Arizona’s Robin Krapfl now a Utah Champion

Not much about the way she started the 32nd Utah Senior Women’s State Amateur Championship suggested that Robin Krapfl would end up holding the trophy.

Same story for her drive to Hill Air Force Base for Saturday morning’s final match vs. Roberta Scott, on the way to a 4-and-3 victory.

The story of the Arizona resident’s sharp play in winning four of the first six holes at Hubbard Memorial Golf Course gets better. A flat tire in Layton left her “rushed, frazzled” and fearful of missing her tee time. Utah Golf Association officials gave her a 10-minute allowance. Krapfl (pronounced KRAW-full”) made it to the course, quickly launched a flurry of practice shots, headed to the tee and birdied the par-5 No. 1.

So credit the Discount Tire guys who assisted her, Kareen Larson for recruiting her and a new golf swing that came together for her after a rough opening round of stroke play for contributing to Krapfl’s title. And give Scott her due, after playing brilliantly for three days at age 75, before losing in the final match for a second straight September.

“I’m happy to be here,” said Scott, who has at least reached the semifinals four years in a row. “Obviously, a bit disappointed in my swing, but that’s golf. I definitely got outplayed. … She played very well.”

Formerly the longtime University of Nebraska women’s golf coach, Krapfl relocated to the Phoenix area and has become acquainted with Utahns such as Larson and Nuny Khamone via the Arizona-Utah Shootout and other events. Larson, always a Utah golf advocate, encouraged her to come and play in the Senior Women’s State Am, once she failed to qualify for the U.S. Senior Women’s Am.

Even with the UGA’s expansion to eight golfers for match play (earning status in the World Amateur Golf Rankings) this year, Krapfl was outside the cut line after the first round with an 88. After improving with an 80, she took the No. 6 seed, meaning she would have missed match play under the old format.

But then she took off, playing a total of 45 holes against the top three seeds in reverse order: Gaiotti, Julie McMullin and Scott, who had beaten Mona Stevens and Steph Belnap (after Belnap’s upset of Khamken, the defending champion).

“It just took a long time to get a feel for the golf course,” Krapfl said, “and I’m going through some swing changes. That’s the biggest issue. … Finally, everything clicked.”

Krapfl’s ball-striking gave her a big edge in the final match. After going 4 up through six, she lost only two holes the rest of the way, even as Scott started playing much better toward the end.

Scott (76-77) had nearly shot her age in the stroke-play portion of the tournament, finishing one shot ahead of McMullin (80-74). Flight awards were based on stroke play. In addition to Scott’s gross victory in Flight 1, McMullin (77-71) took net honors.

In Flight 2, Karen Seaman (83-86) was the gross winner and Tammy Gustaveson (73-74) earned the net title.

In Flight 3, Cristine Carson (97-87) and Judi Tuturow (77-72) took the top spots.

In Flight 4, Heidi Moser (107-101) and Vardell Laursen (71-85) were the gross and net winners, respectively.

Click here for complete scoring. 

32nd Utah Senior Women’s State Amateur championship match recap written by Fairways Media senior writer Kurt Kragthorpe. Photos by Fairways Media/Randy Dodson. 

Utah Section PGA to host Pre-Qualifier Tournaments for the Inaugural PGA TOUR Black Desert Championship presented by Greater Zion

The PGA TOUR will return to Utah for the first time in over 60-years Oct. 9-13 at Black Desert Resort in Ivins, Utah for the inaugural Black Desert Championship presented by Greater Zion, part of the PGA TOUR’s FEDEX Cup fall series.

Ahead of the championship’s Monday Qualifier at Sand Hollow Resort Oct. 7th, the Utah Section PGA, headquartered in Salt Lake City, will conduct three Pre-Qualifier tournaments held Oct. 1 at Sand Hollow Resort in Hurricane, UT, Oct. 2 at Coral Canyon Golf Course in Washington, UT and Oct. 3 at Glenmoor Golf Course in South Jordan, UT.

Registration for the Pre-Qualifier tournaments is available now on UTAHPGA.Com under the Tournament/PGA TOUR Qualifying in Utah menu button.

Davis County Director of Golf and 2024 Utah PGA Section Champion, Dustin Volk. (Photo Fairways Media/Garrit Johnson)

The Utah Section PGA has announced Davis County Director of Golf Dustin Volk, winner of the 2024 Utah Section Championship, has received an exemption into the Black Desert Championship via a long standing agreement between the PGA TOUR and the PGA of America allowing for a local PGA of America Professional to compete in a PGA TOUR event being held with in the Section’s geographical boundaries.

Utah Section PGA Executive Director Devin Dehlin said, “We are proud of Dustin Volk’s accomplishments in Utah PGA events including earning his third career win of the Section Championship. He has also played a significant role in Section leadership during his career as a PGA Professional. He will represent us well next month at the Black Desert Championship.”

2016 Utah State Amateur Champion, current PGA TOUR Professional Patrick Fishburn will tee it up at the Black Desert Championship in October. (Photo by Andrew Wevers/Getty Images)

The Black Desert Championship presented by Greater Zion will feature multiple Utah-based players receiving sponsor exemptions, including 2003 Masters champion and 2024 International Presidents Cup captain Mike Weir, former BYU standout Peter Kuest, and rising amateur star Kihei Akina, a senior at Lone Peak High School who is committed to BYU. Additionally, Utah natives and former Utah State Amateur and Utah Open champions Patrick Fishburn and Zac Blair have confirmed their participation.

Announced earlier this year, St. George native and PGA TOUR Champions member Jay Don Blake received a sponsors exemption and will celebrate his 500th career PGA TOUR start in his hometown at the Black Desert Championship.

Amateur Kihei Akina to Play in PGA TOUR Black Desert Championship

Utah residents Zac Blair, Patrick Fishburn, Mike Weir, Peter Kuest, Jay Don Blake, and amateur Kihei Akina will compete in the inaugural Black Desert Championship presented by Greater Zion

St. George, Utah (September 12, 2024) – When the inaugural Black Desert Championship presented by Greater Zion tees off this October, Utah’s passionate fan base can look forward to seeing several notable local players alongside some of the best golfers in the world. The tournament will feature multiple Utah-based players receiving sponsor exemptions, including Park City resident and 2024 International Presidents Cup captain Mike Weir, former BYU standout Peter Kuest, and rising star Kihei Akina, a senior at Lone Peak High School who is committed to BYU. Additionally, Utah natives and former BYU stars Patrick Fishburn and Zac Blair have also confirmed their participation, while St. George native Jay Don Blake will celebrate his 500^th career PGA TOUR start in his hometown during this inaugural event.

“The Black Desert Championship is truly Utah’s tournament, and we invite the entire state to come out and support their local heroes,” said Patrick Manning, Managing Partner of Black Desert Resort. “We’re excited to offer exemptions to Mike, Peter, and Kihei and are thrilled to have them join our field in October. It’s also an honor to welcome 2024 Presidents Cup International Captain Mike Weir and to highlight the incredible talent of Kihei Akina, recognized as one of the nation’s top junior golfers. Additionally, we’re pleased that former BYU star Peter Kuest, along with standout alumni Patrick Fishburn and Zac Blair, are committed to competing.”

Weir is the 2003 Masters champion and lives in Park City.  Coming out of BYU, he turned pro in 1992 and has won eight times on the PGA TOUR.   Weir received Canada’s highest civilian honor, the Order of Canada, in 2009 and the Order of Ontario in 2004. He was also a 2009 Canadian Golf Hall of Fame inductee.

 Akina, a resident of Alpine and a Lone Peak High School senior is committed to play golf at BYU starting next year.  Golfweek’s top-ranked golfer in the Class of 2024, Akina, 18, was named the 2023 USA Today National Boys High School Golfer of the Year. Akini won medalist honors at the 6A state tournament as a freshman and sophomore at Lone Peak.

Kuest has played 24 PGA TOUR events since turning pro in 2020.  Kuest played at BYU from 2016 to 2020, winning 10 individual titles, including the 2017 West Coast Conference Championship.  Kuest currently resides in American Fork.

Blair was born in Salt Lake City, attended Fremont High School in Plain City and currently lives in St. George. A BYU product, he turned pro in 2014. He posted a season-best T2 finish this year at the ISCO Championship, where he lost in a five-way playoff.  In the 2022-23 season, Blair recorded two top-10s and made 11 cuts in 28 starts.

Fishburn lives in Ogden and played four seasons at BYU.  After turning pro in 2018, he finished No. 19 on the 2023 Korn Ferry Tour Points List, earning his first PGA TOUR card.  Earlier this year, Fishburn held the 54-hole lead with partner Blair at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans and went on to finish T4, his first career top-10 on the PGA TOUR.  At BYU, he won twice individually and earned 2017-18 West Coast Conference Player of the Year recognition, as well as consecutive All-WCC First Team honors in 2017 and 2018.

The Black Desert Championship represents a significant moment for golf in Utah, marking the return of PGA TOUR golf to the state for the first time in over 60 years. Set against the backdrop of the stunning new Tom Weiskopf-designed golf course at Black Desert Resort, this event is expected to attract fans from across the region. Tickets for the championship are available now, offering grounds passes and VIP daily tickets at www.BlackDesertEvents.com.

Showcasing world-class talent against the iconic red rocks of Southern Utah, the event schedule is as follows:

Wednesday, October 9: Official Pro-Am presented by Marcella, open to public

Thursday, October 10: Opening Day, full field competition

Friday, October 11: Second round, full field competition

Saturday, October 12: Third round of competition, player field after the cut

Sunday, October 13: Final championship round, trophy presentation

The 2024 Black Desert Championship inaugurates a four-year partnership between Black Desert and the PGA TOUR. As player commitments are secured, further announcements will be made.

About Black Desert Resort

Amid the sprawling, centuries-old canvas of striking black lava beds and burnt-red sandstone cliffs of Greater Zion, a breathtaking experience at Black Desert Resort awaits. Spanning over 600 acres of scenic desert landscape and anchored by an 18-hole Tom Weiskopf-designed championship course, Black Desert Resort will unveil its first phase after it hosts the PGA TOUR’s Black Desert Championship in October 2024. The preview phase will include 447 luxury guestrooms and suites, 45,000 square feet of indoor/outdoor meeting and event space, five diverse restaurant and beverage outlets including a 20th-hole club lounge, heated outdoor pools and hot tubs, plus easy access to 200+ acres of preserved land with 6 miles of hiking trails. Beginning Q1 2025, the resort will debut an additional 344 luxury guestrooms and suites, in addition to an expansive 15,000-square-foot world-class spa. Black Desert Resort will offer an immersive experience that captivates and welcomes a multi-generational audience of guests and residents—from near and far—to a boundless oasis of natural beauty and engaging adventure. Reef Capital Partners is developing Black Desert Resort. To learn more, visit www.BlackDesortResort.com.

Self-proclaimed ‘Nobodies’ Henry Poulton-Brandon Pearson become winners

In the end, after Henry Poulton and Brandon Pearson had won four matches against some of the Utah Golf Association’s biggest names and most famous families, this was the natural question: Who are these guys?

Poulton was quick to answer: “We’re nobodies.”

2024 Utah Four-Ball Champions Henry Poulton and Brandon Pearson.

He said so proudly, fully aware of what the neighbors from Bountiful had done in becoming the winners of the Utah Four-Ball Championship at Gladstan Golf Course in Payson.

Their unlikely odyssey concluded with a 3-and-1 victory over junior golf stars Austin Shelley and Jack Summerhays. It began with a defeat of three-time champions Ryan Brimley-David Jennings, and featured a rally to overtake two-time winners Dan Horner-Darrin Overson in the semifinals. They also beat Danny Hafen-Rand Sargent in 20 holes in the quarterfinals.

“They’re just great players,” Poulton said, summarizing the list of opponents. “They have great reputations, great histories. They’ve won so many times in so many events. We just relied on each other. And the fact we were underdogs in every single match really helped us.”

Technically, that’s not true, after Poulton-Pearson qualified as the No. 7 seeds in the At-Large bracket. Practically speaking, though, that’s accurate. And there’s no discounting the talent and toughness they displayed, especially in coming from 3 down at the turn vs. Horner-Overson and leading from start to finish vs. Shelley-Summerhays.

As Pearson said, “There were points when we just had to grind it out; be gritty.”

At this point, introductions are in order. Pearson is 41, a financial advisor, father of six children and coach of the Woods Cross High School girls golf team. Poulton is 37, has two young children and works for a tech company, after doing management consulting. Encouragement from supportive wives got them back into golf in recent years. Pearson made the field for the 125th State Amateur last year, and the two have played in some team events.

They thrived in their first Utah Four-Ball competition. There’s no minimizing Pearson’s front-nine 31 in the final match, but Poulton certainly did his part over two days, such as birdieing the par-3 No. 17 to tie Horner-Overson in the semifinals.

The winners fit the usual Mid-Amateur profile of Four-Ball winners, considering college players are unavailable in September. Shelley (Skyline) and Summerhays (Farmington) had hoped to become by far the youngest champions as high school juniors. Shelley is the youngest of three brothers who made the 36-hole cut in the recent Siegfried & Jensen Utah Open; Summerhays is the oldest child of touring pro Daniel Summerhays. Their run included a 4-and-3 semifinal win over the Cooper Jones-Tyler Jones brotherly duo, with Cooper making his last UGA appearance prior to a church mission.

Utah Four-Ball runner-up team Jack Summerhays (L) and Austin Shelley.

Shelley-Summerhays lost the first two and last two holes of the final match, winning only No. 9. They faded on the back nine, but deserve credit for staying close all afternoon with performances such as Shelley’s tying eagle on the par-5 No. 8.

SENIORS/SUPER-SENIORS

2024 Utah Senior Four-Ball champions, Jon Wright and Brigham Gibbs.

One thread carried through the age-group competitions. Senior winners Brigham Gibbs-Jon Wright had to play each other in last week’s Senior State Amateur; Super-Senior champions Rick Lloyd-Paul Cannon also met in match play at Hill Air Force Base.

Each pair was clearly happy to be teammates again. Gibbs-Wright outlasted Matthew Lyons-Fred Larsen in 21 holes, while Lloyd-Cannon topped Randy Hicken-Mike Jorgensen 3 and 2.

Wright and Lloyd each earned a rare opportunity to hoist two UGA trophies on consecutive Thursdays. Wright and Gibbs, who won the Senior Stroke Play title in May, both could celebrate a season of multiple titles, while claiming a second victory in the Four-Ball’s Senior division (they also won At-Large championships in 2017 and ‘18).

2024 Utah Super-Senior Four-Ball champions, Paul Cannon and Rick Lloyd.

Gibbs delivered the winners’ most dramatic stroke Thursday, a match-extending, 15-foot birdie putt on the par-5 No. 18, with Lyons near the hole. “My whole take is I’m glad Brigham was here, because I did not play well today,” Wright said. “That was a great putt he made on 18. That was everything.”

Lyons had teamed with Shane McMillan for Senior titles each of the past two years. Larsen helped him reach another final match. They never trailed until the 21st hole, but never could quite take command.

Lloyd, 68, has won three straight Super-Senior trophies in the Four-Ball, in 2022 with Karl Avant and twice with Cannon.

“We didn’t make any big mistakes,” Lloyd said after playing 31 holes in two matches. Hicken-Jorgensen had gone 28 holes vs. Steven Borget-Dan Hatch in the semifinals, with the 10 extra holes believed to be a record for a match in any UGA tournament.

Click here for complete bracket scoring of the Utah Four-Ball Championship at Gladstan GC.

Utah Four-Ball Championship recap written by Fairways Media’s Kurt Kragthorpe. Photography provided by Fairways Media/Randy Dodson.

Utah Four-Ball Championship: Mike Jorgensen – Randy Hicken win a record 28-hole match

Randy Hicken and Mike Jorgensen won Nos. 14 and 15 to tie Steven Borget and Dan Hatch in a Super-Senior semifinal match of the Utah Four-Ball Championship. They couldn’t have known the contest would stay tied for the next 12 holes at Gladstan Golf Course in Payson.

Only when Jorgensen made a 25-foot birdie putt and Borget and Hatch each missed from inside that distance did the match end on the 28^th hole, the par-4 No. 10. The 10 extra holes is believed to be a Utah Golf Association record, topping Tod Budge’s 27-hole win over Matt Johnson in the 1988 State Amateur’s round of 16 at Oakridge Country Club.

“It was kind of crazy,” Hicken said. “We just kind of matched each other shot for shot the whole front nine.”

In the Super-Senior bracket, match play began with the semis. Defending champions Rick Lloyd-Paul Cannon topped Karl Avant-Todd Kartchner 4 and 3 and will meet Hicken-Jorgensen in a rematch of the 2023 final.

Three of the At-Large division matches also went to extra holes Wednesday. The brother duo of Cooper Jones-Tyler Jones outlasted Thomas Young-Bryce Till in 21 holes in the round of 16. In the quarterfinals, Henry Poulton-Brandon Pearson beat Danny Hafen-Rand Sargent in 20 holes and two-time winners Dan Horner-Darrin Overson defeated 2022 champions Andrew Cottle-Peyton Hastings in 21 holes.

Two other notable results had spiced the round of 16. Three-time champions David Jennings-Ryan Brimley fell to Poulton-Pearson, 1 up. No. 2-seeded Kenny Palmer-Steele Dewald lost 3 and 2 to Hafen-Sargent.

The Jones brothers will meet high school juniors Jack Summerhays (Farmington) and Austin Shelley (Skyline) in Thursday morning’s semifinals. Cooper Jones, the State Amateur runner-up in July, is playing in his last UGA event prior to a church mission to Peru.

In the Senior division finals, Jon Wright-Brigham Gibbs will face Matthew Lyons-Fred Larsen, who beat Tim Golder-Jeff Jolley in 20 holes of the semis. Wright-Gibbs won At-Large titles in 2017 and ‘18. Lyons teamed with Shane McMillan to win the last two Senior championships.

Click Here for Four-Ball Scoring Brackets

Day 1 tournament recap written by Fairways Media senior writer, Kurt Kragthorpe. Fairways Media file photo by Randy Dodson.

Utah Senior State Am: Jon Wright, Rick Lloyd and Michael Hacker claim titles

The silver trophies for Utah Golf Association championships come in pairs for Jon Wright. With a victory Thursday in the 31st Utah Senior State Amateur, Wright added a second senior award to go with his two State Am titles.

He would be happy with an unmatched set of trophies.

“I want to get some more Senior State Ams,” Wright said after a 5-and-4 defeat of David Booth in the18-hole final match at Hill Air Force Base’s Hubbard Memorial Golf Course.

Two-time Utah Senior State Amateur champion, Jon Wright.

Wright already is in his own class. He’s one shy of the three Senior Am titles of Brigham Gibbs, his friend and Four-Ball partner, but only Wright can claim two State Am victories and two Senior Am championships in these three-plus decades.

Wright’s run of four UGA major trophies has come in 13 seasons, starting fairly soon after he gave up his pro golf pursuits. He’s compiling a record similar to that of the late Arlen Peacock, a lifelong amateur and Utah Golf Hall of Fame member, who won State Am titles at ages 39 and 44 and took the Senior Am championship in 1995 at 62.

As of Wright’s win in 2020, shortly after he turned 50, multiple Senior Am titles seemed likely. The variable is his back issues, which kept him from contending again until this week.

“If my back doesn’t hurt, I can play. … (But) I’m starting to understand how limited my opportunities are,” Wright said. “I just don’t know how many of them I have left.”

The other road block this week was a bracket that forced Wright, as the No. 8 seed, to go through No. 1 John Owen in the quarterfinals and Gibbs (No. 21) in the semifinals. As he said, “How about that draw?”

None of Jon Wright’s five matches went past No. 16 at Hubbard Golf Club.

Even so, “I knew this was a good opportunity,” Wright said. “My iron play is really good right now, and I’ve been driving it good enough.”

Other than an errant drive that led to Wright’s losing the par-5 No. 1, he was in command vs. Booth, who was thrilled to reach this stage. A putting tip from longtime PGA Professional Wayne Fisher aided Wright’s putting, and he was dominant at Hubbard. None of his five matches went past No. 16.

SUPER-SENIORS

Rick Lloyd’s first Super-Senior title in the Senior State Amateur came in 2022, when he was 66. And then the Super-Senior minimum age went from 65 to 60.

The modified age group makes his second win more impressive, capping a week when he shot his age in the stroke-play qualifying round. Lloyd never had to play No. 18 in his four matches, ending with a 3-and-2 win over Randy Hicken, the reigning UGA Super-Senior Player of the Year (and likely repeat winner). Hicken also finished second among Super-Seniors in the Utah Senior Stroke Play Championship in May.

Rick Lloyd has now won the Super Senior title in two of the last three years.

“It’s a big deal,” Lloyd said of adding a second title. “As you get older, your skills diminish and you get a little shorter (off the tee), but I’ve worked hard on flexibility and core exercising. Trying to keep up with these guys is not easy.”

Driving accuracy was Lloyd’s biggest strength at Hubbard, where he made three birdies and no bogeys in 16 holes Thursday.

LEGENDS

Michael Hacker is resisting the aging process, in multiple ways. Not only does he look and play like someone much younger than 73, he had to convince himself to compete in the 70-over division this year.

Michael Hacker has won both the Super Senior title (2017) and now the Legends title.

When he entered the Senior Am, “It took me a long time just to press the (Legends) button,” Hacker said. “I had to think about it. But it’s time.”

Hacker’s 4-and-3 win over Utah Golf Hall of Fame member Todd Barker completed his run through the eight-golfer bracket and added to his 2017 Super-Senior title. The St. George resident took the No. 5 seed into match play and concluded all three duels prior to No. 18.

Barker, who’s battling melanoma at age 70, won tough matches vs. David Fischer and defending champion Doug Marriott to reach the finals. Hacker was just too steady for him, though. “I really hit the driver good today,” Hacker said. “Just kept myself right in play.”

Click here for the complete match play bracket scoring of the 31st Utah Senior State Amateur.

Utah Senior State Amateur championship match recaps written by Fairways Media senior writer Kurt Kragthorpe. Photography provided by Fairways Media/Garrit Johnson.

Utah Senior State Am, Day 3: Defending champion Brigham Gibbs falls to Four-Ball partner Jon Wrigh

Next week, they will be partners. This week, they became rivals.

The semifinals of the 31st Utah Senior State Amateur Championship produced friendly battles in two divisions Wednesday at Hill Air Force Base’s Hubbard Memorial Golf Course.

2020 Senior State Amateur champion, Jon Wright.

Jon Wright topped defending champion Brigham Gibbs 4 and 3 in a Senior match; Randy Hicken defeated Mike Jorgensen 2 up in a Super-Senior duel. Wright-Gibbs and Hicken-Jorgensen will comprise a couple of tough teams in next week’s Utah Four-Ball Championship in Payson, but only one-half of each pair could advance at Hubbard.

Wright, the 2020 winner, will meet David Booth in Thursday’s 18-hole Senior final match. Hicken will oppose Rick Lloyd in the Super-Senior (60-over) division and Todd Barker will play Michael Hacker for the Legends (70-over) title.

Wright was overwhelming Tuesday, winning each of his matches 7 and 5. What he did Wednesday may have been more impressive. He defeated No. 1 seed John Owen 3 and 2 in the quarterfinals, then was in control throughout his match with Gibbs, a three-time champion who’s about to turn 60. Gibbs won the Senior State Am title last August at Alpine Country Club and took the Senior Stroke Play Championship in May at Fox Hollow GC.

David Booth will face Jon Wright in the championship match.

Booth emerged from a good semifinal battle with 2022 winner Darren Kuhn. Booth trailed through 14 holes, but won Nos. 15 and 18 with birdies to earn a 1-up victory.

SUPER-SENIORS

Jorgensen nearly completed a remarkable day, only to have Hicken respond with birdies on two of the last three holes as the reigning UGA Super-Senior Player of the Year took a 2-up win. In the quarterfinals, defending champion and No. 1 seed Craig Wilson birdied No. 17 to tie the match, then Jorgensen birdied the par-5 No. 1 to claim an extra-holes victory.

Rick Lloyd will face Randy Hicken in the Super-Senior (60-over) division.

Lloyd, the No. 2 seed, ended each of his matches prior to No. 18. He downed Richard Parkinson 2 and 1 and took a 4-and-3 win over Steven Borget.

LEGENDS

In his first year of Legends eligibility, Barker has survived two tough matches in this eight-golfer bracket. After going 19 holes vs. David Fischer, the Utah Golf Hall of Fame member lost a 3-up lead over defending champion Doug Marriott, only to win No. 18 with a par in the semifinals.

Hacker, a playoff contestant in the Senior Stroke Play’s Legends competition in May, was tied with Larry Beech through 10 holes of the semifinals, before securing a 2-and-1 victory.

Click here for complete match play scoring.

Day 3 match play recap written by Fairways Media senior writer Kurt Kragthorpe. Photos provided by Fairways Media/Randy Dodson.

Utah Senior State Am, Day 2: Three-time champion Brigham Gibbs rallies to win in round of 16

This is what can happen when a tournament such as the Utah Senior State Amateur Championship uses a one-day, stroke-play seeding format.

Three-time champion Brigham Gibbs posted a 76 in the qualifying round at Hill Air Force Base’s Hubbard Memorial Golf Course, settling for the No. 21 seed in match play. That gave him a difficult path to a fourth title.

Three time Utah Senior State Amateur champion, Brigham Gibbs.

He’s succeeding so far. Gibbs topped No. 12 Eric Yergensen 5 and 4 in Tuesday morning’s round of 32, then won Nos. 16 and 18 in a 1-up victory over No. 28 Jon Morgan in the afternoon. And now, his road presumably gets even tougher, with a rematch against 2023 runner-up Shane McMillan, the No. 4 seed.

Wednesday’s schedule lists the quarterfinals and semifinals in the Senior and Super-Senior divisions and the semifinals in the Legends group. The 18-hole final matches in all categories will be played Thursday morning.

Former champion, Jon Wright.

No. 1 seed John Owen played a total of 30 holes to win two matches Tuesday, while 2020 champion Jon Wright had an even lighter workload of 26 holes.

Morgan competed in the only extra-holes match in the round of 32. He was 3 down vs. Andrew Yeh through 13 holes, but rallied to win in 19. Darren Kuhn, the 2022 champion, was a 1-up winner over Troy Jones in the only other match that went to No. 18. Kuhn then topped Matthew Lyons 2 and 1 in one of the round of 16’s featured matches.

The other Senior quarterfinalists are Brett Christiansen, David Booth and Kevin Campbell.

SUPER-SENIORS

Rick Lloyd and Paul Cannon teamed up to win the Super-Senior division of the 2023 Utah Four-Ball Championship, and they’ll play together again next week in the semifinals at Gladstan Golf Course. As of Tuesday, though, they were rivals. Lloyd took a 5-and-4 victory in the Super-Senior (60-over) round of 16 at Hubbard.

The day’s longest match in any category was John Harris’ 22-hole victory over Mark Gardiner, the Super-Senior winner of the Utah Senior Stroke Play Championship in May. Harris birdied the par-4 No. 4 to win.

2023 Super-Senior champion, Craig Wilson.

Defending champion Craig Wilson, the No. 1 seed, advanced with a 3-and-2 defeat of Scott Benson.

LEGENDS

Utah Golf Hall of Fame member Todd Barker rallied from 2 down through 14 holes to overtake David Fischer in the quarterfinals of the Legends (70-over) competition. Barker birdied No. 18 to extend the match and birdied the par-5 No. 1 to win in 19 holes.

In another extra-holes match, champion Doug Marriott went 21 holes before winning over Rob Bachman.

Larry Beach will face Michael Hacker in Wednesday’s semifinals of the Legends division.

No. 1 seed Larry Beech, meanwhile, played only 13 holes vs. Charlie Davis, winning 6 and 5. In 2021, Beech won the Super-Senior division, then consisting of 65-over players.

Michael Hacker, the Legends runner-up in the Senior Stroke Play, is the other semifinalist.

Click here for Tuesday’s bracket scoring.

Day two recap story written by Fairways Media senior writer Kurt Kragthorpe. All photos provided by Fairways Media/Garrit Johnson.

Utah Senior State Am: John Owen is a medalist; Shane McMillan hustles home to tie for 2nd

Shane McMillan was so worn down by the challenging conditions and travel logistics of the U.S. Senior Amateur in Tennessee that he considered withdrawing from the Utah State Senior Amateur Championship.

He kept his Monday tee time at Hill Air Force Base’s Hubbard Memorial Golf Course, though. And he got better as the stroke-play round went along. McMillan’s 1-under-par 71 was good for a tie for second place in the stroke-play portion of the 31^st annual tournament.

John Owen (photo above), who was a State Amateur semifinalist in 2022 at age 49, birdied two of the last three holes to become the medalist by one stroke over McMillan, Matthew Lyons and Brett Christiansen.

With pre-qualifying required just to get to Hubbard, Monday’s starting fields were reduced only from 48 to 32 (Senior), 24 to 16 (Super-Senior, 60-over) and 12 to eight (Legends, 70-over).

Match play begins Tuesday with two rounds in the Senior division and one each in the other age groups. The final matches in every category are scheduled Thursday morning.

McMillan is the Utah Golf Association’s two-time Senior Men’s Player of the Year and was the runner-up to Brigham Gibbs last August in the Senior State Am. He shot 78-83 in the U.S. Senior Am at The Honors Course in Tennessee, numbers that merit some explanation. McMillan missed the cut to match play but by only four strokes; the score needed to advance was the highest in 24 years.

Due to an afternoon starting time Sunday, McMillan missed his scheduled flight home from Chattanooga. After a two-hour drive, he caught the last flight from Atlanta and arrived home at about 2 a.m.

“I almost called this morning to withdraw because I was physically and mentally exhausted,” McMillan said. “I was pretty disappointed to not make the cut back there, so it felt good to shoot under par today.”

Gibbs, who won the Utah Senior Stroke Play Championship in May, tied for 19th place with a 76. Four players advanced from a five-way playoff at 78: Scott Van Orden, Scott Tye, Jose Valle and Chuck O’Brien.

SUPER-SENIORS

Craig Wilson celebrates on of eight birdies on the day at Hubbard Golf Club.

Defending champion Craig Wilson’s 65, featuring eight birdies on a 6,500-yard setup, gave him medalist honors by three strokes over Rick Lloyd. Mike Holm and Mark Gardiner, the division winner in the Senior Stroke Play, tied for third at 69. Randy Hicken, the reigning Super-Senior Player of the Year, placed fifth at 71.

A 5-for-3 playoff among golfers who shot 77 completed the bracket. John Harris, Paul Cannon and Scott Benson advanced.

LEGENDS

Larry Beech was a runner-up in the Super-Senior division in 2021. Now playing in the Legends division, he posted a 72 for medalist honors by one shot over defending champion Doug Marriott.

David Fischer (74) and Jesse Needles (75) also earned top-four seeds and Utah Golf Hall of Fame member Todd Barker advanced with a 77. A 2-for-1 playoff determined the last spot in the bracket.Charlie Davis grabbed it after posting a 78.

Click here for the Utah Senior State Amateur stroke play qualifying results.

Stroke play qualifying feature written by Fairways Media senior writer Kurt Kragthorpe. All photos by Fairways Media/Garrit Johnson.

Team Utah Rallies for Victory at Mid-Am Team Event

The Utah Golf Association’s Team Utah won the 2024 Mid-Am Team Championship by two strokes over the team from the Northern California Golf Association. Steele DeWald, a member of the Utah team, was the individual champion in the 54-hole championships held Aug. 22-24 on the Wolf Course at the Las Vegas Paiute Golf Resort.

The tournament featured individual and team stroke play competition. In the team portion, three of the four players’ scores were used on each hole over the three rounds. A Mid-Am event features players 25 years of age and older.

Las Vegas’ Kenny Ebalo, who is a tournament committee member and took on the host duties this week, said the event showcased outstanding talent.

“The cool part about this tournament is the camaraderie with the teammates’ interaction,” Ebalo said. “These guys usually spend the year going up against each other and now they are rooting teammates on.”

This was the eighth year of the event and second year in Las Vegas. Ebalo said the tournament being held on the Wolf Course really highlighted the event.

“The Wolf Course is one of the hardest courses in Las Vegas to begin with,” Ebalo said. “Add in 15-20 mile an hour winds with gusts up to 30 miles an hour and these guys really played well. We had everything from disaster holes to a hole-in-one today (Utah’s Kenny Palmer on the 15th hole). It was just a great three days.”

For Dewald, he thinks the event is terrific and hopes it continues to build momentum.

“It was a great event this week and I just hope it continues to grow and we get 50 states in there and just crush it,” Dewald said. “It’s awesome.”

Team Competition

Utah rallied for the victory as they played the final two holes in three-under-par while Northern California played that same stretch at even-par. In the process, they defended their title from 2023, even tough the team was made up entirely of new players.

Team Utah: (L-R) Cameron Crawford, Tate McVay, Kenny Palmer and Steele DeWald.

Three of the Utah players put birdies on the scorecard over those final two holes.

“We played really well as a team today,” DeWald said. “It was brutal out there.”

He said the final two holes showed the poise of the team.

“We had a great finish,” he said of the three birdies over the two holes. “We stayed patient all day. It’s a grind out there but we really finished strong.”

He added the team format was one that brought out the best in players for their teams.

“We’re always rooting for each other,” DeWald said. “We always want to see everyone play well and it was cool to see everyone contribute. It was definitely a team effort especially with all of these good players out here.”

Team Utah’s Kenny Palmer (Glenwild) aced the par 3, 15th island hole during the final round.

Team Utah has now won the Mid-Am Team Championship two years in a row.

Top Three Teams: Utah, 220-215-213—648, Northern California, 219-216-215—650, Nevada, 223-215-215—653

Individual Competition

Steele DeWald had an eagle in each of the first two rounds en route to the individual title beating Mike Perchak, from the Northern California team, by two strokes. DeWald’s teammate Kenny Palmer came earned a third place finish with a 215 total.

“It was a great event,” DeWald said. “This course is awesome and I thought it was in great shape. The greens are pure and I was really impressed by the course. I didn’t know this was out here. It definitely is really well kept and it was a true test..”

He said there were a number of reasons he found success this week.

“You can’t force it out there,” he said. “You have to be patient and that’s not always easy. You’re going to have stuff that happens but you’ve got to stay focused. I also putted really well but they didn’t always fall. I did make a lot of par putts from seven-to-eight feet and that really helped keep the round going in the right direction.”

In the end, he added the tournament was impressive in that it is one that brings players together.

“I’m just meeting some of these guys for the first time,” he said. “And over the three days I played with some great players and some really good guys. To add a ‘W’ in is always nice.”

Top Three Individuals: Steele DeWald, 71-69-71—211, Mike Perchak, 71-72-70—213, Kenny Palmer, 70-72-73—215

Click here for complete results of the 2024 Mid-Am Team Championship.

2024 Mid-Am Team Championship recap feature written for Fairways Media by Bill Bowman of Las Vegas Golf Insider. Photos provided by the Southern Nevada Golf Association.