News

B.J. Staten Rallies to Win Siegfried-Jensen Utah Open in Playoff

B.J. Staten, who formerly played on the PGA Tour and Web.com Tour but is currently without status anywhere, came from behind to win the Siegfried-Jensen Utah Open on the third hole of sudden death at Riverside Country Club Sunday.
Nathan Lashley, who won the title in 2009, held a four shot lead going into the final round and maintained it most of the way, but Staten kept creeping up the board and then birdied three of the last four holes to post a 64 and force a playoff.
The tournament committee opted to play the 18th hole continually until there was a winner, but after playing that hole twice without breaking the tie the playoff shifted to the tenth hole where Staten hit his approach shot to within a foot and won the hole and the championship with a tap-in birdie.
Staten shot rounds of 68-67-64-200 and Lashley shot 65-66-69-200.
Staten has had some success on the PGA Tour and the Web.com Tour, but had fallen on hard times with the ‘yips’ and had lost playing status on both tours.
Originally from Texas he has taken up residency in Cottonwood Heights as a result of friendships developed at previous Utah Championships on the Web.com Tour. He works for Eric Nielsen, the head pro at Willow Creek Country Club, and another Utahn who befriended him was Mike Smith, the tournament director of the Utah Championship. Smith caddied for Staten this weekend at Riverside.
Staten expressed appreciation to the Utah Section of the PGA for the opportunity to play, and to Nielsen and Smith.
Cole Ogden, former State Am champion, won low amateur honors with rounds of 71-67-65.
The top professional scores were as follows:
200- B.J. Staten, 68-67-64 (won playoff); Nathan Lashley, 65-66-69
201- James Drew, 68-69-64; Chase Barnes, 65-71-65
202- Jesse Mueller, 67-68-67
203- Nick Killpack, 69-69-65; Scott Smith, 68-70-65; Cole Ogden-A, 71-67-65
204- Martin Trainer, 71-67-66; Zahkai Brown, 64-71-69
205- Chris Moody, 69-67-69; Dean Wilson, 68-68-69
The top amateur scores were as follows:
203- Cole Ogden, 71-67-65
207- Jordan Rodgers, 68-70-69; Kurt Owen, 70-67-70
209- Jon Wright, 70-67-72
For complete scoreboard results please see:
https://utpga.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/utpga14/event/utpga1410/contest/4/leaderboard.htm
For news report from the Salt Lake Tribune please see:
https://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/sports/58332668-77/staten-utah-open-lashley.html.csp
For news report from The Deseret News please see:
Not posted yet
For news report from Ogden Standard Examiner please see:
https://www.standard.net/Sports/2014/08/24/Utah-Open-champ-wins-both-ways.html
For news report from The Daily Herald, Provo, please see:
Not posted yet.
For more on B.J. Staten please see:
https://www.pgatour.com/players/player.25679.b-j–staten.html/profile