More SportsGolf

Actions

Persistence and sportsmanship leads Annika Danenhauer to success

Annika Danenhauer powers past Rosanova to win Montana Women's State Am
Posted at 6:14 PM, Jul 29, 2020
and last updated 2020-07-29 21:54:04-04

BOZEMAN — Last Saturday, Bozeman’s Annika Danenhauer won the Montana Women's State Amateur golf tournament at Riverside Country Club, making her this week’s KBZK athlete of the week.

“Im glad it was still able to happen," Danenhauer said of the tournament, which was hosted alongside the inaugural Women's Mid-Am and the Women's Senior Am. "I was nervous all summer like, ‘I don’t know’. There were regulations in place and rules they had us follow to make sure it was still safe and I’m glad they were able to still put it on.”

Danenhauer, who had her spring season with Montana State University canceled, was happy to be out there with some familiar faces.

“I got to play with some really fun girls, some of my teammates from MSU, we got to play together," Danenhauer said. "It’s just so fun. We have our parents there, we have our families there and then we have our friends -- it makes playing golf so much better.”

For Danenhauer, sportsmanship on the green means everything.

“It doesn't mean a lot if my competitors play bad," Danenhauer said. "I want to compete against them when they’re shooting their best. That pushes me to my limit, it pushes them to their limit. It’s really fun playing when we’re all playing well.”

The Bobcat sophomore-to-be has only been playing golf for four years, and she already owns a Class AA state championship from her time at Bozeman High, and now an amateur championship. It's quite the feat in such a little time.

“To anyone trying to pick up anything, you can," she said. "Just put in the time and find something you’re passionate about. It’ll just take off. It’ll do itself.”

Danenhauer is optimistic there will be a golf season this fall at Montana State and if not, life will go on.

“We just kind of sit and wait -- keep playing, keep practicing," she said. "If this season happens, awesome. If it doesn’t, it’s okay, there will be more.”