Utah State Amateur Keeps Going and Going

By Kurt KragthorpeMay 25, 2012
Long before he would defeat Bob Jones in the 1926 U.S. Amateur, George Von Elm just wanted to win the Utah State Amateur.
The tournament meant everything to golfers in Utah in those days, and not much has changed. From its founding in 1899 through the 2012 event, the State Am will have been contested for 114 consecutive years as of July, making it the longest continuous golf tournament in the world.
That’s an important distinction for Utah, which also will stage its first USGA championship in July when the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship comes to Soldier Hollow Golf Course in Midway. Opened in 2004, Soldier Hollow, the site for the cross-country skiing and biathlon competitions at the 2002 Winter Olympics, already has become a regular State Am venue.
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Kragthorpe Updates Weir’s Tour Status

Kurt Kragthorpe, one of Utah’s top golf writers, wrote an update on the current and past status of Mike Weir. It was published in The Salt Lake Tribune Thursday, May 31st, and can be read by going to this link https://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/sports/54208109-77/weir-tour-pga-mike.html.csp.
Weir was inducted into the Utah Golf Hall of Fame after winning the Masters. He has earned over $26 million on tour but hasn’t had recent success because of an elbow injury coupled with loss of confidence.

Five Advance to USGA Women’s Public Links Finals; Sirene Blair Medalist

Five women from the East Bay qualifying advanced to the finals of the USGA Women’s Public Links Championship to be held at Neshanic Station, New Jersey on July 18-23.
 
Sirene Blair was the medalist with a three under par 69. Trailing her by two shots were Jamie Millard and Maggie Yuan. Kelsey Chugg finished in fourth place with a 73.
 
Lea Garner won the final qualifying spot in a playoff over Amanda Keith. They each shot 74 and Garner won the playoff on the first hole.

Blair and Garner were medalists in their respective school classifications at the recent Utah State High School Championships.
 
East Bay
Qualifying Scores
 
69- Sirene Blair
71- Jamie Millard, Maggie Yuan
73- Kelsey Chugg
74- Lea Garner, Amanda Keith (Garner won playoff for final spot.)
 
Did not qualify:
74- Amanda Keith
75- Tara Green, Jordyn Dougal
76- Annika Afoa
77- Haley Dunn, Sadie Palmer
79- Grace Chua, Herman Hannah, Ashley Malaska
80- Randi Stevens, Brooke Bliss, Cheryl Chua
82- Allison Cluff
83- Baylee Borchers
85- Rina Slade, Heather Mathison
90- Naomi Soifua
DQ- Selu Fotu
WD- Kareen Alton, Cherie Chua
 
 

Utah Golf Family Man, Pat Dehlin, Passes Away

Utah Golf is one big family, and one of its family, Pat Dehlin, passed away from cancer on May 27th. It’s a sad day for the Utah golf family. He epitomized family. Family was at his core and the Utah golf family has been enhanced by the Dehlin family. Pat and his wife Jeanne raised a family of golfers.

For many of his years Pat could be seen on the golf course supporting his children in the Utah Junior Golf Association, two of whom have become central figures in Utah golf. The family grew up on the Glenmoor Golf Course near their family home.

Devin Dehlin is a former head professional at Meadowbrook and Old Mill and Director of Golf at Salt Lake County, and is currently Foundation and Operations Director of the Utah Section PGA, and Darci Dehlin Olsen is currently the only woman head professional in Utah, holding that position at the Roosevelt Golf Course. Other children, Danna and Dustin were also active participants in the Utah Junior Golf Association.

Pat was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year and several surgeries didn’t stop its fast progress. The Utah golf family extends its sympathy and respect to the Dehlin family.
The obituary as published in the Salt Lake Tribune is printed below.

Pat Dehlin
“Sweet Patrique”Pat Dehlin, passed away May 27, 2012 after a brutal battle with cancer. “Sweets” was born on March 4, 1945 in Salt Lake City, Utah to Frank Clifton and Helen Dehlin.
The 2nd of 3 children, he graduated from Bingham High School where he was a star athlete in basketball, baseball and football. BHS is also where he met his sweetheart Jeanne Anderson. He then went on to attend SUSC. Later Pat & Jeanne were married in the Salt Lake Temple, August 6, 1965.
Pat has always been an amazing athlete and passed it on to his children and those he coached. He could get fired up and turn it on! We love that about him. That passion transferred over to his love of the Gospel. He loved to serve in his various church callings, service missions, and was currently serving on the Stake High Council for the past 3 years. His testimony was displayed every day with his selfless service and love for his wife and family.
Pat was just awarded his 30 year recognition from Westco-Bakemark. He was an amazing salesman in his field and over the years developed close relationships with his customers.
Another passion of Pat’s was service and charity. He was always giving to everyone around him and especially enjoyed serving with his wife Jeanne. Together they completed 21 years running the opening night foods with the Festival of Trees, which is a charity to benefit Primary Children’s Medical Center. Pat was a generous philanthropist in many worthy causes. More importantly, he was more than willing to give of his time to uplift and inspire others.
Pat taught his family to work hard and have fun. Pat never backed down from competition in anything. The competition never stopped even on the golf course with his family. Pat enjoyed season tickets with the Utah Jazz and Utah Football. Go Utes! Pat was a great outdoorsman and most recently enjoyed throwing a hopper on the river. Pat’s quick wit and one-liners had the ability to bring smiles and laughter to those he knew as well as complete strangers. Pat loved to coach his kids and most of all his grandkids both on and off the field. We will have many more rounds of golf to enjoy together and will carry on his same fire for life, sports, the gospel and most of all family. We will never stop loving you! Thanks Dad!
Survived by his wife and best friend Jeanne; children Devin Dehlin (Joanne), Danna Miller (Mark), Dustin Dehlin (Kristy), Darci Olsen (Joey); 12 grandchildren; siblings Debbie Hanson and Larry Dehlin. Pat was preceded in death by his parents Frank Clifton and Helen Dehlin.Funeral services Saturday, June 2, 2012 at 1:00 p.m. at Glenmoor Stake Center, 4147 West Skye Dr., South Jordan, UT. Viewings on Friday June 1, from 6-8 p.m. at Jenkins-Soffe Funeral Home, 1007 W South Jordan Parkway, South Jordan and one hour prior to services at the church. Interment: Larkin Sunset Gardens. Donations may be made in Pat’s name to Primary Children’s Medical Center, P.O. Box 58149, SLC, UT 84158.
Published in Salt Lake Tribune from May 30 to May 31, 2012

Provo Open Making Big Plans for This Year and Future

The annual Provo Open golf event will celebrate its 73rd year, teeing off in June at beautiful East Bay Golf Course in Provo, Utah. 

According to Executive Director Gary Golightly, “There is a full week of events and because of the loyal support of sponsors we are returning to our exciting original format!” 
 
Following the Karl Tucker Amateur (Division II) on Tuesday, June 12 the Provo Open will host sponsors, past champions and special guests for a black-tie dinner at the downtown Provo Marriott.  Wednesday morning the 13th will be Media Day press conference followed by golf.  Thursday the 14th is the popular Sponsors tournament; the big tent barbecue returns to East Bay Golf Course, as sponsors and guests celebrate this special day.  Friday the 15th through Sunday the 17th is the traditional Provo Open Championship that will pay out a larger purse this year.           

Randy Dodson, chairman of the Provo Open is looking forward to the charity work the tournament will do this year through the Karl Tucker Foundation.  This foundation was endowed in honor of former Provo Open Chairman and Utah golf legend Karl Tucker who passed away a few years ago. 

“We miss Karl and anything we can do to continue the tournament’s legacy of helping children based charity and junior golf, under the foundation’s name, is gratifying, explained Dodson. “Karl was adamant about growing the game of golf especially for Utah County junior golfers.”

Over the years the tournament and its sponsors have been able to conduct an annual junior golf clinic for the Utah County Boys and Girls Club and support the Utah Junior Golf Association’s annual Karl Tucker Memorial tournament held in Utah County.

“This year the Utah County Commissioners office, tournament sponsors, Utah Section PGA professionals and Provo Open past champions will again introduce the game of golf to Utah County youth that otherwise may not have a chance to be exposed to this game that Karl Tucker loved so much”, said Dodson.

NuSkin Director of Corporate Services and Provo Open board member Derek Roney said, “Our company is honored to be a part of this first class event. The Provo Open has been responsible for raising over a million dollars for charity over the last 20 years.”

“Tournament event information and its historic past are now available online,” according to Dave Huntsman, tournament logistics coordinator, “We have created a new web-site, www.provoopen.com which provides online registration and general info and eventually real time video and scoring.”  

East Bay Golf Course Head Professional Kean Ridd has promised challenging tournament course conditions and a strong field. Assistant professional Bret Watson said, “Registration is at a fast pace! We even have three Australian players coming to compete in the Provo Open!”           

Golightly offers, “The coalition of diverse sponsors is fully committed to the tournament and the tradition it represents. The Presenting sponsors are NuSkin, KUTV2, Comcast Spotlight, Hoopes Vision, and Utah County.  Partners include; Provo City, Provo Marriott, SuperSonic, Qualtrics, Berge Auto, In the Paint, Bullion Monarch, Brent Bryson, Links Consulting, Pepsi, Green Hollow Catering, Black Clover and Fairways Media. 

Utah golf legends Billy Casper and Bruce Summerhays are among an elite group of Provo Open former champions.  Golightly says, “There is talk about bringing back the successful Provo Open Skins game. We are working on a televised “Skins Game” for 2013, which would be prime time in this market and be shown nationally via cable networks. The Skins game would be contested at another prestigious Utah County venue separate from the other events and undoubtedly would make the Provo Open very unique. We expect a title sponsor announcement in the near future for the event.” 

He also stated, “We have a very passionate tournament committee, a committed tournament staff and a terrific course crew. We are working hard to take this event to a new level and we are already looking forward to a spectacular platinum 75 year Provo Open anniversary in 2014!”

For more information on this year’s Provo Open tournament please visit www.provoopen.com or call the East Bay Golf Course pro shop 801-852-7529.

Drost Wins Rain Plagued Valley View Amateur With Four Stroke Victory Margin

Nick Drost won the rain plagued Valley View Amateur Saturday by one of the biggest winning margins of the year on the Utah amateur circuit, a four shot victory margin over Patrick Fishburn and Jeremy Child. Drost shot a 67 and Fishburn and Child finished with 71s.
 
The tournament consisted of morning and afternoon shotgun starts and the afternoon shotgun was interrupted for a considerable length of time by torrential rains that softened and muddied the course.
 
The one great benefit of playing in the afternoon was the chance to watch the wonderous air show put on by Hill Air Force Base. Those at Valley View were in perfect position to watch the show as jets filled the sky with dazzling turns and dives.
 
Valley View Amateur
Championship Flight
67- Nick Drost
71- Patrick Fishburn, Jeremy Child
72- Brennan Coburn, Jordan Herzog, Rand Sargent, Tyler Herzog, Connor Jones
73- Gary Knight, Kyler Dearden, Clint Maddox, Nathan Nyman, David Jennings, Danny Hafen, Corey Ford, Adam Harris, Bart Bruce
74- Chris Monsen, Darrin Overson, Pete Bennett, Tommy Wingert
75- Corbin Gale, Jeff Jolley, Jeff Powars, Stephen Archibald, Peter Brown, Jereme Johnson, Mike Membrila
76- Mike Jurca, Ryan Brimley, Andrew Cottle, John Owen, Brian Beecher, Jacob Holt, Devin Tovey, Greg Wojtkun, Jaxson Taylor, Casey Murray, David Wilson, Ross Hruska, Mitchell Schow
77- Chris Richins, Brett Wagner, Yoshi Suzuki, Chris Combe
78- Jason Struck, Blaine Talley, Russell Hook, Travis Hilton, Brett Garner
79- Jacob Bailey, Steve Wallace, Cameron Young, Lester Perry, Troy Miya, Brandt Kuehne, Alex Sutton, Christian Rundberg, Jake Peterson
80- Kelly Bishop, C.J. Haws, Preston Richards, Gable Waters, Matt Cook, Zach Bachman, Zane Stanger, Matt Wahlen, Brecken Varah, John Detlefson
81- Bjorn Trejo, Jarred Kippen, TJ Nichols, Caden Ottley, Shane Brady
83- Andrew Alvarez, Reed Nielsen, Lynn Cameron, Jordan Curtis, Josh Sundloff
83- Jeff Jerman, Eric Hall, Taylor Berbert, Ben Maddox, Chandler Coburn, Jamie Needham
84- Colton Slama, Brayden Rowley, Steven Done
85- Stephen Chugg
86- Mike Green
87- Matthew Stern, Steve Olson
88- Brady Morlock, Yoshi Anderson

Chapman Wins PGA Senior Open, Perry Shoots Record 62

BENTON HARBOR, Mich. (AP) — After taking a nine-stroke lead early in the final round of the Senior PGA Championship presented by KitchenAid, Roger Chapman needed only to play out the remaining holes and savor the greatest moment of his professional life.That’s when he began to think about his mentor, George Will, who died two years ago after doing so much to help Chapman’s career.”Your mind just starts to wander a bit,” Chapman said. “I was thinking of George all the way around — what he would be thinking.”By that point, Chapman didn’t need to focus totally on his round. After making three bogeys in the final five holes, he held on to win comfortably by two shots Sunday, wrapping up a phenomenal performance in which he held at least a share of the lead at the end of each day. The Englishman had never won on the Champions Tour, but he took control of the major championship during the final two rounds.Chapman led by five after 54 holes and was never really threatened on the last day at Harbor Shores. He closed with a 1-over 72 — his worst score of the tournament — to finish at 13 under par. John Cook was second after a 69, and Hale Irwin was another stroke back after a 68.

Kenny Perry had a tournament-record 62 to finish five shots behind in ninth place, and Jay Don Blake fell from eighth place to 29th place with a final round 73.”In the back of your mind you think, `Can I blow a five-shot lead?’ The negative man sitting on your shoulder there, telling you all the things that could happen,” Chapman said. “It is difficult, when you haven’t been in that position before.”Prior to this week, the only real highlight of Chapman’s pro career was a win in Brazil at a European Tour event in 2000. The European Senior Tour has held only one tournament this year, so Chapman hadn’t played many competitive rounds before coming to Harbor Shores.Chapman could trace this win back 40 years, when he was a 13-year-old with hopes of playing professionally. That’s when he met Will.”When he passed away in 2010, it was like losing your best friend,” Chapman said. “He was my father figure and if I hadn’t met him I don’t think I would be sitting here right now. … `He had the belief in me to work with me and never took one penny for a lesson. It was all for free. Not one penny.'”Chapman became the first player since Irwin in 2004 to win the Senior PGA Championship after holding at least a share of the lead following each round. Chapman’s third-round 64 helped him pull away from Cook, and he extended his lead on the front nine Sunday.Chapman birdied Nos. 4 and 6, and after another birdie on the par-4 seventh, he led by nine. At that point, the only suspenseful race was for second place.”I can’t say it was fun to watch, but it was impressive to watch,” Cook said. “He’s a good man, though. I’m happy for him. We know what he’s been through.”Cook made birdies on Nos. 9, 13 and 14, and he trailed by only four after Chapman bogeyed the par-4 14th. But Cook missed a 5-foot birdie putt at No. 15, a par 5 that was the easiest hole on the course during the tournament.A bogey on No. 17 trimmed Chapman’s lead to three strokes, but he kept his tee shot in the fairway on No. 18. Chapman missed the green with his approach, but so did Cook. On an emotional walk toward the 18th green, Chapman took his hat off to acknowledge the crowd, then eventually gathered himself and calmly finished with another bogey to win by two.”I made a couple of mistakes,” Chapman said. “And then you’re thinking, `Well, it’s only four shots now.’ But four shots is a lot.”There were plenty of low scores Sunday, even as the temperature hovered around 90 degrees at the 6,822-yard course. Perry began the day 15 strokes behind the leader, so winning was never realistic, but he put on a clinic, shooting 31 on each nine. Perry broke the Senior PGA Championship record for a single round of 63 set by Arnold Palmer in 1984 and Buck White in 1961, although they both did it on par-72 courses.”I knew I wasn’t going to catch Roger,” Perry said. “I was just going at every stick and didn’t really care, didn’t have any fears or thoughts, and I wish I could learn to play golf like that every day.”Peter Senior shot a 63 on Sunday — including a 28 on the back nine — and tied with four other players at 9 under. Sandy Lyle and Joe Daley were in that group, too. They shot 64.Chapman is second in the Schwab Cup standings behind Michael Allen.

Jurca Continues Impressive Play, Wins Logan River Am

Mike Jurca is having a very good summer and is finishing near the top of every tournament he enters and Friday he added the Logan River Amateur to his list of victories. He shot a 68 on a very tough golf course. Mike Membrila finished one back at 69.
 
Logan River Amateur
Championship Flight
68- Mike Jurca
69- Mike Membrila
70- Stephen Archibald, Brendan Dennis
71- Craig Woodward
72- Austin Banz, Nick Higham, Nate Nyman, Gary Stewart
73- Tanner Higham
74- Justin Kim, Kevin Peterson
75- Dustin Richardson
76- Bill Greider, Tony Lamarra, Brandon Wagstaff
77- Colten Roberts
78- Dave Lusk, Brad Thorne
79- Andy Downs, Dylan Hardy, Denny Job, Marlin Widdison
80- Rich Tripp
81- Ronnie Ward, Michael Wong
82- Corey Matthews
83- Chance Godderidge
84- Casey Beck
85- Derek Keith
87- Stephen Chugg
 
 

Tony Finau Finishes Eighth in NPGT Event

Tony Finau finished in a tie for eighth place in the Firekeeper Tradition golf tournament in Mayetta, Kansas on the National Pro Golfers Tour this week. He shot rounds of 72-68-73-213. Kevin Killpack finished 46th with a score of 71-74-76-221 and Dusty Fielding finished 57th with rounds of 68-74-82-224. Fielding was in very good shape for a high finish until his final round.
Other Utahns in the event but didn’t make the cut were Dustin Pimm, Clay Ogden, Gipper Finau, and Stuart Gold.

Blake in 20th Place Midway Through PGA Senior Championship

Jay Don Blake was the only Utahn to make the cut at the PGA Senior Open and after two rounds he stands in 20th place with scores of 71-72-143 on the par 71 Harbor Shores course at Benton Harbor, Michigan.
 
Roger Chapman and John Cook are eight strokes ahead of Blake at seven under par 135.
 
Dan Forsman and Mike Reid missed the cut.