Monthly Archives: April 2025

Dustin Volk, Director of Golf for Davis County and reigning Utah PGA Section Champion, will headline a strong group of Utah PGA Members competing in the 2025 PGA Professional Championship, held April 27–30 at PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, Florida.

Volk, a three-time winner of the Utah Section Championship, will be making his seventh appearance in the prestigious national event. “It’s been a few years since I’ve played in it,” he said. “It’s an honor, and I’m looking forward to turning it into a family vacation again.”

Volk will be joined by eight fellow Utah Section PGA Members who earned their spots through the 2024 Section Championship qualifying: Dustin Pimm, Zach Johnson, Joe Summerhays, Chris Moody, Tommy Sharp and Todd Tanner. Together, they represent another outstanding contingent the Utah Section has sent to the PGA Professional Championship.

Utah PGA legend Steve Schneiter, the 1995 PGA Professional Champion, will also be a part of the field, bringing veteran experience and national championship pedigree to this year’s group of Utah PGA representatives. 

The PGA Professional Championship, presented by Club Car, Corebridge Financial and Rolex, is the premier event for PGA of America club professionals, with a 312-player field representing all 41 PGA Sections nationwide. Golf Channel will provide coverage of the championship, which is contested on both the Wanamaker and Ryder Courses at PGA Golf Club.

At stake: a spot in the field of the 2025 PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina. The national champion and the top 20 finishers will earn places on the Corebridge Financial Team and tee it up alongside the world’s best at the second major of the year.

The Championship will offer a $750,000 purse and $66,700 to the Champion. A 36-hole cut will take place Monday to the low 90 scorers and ties, and a 54-hole cut Tuesday to the low 70 scorers and ties.

Also worth noting is the return of Jordan Gibbs, former head professional at Bonneville Golf Course. Soon to be serving as Director of Instruction at Salt Lake Country Club, Gibbs, who has been Golden, CO the last few years, qualified for the PPC through the Colorado Section.

With a mix of seasoned veterans the Utah Section PGA will be well-represented on the national stage this April. Click here for parings, tee times and scoring.

Utah Tech sophomore KJ Ofahengaue is set to compete as an individual in the 38th PGA WORKS Collegiate Championship, where a coveted Korn Ferry Tour exemption will be on the line. The championship, widely regarded as the most culturally significant championship in collegiate golf, will take place May 5-7 at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin.

The 54-hole stroke play championship conducted by the PGA of America, features 27 teams and 45 individuals from NCAA Division I and II men’s programs representing Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic Serving Institutions and other minority serving institutions. A Women’s Division will also compete, with an exemption into an Epson Tour event up for grabs. Golf Channel will provide live coverage of the championship.

Ofahengaue will be vying for one of the top three (and ties) positions, which would allow him to apply for a sponsor exemption into the Korn Ferry Tour’s Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Kansas Wichita Open, scheduled for June 19-22.

Coming off a strong freshman season at Utah Tech, Ofahengaue played in 10 team events for the Trailblazers, capped by a T7 finish at the WAC Championship. He also earned All-WAC Academic honors.

The PGA WORKS Collegiate Championship (formerly known as the National Minority College Championship) originated at a meeting in November 1986, following the Jackson State University Golf Tournament. The founders’ goal was to elevate the game at minority colleges and universities by providing student-athletes with the opportunity to compete on a championship stage during an era when they were excluded from playing in many collegiate golf events.

The inaugural Championship was conducted in the spring of 1987 at Highland Park Golf Course in Cleveland. Since 1998, PGA Golf Club has hosted the Championship, and in 2006 the PGA of America was granted complete ownership and management of the Championship by the National Minority College Golf Scholarship Fund. In 2019, PGA REACH, the 501(c)(3) foundation of the PGA of America, assumed ownership of the Championship from the PGA of America.

With participation at an all-time high, Utah Section PGA Members kicked off northern Utah’s competitive season in full force at the Spring Pro-Pro and Four-Ball Championship seeding tournaments. Hosted at Valley View and Bountiful Ridge golf courses, the dual-site event showcased mid-season play and plenty of low scores. Special thanks to tournament sponsor Charley Carlson and host PGA Professionals Pete Stone (Valley View) and Kent McComb (Bountiful Ridge) for their support and hospitality.

At Valley View, home-course advantage paid off as Stone teamed up with Davis County Director of Golf Dustin Volk (photo above) to fire a sizzling 12-under 60, capturing the Spring Pro-Pro title at their host venue. Their bogey-free performance earned them the No. 3 seed and a first round bye in the Round of 64 for the Four-Ball Championship at Davis Park Golf Course. Full Scores from Valley View

Over at Bountiful Ridge, the team of Chris Marx (Eagle Mountain GC) and Chase Hansen (Utah Golf Association) caught fire on the back nine with the duo carding eight birdies overall, including five over the final six holes, to post an 8-under 63 and claim the crystal trophy. Marx and Hansen secured the No. 2 seed and a Round of 64 bye in the Four-Ball Championship opening bracket. Full Scores from Bountiful Ridge

The opening rounds of the Utah PGA Four-Ball Championship were played April 22nd at Davis Park Golf Course, where match play began with rounds of 64 and 32-team brackets. A big thanks goes to host PGA Professional Zach Johnson and his staff for setting the stage.

The road to the Four-Ball title continues with the Round of 16 and Quarterfinals on May 29th at The Ranches Golf Course, with the Semifinals and Championship Match set for June 25th at the stunning Wohali Club Eagle Course near Park City. Follow the Match Play Bracket

For three young Utah golfers, this Sunday at Augusta National Golf Club will be unlike any other. Nicklaus Miller, Logan Wilde, and Blake Brown have earned their spots in the 11th annual Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals, an annual competition that brings the country’s top junior golfers to the famed course on the eve of the 89th Masters Tournament.

Miller, Wilde, and Brown secured their invitations by excelling through 2024 local, sub-regional, and regional qualifiers, proving their skill under pressure. Now, they’ll take their game to Augusta National in a test of power, precision, and touch, competing in their respective age divisions against the nation’s best.

“We’re thrilled to see our Blake, Logan and Nicklaus compete at Augusta,” Utah PGA Executive Director Devin Dehlin said. “Utah has a strong history of representation and success at the Drive, Chip & Putt Finals, and I’m confident these juniors will continue that tradition.”

Blake (Boys 14-15), Logan (Boys 10-11) and Nicklaus (Boys 12-13) qualified out of the Chambers Bay Regional held September 21, 2024. The top finishers from each region site’s age/gender divisions, a total of 80 finalists, earned a place in the National Finals. Utah’s local and sub-regional qualifiers are conducted by the Utah PGA with PGA Professionals providing support at each facility hosting a qualifier. 

For these rising stars, the experience extends beyond the competition itself. The chance to walk the grounds of Augusta National, interact with PGA TOUR professionals, and soak in the atmosphere of golf’s most iconic tournament is a dream come true.

The Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals will be broadcast live on Golf Channel, showcasing the next generation of golfers as they compete on one of the sport’s grandest stages. Regardless of the final leaderboard, Miller, Wilde, and Brown will return home with memories to last a lifetime.