It’s not often you get a No. 1 vs. No. 2 final match, but the 2025 Utah PGA Senior Match Play Championship at Willow Creek Country Club delivered exactly that. It also delivered something Davis County Director of Golf Dustin Volk didn’t have—until now.
With a 25-foot birdie on the first extra hole, Volk edged top seed Todd Tanner in a back-and-forth final and picked up his first Senior Match Play title. Just another line on what’s becoming one of the most well-rounded resumes in Utah Section PGA history.
“It’s kind of cool,” Volk said afterward. “I went back and looked. Moody’s won the regular match play four times. I’ve got three. Now I’ve added the senior match play. That trophy’s got a few of my wins already on it, and now I’m on the other side too.”
This one came with a little extra sweetness. Volk has known Tanner for decades—and been beaten by him in many tournaments just as long.
“I told Todd after the match, ‘I honestly don’t know if I’ve ever beat you in match play,’” Volk said. “Going back to the ‘90s, he knocked me out of the State Am a couple times. I know he got me at Hubbard once. This might be a first.”
Their final match was the kind of match play golf we love—a competitive match highlighted by a momentum swings. Volk, the No. 2 seed, had advanced to the championship with a 2 & 1 win over former champ Mark Owen, while Tanner earned his spot when Chris Moody withdrew from their semifinal match.
Despite a major trophy on the line as well as Player of the Year points, Volk and Tanner kept it friendly at Willow Creek.
“That’s just how it is when you’ve known guys this long,” Volk said. “There’s nothing to gain by being overly serious. We’re just trying to play good golf and enjoy the competition.”
But make no mistake—Volk brought his best when it counted. He birdied five of the final seven holes, including three in a row on 12, 13 and 14, to claw back from a small deficit. After both players parred the 18th with the match tied, they went back and did it again. That’s where Volk poured in the winning putt—to count as a walk-off birdie.
“I rolled in plenty of acreage of putts,” he said with a laugh. “It was one of those days where my speed was just dialed in.”
Volk credits years of experience and a deep appreciation for the game—and the people in it—for keeping his competitive fire burning.
“Mark [Owen] is just such a good putter and such a grinder. Beating him in the semifinal meant a lot too,” Volk said. “But honestly, if either of those guys had beaten me, I’d have gone home feeling okay. They’re dear friends. But match play s different. When it’s over, it’s just over. You don’t get a second place. You just wait till next year.”
Now a senior player, Volk is thriving with the opportunity to compete on both the senior and regular sides of Section events. And with a Section Championship, Assistant Championship, and Regular Match Play titles already under his belt, there’s only a couple boxes left to check.
“Guess the Senior Section Championship is next,” he said. “I’ve played in it twice. Took second once. Still chasing that one.”
Until then, the trophy case is getting crowded—and that’s just the way Volk likes it.
“We got in this business because we love the game and we love to compete,” he said. “As long as I feel like I can still do that, I’ll keep showing up.”
Click here for the 2025 Utah PGA Senior Match Play scoring bracket. Many thanks to all who played and to Stonebridge, Bountiful Ridge and Willow Creek for hosting the tournament.
2025 Utah PGA Senior Match Play Championship recap and photography by Fairways Media/Randy Dodson.