, Bozeman 79-88-167

Mickey Moret, Bozeman 80-87-167

Susan Matson, Laurel 90-78-168

Susan Court, Helena 87-82-169

Mary Armstrong, Whitefish 84-85-169

Seniors First Flight

Fay Ferraro, Bozeman 84-89-163

Karen Jacobsen, Whitefish 85-89-174

Carol M. Key, Missoula 83-92-175

Sherri C. Stolzenbach, Kalispell 87-90-177

Mikki Rydell, Great Falls 89-91-180

Sharon Russell, Laurel 85-96-181

Rosalie Meltzer, Missoula 87-94-181

Susan Toder, Missoula 95-87-182

Lisa McMullen, Bozeman 93-89-182

Seniors Second Flight

Robin Koontz, Missoula 84-87-171

Mary Kruse, Kalispell 88-86-174

Billie Jean Bloxham, Great Falls 88-91-179

Earlene Davis, Billings 90-90-180

Beth Loehnen, Missoula 88-92-180

Kimmi Bouma, Whitefish 89-97-186

Joy Staker, Bozeman 98-91-189

Alde Feskanin, Ennis 90-99-189

Seniors Third Flight

Carol A. Jacobs, Missoula 94-98-192

Rashel Jeffrey, Billings 91-102-193

Lorri Denton , Billings 97-98-195

Susan King, Billings 99-101-200

Laurie Lamson, Helena 100-102-202

Jan Peissig, Missoula 107-96-203

Marilyn Ohman, Anaconda 105-102-207

Seniors Fourth Flight

Kathy Humphrey, Ennis 92-96-188

Kandi Davis, Billings 96-93-189

Kate Joyce, Missoula 95-100-195

Karen Schaefer, Scobey 93-102-195

Wanda Jaeb, Helena 93-102-195

Sue McCall, Ennis 98-98-196

Linda Weidler, Laurel 100-96-196

Mary Ann Bottman, Laurel 95-101-196

Seniors Fifth Flight

Janet Dean, Missoula 92-106-198

Shirley Shea, Butte 103-96-199

Sue Kearns, Helena 95-104-199

Vanessa Tolson, Helena 98-102-200

Marilyn Sullivan, Missoula 101-100-201

Nancy DiMeola, Ennis 99-102-201

Rochelle Kriewald, Butte 103-108-211

Kay Jelinek, Great Falls 103-108-211

Seniors Sixth Flight

Geraldine Bink, Great Falls 97-92-189

Nancy Metzger, Laurel 101-99-200

Helen Ryan, Laurel 101-103-204

Marilyn Jean Mills, Missoula 104-100-204

Loree Dark, Frenchtown 93-112-205

Linda Frickel, Laurel 103-104-207

Bonnie Jo Bouley, Missoula 101-108-209

Carole Herron, Helena 104-105-209

Seniors Seventh Flight

Carole Sisson, Bozeman 104-107-211

Carla Berg, Sidney 106-106-212

Jenni Fangsrud, Ronan 98-114-212

Lynn Snyder, Helena 111-103-214

Tess Lind, Missoula 103-112-215

Barb Zuidema, Great Falls 103-112-215

Judy Fladmo, Sidney 111-122-233

Seniors Eighth Flight

Sherry Stern, Frenchtown 100-93-193

Alane Harkin, Frenchtown 96-98-194

Doreen Hansen, Missoula 98-107-205

Linda Blakney, Missoula 101-106-207

Claudette Hughes, Ennis 105-102-207

Virginia Olson, Harlowton 106-103-209

Christa Reisinger, Libby 101-108-209

Karlene Lehfeldt, Billings 113-98-211

Seniors Ninth Flight

Donna Fiveland, Laurel 101-111-212

Joan S. Perry, Missoula 108-105-213

Ileen Kockler, Helena 112-103-215

Linda Mann, Missoula 113-106-219

Linda Jacobson, Laurel 108-113-221

Lorraine Richardson, Missoula 116-106-222

Carol Wekkin, Missoula 110-120-230

Elvira Wilcox, Billings WD

Seniors Tenth Flight

Cindy Schubert, Havre 104-105-209

Elsie Sorenson, Forsyth 111-108-219

Linda Lindsay, Helena 102-121-223

Fairlynn Ross, Ronan 113-112-225

Mary Ann McLean, Havre 117-112-229

Janet Cook, Laurel 115-117-232

Thelma Willems, Helena 118-114-232

Jenny Collins, Butte 114-122-236

Seniors Eleventh Flight

Katie Mickey, Missoula 120-123-243

Kathleen Youngquis, Frenchtown 119-127-246

Donna Havens, Libby 119-130-249

Joann Bronzie, Missoula 128-130-258

Laura Pahl, Missoula 127-139-266

Blanche Ward, Libby 135-135-270