As the final threesome approached Riverside Country Club’s 18th green Sunday afternoon, Derek Fribbs stood in the background. Just then, lightning flashed over the northwest section of the property.
One last thunderbolt was a reminder of what the Colorado pro did (again) in that corner of the course, explaining how he became one of the few double winners in the Utah Open’s modern history, joining Mike Reid, Clay Ogden and Nate Lashley.
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“Something magical about Riverside,” Fribbs said, amid mini-tour travels that took him to Provo between stops in Scottsbluff, Nebraska, and Grand Junction, Colorado.
That statement was doubly true Sunday, when Fribbs delivered a phenomenal stretch of golf on each nine. He played Nos. 2-7 in 7 under par and Nos. 13-15 in 5 under, making three eagles. Mix in a bogey on the par-4 No. 10, and the result is a competitive course record of 61, 11 under par.
This time, PGA Tour players Patrick Fishburn and Zac Blair were part of a leaderboard that served to validate Fribbs’ achievement and $22,000 check. Fribbs (70-66-61) finished at 19 under, two strokes ahead of Fishburn (69-64-66).
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“I mean, that’s unbelievable playing,” Fishburn said, after having lost the competitive course record he shared with Jay Don Blake.
Due to wet conditions after multiple days of rain at Riverside, Sunday’s round was played with lift, clean and place provisions in the fairways. Even so, Fribbs’ performance was remarkable. Scores were low Sunday, but 64 was the next-best number.
Fishburn, then a BYU golfer, opened the 2016 Utah Open with a 62, the year before he won the tournament. Blake’s 62 came in stroke play in the 1980 State Amateur as a Utah State golfer.
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Blake was on site Sunday, having played all three rounds in preparation for his 500th career PGA Tour start in the Black Desert Championship in October.
On his way to a victory in 2021, Fribbs went 4-3-2 on Nos. 13-15 (a par-5, a short par-4, and another par-5). Then and now, he needed nine strokes on those holes. Asked if he had calculated his total, after going 3-3-3 this time, he joked, “That’s too much math for me.”
The other common theme? He used a 7-iron for his double eagle on No. 15 three years ago. The same club set up each of his three eagles Sunday.
Fishburn shot 63-64-63 to win by nine shots in 2017. His closing 66 would have been good enough Sunday, if not for Fribbs’ fireworks.
“Just couldn’t catch up,” said Fishburn, who was playing two groups behind Fribbs.
Fishburn went 5-3-5 on Nos. 13-15, with errant drives derailing him. “Those two 5s were kind of the killer,” he said.
He could take satisfaction in finishing second, adding $15,000 to his PGA Tour earnings of more than $1 million, with the eight FedExCup Fall events to come in his rookie year as he looks to secure a top-125 finish and a 2025 tour card. Having missed the Playoffs, he will next play in mid-September, partly explaining his motivation for playing in this tournament.
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“Lots of reasons,” he said. “This is always a great tournament. Love the Utah Open. Love playing Riverside; lot of great memories here. I need some reps, for sure. And lots of great players. Guys come from all over the western United States to play in this thing, so it’s great competition.”
Fribbs is one of those travelers, another reminder of how many great golfers keep trying to make it in the game. With his 34th birthday approaching, he’ll continue pursuing PGA Tour qualifying in hopes of rising above the mini-tour level. Otherwise, he’ll look forward to a return to Riverside, having more reason to label it “one of my favorite places to play.”
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Riverside teaching pro Matt Baird (69-68-67) tied for seventh overall with Blair and others and earned a $1,500 bonus as the low Utah Section PGA contestant. He finished two shots ahead of Braydon Swapp and Zach Johnson.
University of Utah golfer Brandon Robison (70-68-64) was the low amateur by one stroke over former BYU golfer David Timmins. Todd Tanner (70-70-71) won the Senior Sidebar by four shots over Dustin Volk.
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Click here for the final round Utah Open leaderboard.
Utah Open final round recap written by Fairways Media senior writer Kurt Kragthorpe. Photography provided by Fairways Media/Randy Dodson.