Montana native, reigning Australian Open champion Ryggs Johnston gives back with 'Future Phenoms' Golf Camp at Old Works Golf Course

The next generation of Treasure State golfers got a rare treat at the Old Works Golf Course in Anaconda on Wednesday, June 18 as Montana native and reigning ISPS Australian Open champion Ryggs Johnston brought his "Future Phenoms" Golf Camp to the Smelter City. 

Johnston, winner of the 2018 Montana State Amateur championship, is holding the camp during the same week as the State Junior Championships, which this year is being held at Fairmont Hot Springs Resort and just had its opening round yesterday – Thursday, June 19.

"I try to host it around the time of the state junior tournament," he said. "So it worked out well as far as timing."

The camp had about 40 attendees between its morning and evening sessions. 

"We split it up to have a two-hour window. We split into three groups, doing the drills I did in college – showing them drills that the best golfers do," Johnston said, noting that the campers hit the driving range and also did putting and chipping drills, and then ended with a competition.

Johnston attended Arizona State University, where he helped the Sun Devils to the Pac-12 championship in 2024 and was the Pac-12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2023. He said the inspiration for the camp goes back to his days at ASU when he would help out with junior golf camps. 

"I liked how my coaches ran it," he said. "I thought I should bring it back to help kids in Montana – to help them practice like a high-level player." 

And he'll be giving back more than just with his talent, as Johnston said the proceeds from the camp will go to the state's junior golf association.

"It should be a fun day. We've got a lot of kids coming out," Johnston said. "Just trying to show kids that with the right mentality and work ethic you can achieve anything you want."

And achieve he certainly has: After graduating in 2024, Johnston qualified for the 2025 European Tour in November last year, and then on Dec. 1, 2024 – in just his second start while ranked 954th in the world at the time, he won the Australian Open, considered by none other than Jack Nicklaus himself to be the "fifth major" tournament. Johnston won the open with a score of -18 (65, 68, 68, 68 = 269), defeating runner-up Curtis Luck, an Australian golfer, by three strokes. 

"That whole month was completely surreal," he said. "I've had an amazing couple of months on the tour."

And he's only just getting started, as that win qualified him for one of those majors – the Open Championship, commonly referred to as the British Open – which he'll play next month.

"Given his busy worldwide travel schedule, it's great he's able to come back to Montana and hold these clinics," said Paul Johns, golf pro at the Old Works. "We're obviously honored to have a world tour winner at the Old Works. We wish him the best on his bright future, and it's great we have this home state pro. He had his first one in Polson, so it's awesome he had his second one at Old Works."

Johnston likewise was appreciative of the staff at the Old Works. 

"[Johns] was great about letting us use the facility. He's been really good to us," he said. "Old Works and Anaconda have been good to us."

And in between camp sessions, Johnston was able to get in a round at the Jack Nicklaus signature golf course. He shot a 66.

"I've played here quite a bit," he said. "I remember playing against [Anaconda native and state champion golfer] Caleb Stetzner in high school."