The Utah PGA Four-Ball Championship has seen plenty of talented duos over the years, but none more successful than Bruce and Joe Summerhays. With their third title now in hand, the brothers have etched their names firmly atop the event’s modern era, claiming more championships than any team since 2008.
Their 2-and-1 victory over Jay Don Blake and Bryson Anderson in the championship match at Wohali Golf Club on June 25 wasn’t just a testament to consistency—it was a lesson in resilience. Playing through tricky winds, firm greens, and, in Bruce’s case, an ongoing Achilles tendon injury recovery that had him in a walking boot just weeks prior, the Summerhays brothers defeated both course and competition.
“Playing golf right now is just kind of a bonus,” Bruce said. “Physically, it’s really hard to be on my feet, but I’ve had a good horse in Joe. I just tried to hang in there and contribute.”
The defending champs entered match play with a bye and proceeded to take down a competitive bracket: Adam Jasperson and Tyler Ott in the Round of 32, Justin Gereau and Aidan Tueller 3-and-2 in the Round of 16, and the team of Evan Wartgow and Andrew Davis by the same margin in the quarterfinals. In the semis, they edged out the No. 4 seed duo of Ryan Kartchner and Todd Tanner, 1-up.
But the final wasn’t just a walk in the mountains of Coalville. Blake, the PGA TOUR veteran, showed flashes of brilliance—including two eagles in the semifinal win—and Anderson, just 22 and an assistant pro at Sky Mountain, rolled in putts with a young confidence. Still, it was the back nine at Wohali—especially holes 13 through 16—that tilted the championship in favor of the Summerhays team. Across both semifinal and final rounds, they made seven of their nine birdies on that stretch.
“It felt like a birdie fest in the morning, but in the afternoon the wind and firm greens really changed things,” said Joe. “We just tried to stay patient and take advantage when we could.”
Bruce admitted he wasn’t sure he’d even be able to play. “We weren’t sure I could do it. I almost had to sit out or have Joe find another partner. But that first drive I hit at Davis Park in the first match—I just crushed it—and we thought, ‘Maybe I can do this.’”
More than a win, their third title in nine years was about family. “Joe and I talk about it all the time—this is my favorite tournament of the year,” Bruce said. “To be able to compete with my brother, and to defend the title together, it’s really special.”
Wohali proved to be a fitting host with its elevation changes, dramatic vistas, and strategic green complexes. “It’s a fun golf course,” Joe said. “Some of those holes on the back nine, you’re not going to find them anywhere else but up here. It’s a fun course for match play.”
With a record number of entries in this year’s Four-Ball qualifiers, hosted at Valley View and Bountiful Ridge during the Spring Pro-Pro, the strength of the field only added to the significance of the Summerhays’ achievement.
“Winning is hard,” Joe said. “Anytime you can win is special, especially this championship.”
Thanks to sponsor Charley Carlson, the championship continues to grow in stature and history.
And now, with the Summerhays brothers’ names etched on the trophy for a third time, we can’t help but wonder: is a family dynasty in the making?
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Feature story and photography by Fairways Media/Randy Dodson