Utah Duo Punches Ticket to U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship

Utah golfers Hunter Nelson and Braydon Griffith were both shocked and excited to learn they had qualified as co-medalists at the U.S. Four-Ball Qualifier at Copper Rock held November 17th. According to Nelson, they weren’t watching the leaderboard and were surprised to qualify at 9-under 63. As first-time participants in a USGA qualifier, Nelson said the experience felt “surreal and super exciting.”

(L-R) Braydon Griffiths and Hunter Nelson shot (-9) 63 at Copper Rock GC to earn a spot in the 2026 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship.

Earning the second qualifying spot in the field of 37 teams, also at 9-under 63, were Parker Edens of South Dakota and Trey Kidd of Arizona.

(L-R) Parker Edens and Trey Kidd.

A playoff decided the alternate spots among three teams that finished a shot back of the qualifiers. Former BYU players Elijah Turner and Max Brenchley earned the first alternate spot, while junior golfers Jack Summerhays and Austin Shelley claimed the second alternate position.

(L-R) Montana State University golfers Norah Seidl and Maddie Montoya.

At the U.S. Women’s Four-Ball Qualifier, also at Copper Rock, Montana State University golfers Maddie Montoya and Norah Seidl won the qualifier with a 5-under 67, one shot ahead of Westminster’s Ashley Lam and Utah Golf Association Women’s Player of the Year, Kate Walker.

The course played long and wet, according to UGA tournament director Colin Clawson, following the previous day’s rain.

This was the first time Copper Rock Golf Club hosted a USGA qualifier. Clawson said he hopes it will be the first of many. He praised the management and staff at Copper Rock, saying they did a great job, “a masterclass of hosting,” especially given the recent rainfall.

The 2026 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship will be played May 16-20 at Desert Mountain Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona. The U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball Championship will be held May 2-6 at Daniel Island Club in Charleston, South Carolina.

For final leaderboards from both qualifiers, visit UGA.org.

2025 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Qualifier recap written by Fairways Media/Randy Dodson. Photos provided by UGA staff.

Utah Golf Association Names 2025 Service Award Winners

On behalf of the Utah Golf Association (UGA) Board of Directors, Executive Director Easton Folster has announced the 2025 Service Award winners for significant contributions to the success and growth of the game of golf in Utah.

Utah Golf Association Gold Club Award, Mike Bailey

Mike Bailey will be honored at the UGA annual awards banquet early next year as the recipient of the 2025 Gold Club Award, recognizing his extraordinary contributions to the game through leadership, service, and integrity. A former UGA president and USGA Executive Committee member, Bailey has played a pivotal role in modern golf governance, helping revise the World Handicap System, update the Rules of Golf, create the U.S. Adaptive Open, and establish rules for golfers with disabilities. Known as a “steady compass” for the UGA, Bailey’s influence has shaped a culture of stewardship and passion within Utah amateur golf. A member and historian at The Country Club and a respected attorney in Salt Lake City, Bailey credits his accomplishments to opportunity, teamwork, and family support, qualities that make him a fitting honoree for one of Utah golf’s most distinguished awards.

Utah Golf Association Woman of the Year Award, Karen Bruin

The UGA has named Karen Bruin as the recipient of the 2025 UGA Woman of the Year Award, honoring her passion, love and respect for the game, and her role as a leader, friend and inspiration to her peers. Known for her competitive spirit, sharp knowledge of the Rules of Golf, and lively personality, Bruin made every round memorable. “She was very competitive, but she was fun to play with. We laughed and laughed all the time. She had fun golfing; she enjoyed it,” said close friend Karen Gardiner.

Bruin, who passed away in May at age 80, was a longtime member of The Barn Golf Club and Schneiter’s Riverside Golf Course, where she was a club champion, women’s league leader, and captain of The Barn’s traveling team for more than 20 years.

Utah Golf Association Volunteer of the Year, Dave Jenkins

The Utah Golf Association has named Dave Jenkins its 2025 Volunteer of the Year, honoring his exceptional dedication and service to the game. A UGA rules official for nearly a decade, demonstrating the consistency, fairness, and good humor that have made him a fixture at Utah tournaments. A former software engineer from Sandy, Jenkins found his passion for officiating through local golf leagues and quickly became known for his preventive officiating approach, helping players avoid penalties and learn from every experience. Valued for his professionalism, kindness, and storytelling, Jenkins embodies the spirit of volunteerism that sustains the game.

Charles Nibley Excellence in Golf Promotion Honor

Glen Richeson (with his wife Pat) is the recipient of the 2025 Charles Nibley Excellence in Golf Promotion Honor, celebrating his lifelong dedication to the game and his community. Richeson, who passed away this year at age 88, played a pivotal role in transforming Moab Golf Course into an 18-hole destination by leading a community-driven expansion project in the late 1980s. His welcoming spirit helped make Moab a favorite stop for golfers across Utah, inspiring lasting events like the Glen Richeson Steak & Sudsfest tournament. A former football coach and tireless community leader, Richeson secured funding, organized volunteers, and worked side by side with locals to bring his vision to life—never seeking personal credit. As a permanent tribute, a memorial rock will soon be placed between holes 14 and 15, honoring the man whose efforts shaped not only a golf course but also the heart of Moab’s golfing community.

UGA Super-Senior Player of the Year: Mark Gardiner

Mark Gardiner once qualified for a Professional Bowlers Association event. His 2025 Utah Golf Association season was the equivalent of a 300 game, something he has achieved numerous times on the lanes.

There’s no flawless score in golf, but a perfect scorecard is possible in the Player Performance Rankings.

In a system counting each Super-Senior golfer’s top six events, Gardiner claimed six titles. His four biggest-earning performances (the Senior State Amateur, Senior Stroke Play, Winterchamps and the Don and Ron Branca Utah Senior Open) added up to 300 points.

Mark Gardiner is known for being long and straight off the tee and hitting a lot of greens in regulation.

Gardiner added 40 points each for winning the Bloomington and The Ledges Amateurs. That gave  him a 380-290 win over Randy Hicken, who had claimed the first two 60-over Player of the Year presented by Primo titles awarded by the UGA.

Hicken produced another good season, while being overshadowed. Hicken lost to Gardiner in the Senior State Am semifinals and finished second to him in three major events.

Gardiner labeled his season “just a great start to another stage of my golf career,” adding, “Coming into the state, you kind of want to put a stamp on your play.”

Gardiner and his wife, Michelle, arrived in Washington, Utah, after each retired from the U.S. Air Force. With a daughter living in North Salt Lake, they considered Northern Utah before choosing an area Gardiner knew about it, thanks to golf publications.

They live near Green Spring Golf Course as neighbors of Allen Simkins, the 2024 UGA Gold Club Award winner and a former Super-Senior champion in the Senior State Amateur. Simkins has become a fan of his golf career, so Gardiner was happy to add his own name to that trophy with his 23-hole victory over defending champion Rick Lloyd. In the round of 16, Gardiner outlasted Keith McLaughlin in 26 holes.

Amid all of those wins, when asked about his most memorable day of 2025, Gardiner picked a runner-up finish in the Coral Canyon Senior Amateur. That’s because an eagle-birdie-eagle-par finish on Nos. 5-8, after a shotgun start, pulled him to within one shot of  Ron Davis.

The irony of Gardiner’s two-season Utah performance is how the 2024 Senior State Am at Hill Air Force Base was a rare case of his not contending for a trophy, as he lost in the round of 16. Gardiner’s 26-year tenure in the Air Force was a big platform for his golf game, nationally and internationally, prior to his retirement with a Chief Master Sgt. rank.

Mark Gardiner plays his tee shot on the fourth hole during the first round of stroke play of the 2024 U.S. Mid-Amateur at Kinloch Golf Club in Manakin-Sabot, Va. on Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024. (Logan Whitton/USGA)

Gardiner is known for his long, straight driving and hitting a lot of greens in regulation. He’s consistent on the golf course, just as he was in a sport that paid a lot of prize money to amateurs.

Bowling can be mastered, with minor adjustments to lane conditions. Golf is different, as practically every shot comes with variables. “That’s why I love golf,” Gardiner said. “It’s just so much more difficult. You never conquer it.”

That’s true, even if his 2025 results suggest otherwise.

2025 UGA Player of the Year features are written by Fairways Media senior writer Kurt Kragthorpe. Photography by Fairways Meida/Garrit Johnson and the USGA.

UGA Senior Women’s Players of the Year: Steph Belnap & Kareen Larson

Kareen Larson and Steph Belnap shared the Senior Women’s Player of the Year award, presented by Primo, after arriving at the same point total from different directions, even apart from Larson’s left-handed swing.

Larson labeled her stake of the award “very satisfying,” amid recent injuries. Belnap said, “Kareen’s an amazing player, so it’s an honor to share it with her.”

Kareen Larson won the 2025 Utah Senior Women’s State Amateur at Mountain Dell GC.

Counting the top four events, each posted 155 points in the Player Performance Rankings to 132.5 for 2023 winner Nuny Khamken. Belnap’s haul came via her showing among seniors in full-field tournaments. She was the top 50-over performer in both the Women’s State Amateur qualifying round and the Mary Lou Baker Open, besides finishing No. 2 in the Winterchamps event and No. 3 in the Utah Women’s Open.

A 21-hole quarterfinal loss to Nancy Beck of Texas kept Belnap from adding points in the Senior Women’s State Amateur, while Larson’s victory at Mountain Dell GC pulled her into the tie.

Larson, the 2024 Player of the Year, missed two major tournaments for varying reasons. In addition to winning the Senior Women’s State Am, she finished first among seniors in Winterchamps, third (with partner Jessica Smith) in the Women’s Spring Open and fourth in the Mary Lou Baker Open. In that event, she limped through three rounds at TalonsCove GC, where she’s the General Manager.

The previous week, Larson had broken three toes on her left foot in a shower/tub accident (“the story’s not even good enough to tell,” she joked) and withdrew from the Utah Women’s Open.

“You don’t know how much balance you need with your toes until you don’t have it,” she said.

In July, Larson captained the Utah team in the Girls’ Junior Americas Cup, forcing her to skip the Women’s State Amateur. So maybe the Co-Player of the Year award is a cosmic reward for Larson. The same could be said of Belnap, who has coached the Farmington High School girls golf team for six years.

Steph Belnap’s 20-hole victory in the Round of 32 at this year’s Utah Women’s State Am was motivating, even without Senior PPR credit.

The mother of four (and grandmother of one) works for a financial planner and also helps at Davis Park Golf Course.

Belnap won consecutive Women’s State Am titles in the ‘90s before turning pro. She delivered a first-round win in July at Wasatch Mountain GC, 30 years after her second championship. Belnap’s brother, Bruce Brockbank, became the first UGA Player of the Year in 1983.

Her return to UGA competition in 2024 stemmed from being rejuvenated by the Farmington girls and the prodding of a friend in the Davis Park Ladies League. Maybe because she goes by “Steph” now, some confusion existed about whether she really was the former champion. In any case, she has evoked images of the Stephanie Belnap of old.

Belnap received no senior PPR extra credit, but a 20-hole victory over Lily Shin in the Women’s State Am was validating and motivating. “In match play, you get to challenge a youngster,” she said. “I still can compete with them.”

2025 UGA Player of the Year presented by Primo stories are written by Fairways Media senior writer Kurt Kragthorpe. Photography by Fairways Media/Garrit Johnson and Randy Dodson. 

UGA Senior Men’s Player of the Year: Darrin Overson

Seven days before his first swing in a Utah Golf Association senior championship, Darrin Overson lost his biggest fan. And he found the purpose that carried him through that tournament and the rest of an outstanding season.

Overson’s 2025 story really begins in March, when his father, Don, died unexpectedly at age 73. His mother, Cori, persuaded him to play in the Winterchamps event. “You need to go,” she told him.

Overson won the 36-hole tournament to propel his UGA Senior Men’s Player of the Year (presented by Primo) season. Don’s funeral was held the next day.

“My dad loved watching me play golf,” Overson said recently. “I was just doing what I love to do, just thinking about all the things I learned from my dad. It was good to go and do what I thought my dad wanted me to do.”

Darrin Overson’s Senior PPR ranking includes five victories including 2025 Winterchamps and the Utah Senior Amateur.

Don Overson’s life story described him as “a passionate golfer (who) loved to watch, play and discuss the game, especially with his son Darrin.”

Even before turning 50, Darrin Overson was aware of his potential place in Utah golf history. As the champion of the 100th State Amateur in 1998 and the 31st Mid-Amateur in 2008, he could join Todd Barker in an exclusive club by someday winning the Senior State Amateur. No other golfer had claimed all three titles.

So as he stood on Bonneville Golf Course’s No. 17 green in August, holding the Senior State Amateur trophy, he was proud to be mentioned with Barker. Noting that Barker is in the Utah Golf Hall of Fame, Overson smiled as he said, “So, we’ll see what happens.”

Overson’s 2025 season also included qualifying for his first U.S. Senior Open.

Qualifying for the U.S. Senior Open was another highlight of Overson’s season, as several family members and friends followed him at Tthe Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, Colorado. After a rough start, he played solidly over the last 27 holes and enjoyed an experience that he labeled “definitely a dream.”

The rest of this decade will certainly be interesting, now that Overson has earned his first Senior Men’s Player of the Year award in dominating style. With five victories among his eight counting events, the Provo resident posted 465 points to 257.75 for runner-up Brigham Gibbs, who kept competing in the senior division after turning 60 in August 2024.

Darrin and Andrea Overson

Looking ahead to 2028, when Dan Horner (Overson’s partner in two Utah Four-Ball Championship victories) turns 50, is tantalizing. Kirk Siddens’ four Player of the Year titles hardly seems unreachable for Overson. No matter what happens, he’ll savor his competitive opportunities in the UGA.

“Turning 50 was not something I was looking forward to, right? It means you’re getting older,” Overson said. “But having an avenue, and a place to play with guys my age and see how I stack up, it’s been a really good year. It’s been fun.”

And he hopes other golfers will share his appreciation, adding, “I don’t think a lot of guys in Utah understand how good we have it.”

2025 UGA Player of the Year presented by Primo features are written by Fairways Media senior writer Kurt Kragthorpe. Photography by Fairways Media/Garrit Johnson and Randy Dodson.