Bank of Utah Championship builds champions beyond the golf course with donations of more than $400,000 to The Policy Project, First Tee – Utah and the Utah Golf Legacy Fund

IVINS, Utah (October 1, 2026) - The Bank of Utah Championship celebrated its community partnerships today by announcing more than $400,000 in investments that create opportunities for Utah students and young athletes and build champions beyond the golf course.

Investments totaling $438,718.52 were made to benefit The Policy Project, First Tee – Utah and the Utah Golf Legacy Fund. Utah’s annual PGA TOUR event provides a statewide platform to bring people and organizations together, creating an impact that begins during Championship week and extends far beyond the fairways.

The Utah Golf Legacy Fund received a $303,508.42 investment, including $100,000 from the Utah Golf Association. The charitable arm of the Utah Golf Association, the Utah Golf Legacy Fund will provide a pathway for promising junior golfers with the ability and commitment to compete but who face financial barriers. The fund will support reimbursement grants for eligible expenses, including tournament entry fees, travel, equipment, practice and green fees, and coaching. The Championship has also created a pathway to golf’s highest level by awarding the 2026 Utah State Amateur champion, Bowen Mauss, a sponsor exemption into the Bank of Utah Championship.

“Champions are built when people see potential, remove barriers and provide the resources, relationships and opportunities needed to succeed,” said Ben Browning, Chairman and CEO of Bank of Utah. “For nearly 75 years, Bank of Utah has invested in the people, businesses and communities that make Utah strong. The Championship gives the Bank a powerful platform to continue that work — bringing partners together and investing in young people as they pursue their futures.”

An additional investment of $75,000 was made in The Policy Project, now in its second year. What began during the 2025 Bank of Utah Championship has grown into a year-round partnership supporting Teen Centers with the development of the Teen Finance Lab. Teen Centers serve students across Utah by providing food, clothing, hygiene supplies, laundry facilities and safe spaces where students can have their basic needs met with dignity. The Teen Finance Lab builds on that foundation by helping students develop practical skills in budgeting, understanding a paycheck, banking safely, preparing for employment and planning for the future. This week, the partnership also brought Bank of Utah, The Policy Project, the PGA TOUR Wives Association, Washington County School District and Black Desert Resort together to assemble 2,500 pantry packs for five local Teen Centers.

First Tee – Utah, which uses golf to help young people build character, confidence and life skills, received an investment of $60,210.10. Its programs serve children throughout Utah, with financial assistance available so that cost does not prevent a child from participating.

Utah Youth Sports Giving Day and the Miller Sports + Entertainment Group supported the investments in First Tee – Utah and the Utah Golf Legacy Fund with matching support of $118,718.52.

Utah Youth Sports Giving Day campaign created a statewide opportunity to support nonprofit youth sports organizations and help address the rising costs that can leave young people on the sidelines. After two weeks of donations, the campaign raised more than $4.3 million for nonprofits across all 29 counties, helping youth in Utah gain greater access to sports.

“We’ve been blown away by the generosity of Utahns in our first year of Utah Youth Sports Giving Day,” said Michelle Smith, president of Miller Sports + Entertainment. “Every child deserves the chance to experience the confidence, connection and joy that youth sports can provide. Thanks to the generosity of Utahns, we are one step closer to removing the barriers that prevent so many kids from participating.”

The investments were announced this afternoon during a special presentation at the Bank of Utah Championship attended by representatives of each organization, including:

• • Ben Browning - Chairman and CEO (Bank of Utah)
  • Ashley Dove - Executive Director (Bank of Utah Championship)
  • Emily Bell McCormick – President & Founder (The Policy Project)
  • Easton Folster – Executive Director (Utah Golf Association) (Utah Golf Legacy Fund)
  • Paul Pugmire – President (First Tee – Utah)
  • Dustin Dehlin – Representative for Utah Youth Sports Giving Day / Vice President of Business Development for Miller Sports + Entertainment

The Bank of Utah Championship is being held at Black Desert Resort in Southern Utah’s Greater Zion region for the third straight year today through Sunday. Tickets and VIP opportunities for the Bank of Utah Championship are available at www.bankofutahchampionship.com.

About Bank of Utah

Founded in Ogden in 1952, Bank of Utah has been part of the state’s story for more than 70 years. We’ve supported small businesses and helped individuals and families build their futures in communities across Utah — from quiet mountain towns to thriving city centers. With 20 full-service branches, dedicated trust teams, and mortgage specialists throughout the state, Bank of Utah provides personal service and forward-thinking financial tools. The bank’s comprehensive offerings include business and personal banking, mortgage and commercial lending, personal and corporate trust services, and wealth management and investment services.

Named Best Community Bank in the 2026 Best of State Awards, recognized as SBA Utah's Top Export Lender, and ranked among S&P Global Market Intelligence's top 20 U.S. community banks for two consecutive years, Bank of Utah blends local insight with award-winning strength. Whether it’s the little details in a banking experience or the big moments in life, Bank of Utah is here to help Utahns succeed. Our commitment is to remain strong, trustworthy, advanced, secure and appreciative as we work side by side with clients and community members on their financial journeys, empowering them to confidently say: "This is my Utah. Bank of Utah is my bank."

Learn more at bankofutah.com or call 801-409-5000.

About Bank of Utah Championship at Black Desert Resort
Following its historic debut in 2024 — the first PGA TOUR event held in Utah in more than 60 years — the Bank of Utah Championship will return to Black Desert Resort in Southern Utah’s Greater Zion region Oct. 1-4. Tickets and VIP opportunities for the Bank of Utah Championship are officially on sale at www.bankofutahchampionship.com.

About Black Desert Resort

Set amidst the vermillion sandstone cliffs and striking black lava beds of Greater Zion, Black Desert Resort is a premier destination for luxury hospitality, golf, and outdoor adventure. Anchored by a Tom Weiskopf-designed championship golf course, the resort is home to the PGA TOUR’s Bank of Utah Championship, the only Utah event on the TOUR. In addition, the Greater Zion Cup, a premier Carvana PPA Tour event, is held on the property’s newly designed championship pickleball courts. The Resort Center features 549 rooms and suites, seven dining venues, a 15,000-square-foot spa, state-of-the-art pickleball courts, a heated outdoor pool and hot tub, and 45,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting and event space. Expansion plans include additional pickleball courts, a water park, and more accommodations, dining, and entertainment options. Spanning over 600 acres, the resort offers access to 200+ acres of preserved land and six miles of hiking trails.

Reef Capital Partners is a vertically integrated real estate investment, development, and operations firm dedicated to enhancing communities through transformative and impactful projects across North America. Its portfolio includes marquee destinations such as Black Desert Resort, Marcella Club, Cornerstone Golf Club, Tributer Resort, Cormont, and Sweetens Cove. Learn more at www.reefcp.com.

About Utah Youth Sports Giving Day

Utah Youth Sports Giving Day is a collaborative effort between Miller Sports + Entertainment, the Larry H. & Gail Miller Family Foundation, the Daniels Fund and nonprofit organizations across Utah that provide organized sports opportunities for youth ages 18 and under. Through a concentrated two-week campaign each year, participating nonprofits raise essential funds to help more kids access quality sports experiences – regardless of their family’s income or background. Utah Youth Sports Giving Day invites Utahns to give generously so every child in our state can enjoy the many benefits of athletics. Learn more at utahyouthsportsgivingday.com.