Author: Jesse Dodson
Joe Parkinson of Alpine, Utah, was the lone Utah qualifier yesterday at the Web.com Utah Championship Open Qualifying at Talons Cove Golf Course in Saratoga Springs, Utah, with a (-9) 63.
With only 12 spots to play for, four of Utah’s professionals found themselves just outside the cutline of (-7) 65. Steele DeWald of Park City came in with a 66, which at the time was right on the number, but as the afternoon wave finished he missed the 9-man playoff by one stroke.
Joe Summerhays, Zach Johnson and Pete Stone also fell just shy of the cut by finishing (-5) 67.
Phillip Mollica, Charleston, SC, cruised to a (-10) 62 round to come out on top and claim his spot in this week’s Utah Championship at Oakridge Country Club. Mollica tied the competitive course record at Talons Cove with his 10-under round.
Parkinson’s bogey-free round was certainly good enough to qualify for his first Web.com Tour event, fittingly in his home state. He held the lead for the first half of the day but would ultimately finish T2. This isn’t his first time finding success at Talons Cove GC, being a past-winner of the competitive annual Talons Cove Amateur.
The Utah Championship has proven to be important stepping stones for current PGA Tour contenders and Utah natives Daniel Summerhays, Tony Finau and Zac Blair on their journey to the PGA Tour. Parkinson will join Gipper Finau to represent Utah in this week’s Championship in hopes to follow the examples of our PGA Tour pros from Utah.
The Utah Championship will begin Thursday and go through Sunday at Oakridge Country Club in Farmington. Tickets are available on-site each day and are available daily for $10 or weekly for $25.