All posts by : Randy Dodson

Richfield High School is proud of its golf legacy, and its girls team added more hardware to the trophy case.

The Wildcats dominated the 3A state tournament at Meadow Brook Golf Course this week, placing five individual golfers in the top 10 and finishing 30 strokes clear of runner-up Juan Diego as they claimed the seventh state title in school history.

Along with the 15 titles for the boys program, Richfield is the winningest golf program in the entire state.

“Richfield High School is Utah’s winningest golf high school,” said Richfield girls coach Troy Jones. “There’s been a tradition for a long time. There’s a legacy at that golf course in that town of championship golfers.”

For Richfield’s Hallie Janes, Abbee Albrecht, Brielle Jolley and Mya Malcolm, Thursday’s state title was their second in 2024 as they were all part of Richfield’s girls basketball state championship team.

While Richfield placed five golfers in the top 10, medalist honors went to Juan Diego’s Grayson Gagnon.

With a one-stroke lead heading into the final hole, the senior made par with a tap-in putt to win the 3A individual with a two-day score of 159.

Richfield’s Hallie Janes and Shelby Gardner finished tied, just one stroke back at 160.

For Gagnon, she had no idea her par putt clinched the win until a few seconds after and her coaches started hollering and congratulating her. It culminated a positive approach throughout the day — when things could’ve gotten away from her on the front nine.

“Two days ago I had a lesson from my coach, and he just said keep your head high. You want to enjoy everything, look around and see all the people with you, so the whole time I was keeping my head high, smile, look up. That was the only thing I was thinking, look up,” said Gagnon

Gagnon shot an 81 on Thursday after shooting a 78 on Wednesday, but it was her consistency on the back 9 on Thursday that made all the difference. On the front nine, she carded a triple-bogey on No. 5 and finished with 43.

Despite the front nine, as she went from a four-stroke lead after Day 1 to trailing by two, Gagnon knew she was still very much in the hunt.

She ended up shooting a 38 on the back to clinch the title, and she credits her friends for helping her settle down.

“I had a rough front nine. I had a rough three holes in row, but my friends came on the back nine, and I think it actually made me play better, just everyone watching me and seeing all the support I had. I think that’s the only thing that changed my game,” said Gagnon, who won the first individual title in school history for Juan Diego.

Juan Diego’s other top 10 finisher was freshman Sabrina Macias, who finished in sixth with a 166.

For Richfield, along with Janes and Gardner tying for second, its other top 10 finishers were Albrecht in a tie for fourth, Jolley in eighth and Mia Lewis tied for ninth.

Region 13 medalist Jane Poll of Morgan birdied her final hole to finished tied for fourth with Albrecht.

As a team, four of Richfield’s top five golfers shot better in Round 2 than they did in Round 1 as they tried not to put too much pressure on themselves.

“When we walked away yesterday, I said ‘You know what, you guys are ahead by five and we didn’t have our best stuff,’” recalled Jones, “and our less than best is still good enough with these guys if they just compete and keep their head in it. So today going into it, we just said have fun. If you go out there and do what you do, we’ll be fine.”

That’s precisely what they did in leading Richfield to its fifth 3A state title in the past seven years.

Story by Deseret News prep sports journalist James Edward. Republished with permission.

The PGA HOPE program in St. George, Utah began servicing Active Military service personnel and Veterans in 2020. PGA HOPE (Helping Our Patriots Everywhere) is the flagship military program of PGA REACH, the charitable foundation of the PGA of America. PGA HOPE introduces golf to Veterans and Active Duty Military to enhance their physical, mental, social and emotional well-being.

Since 2020, PGA HOPE St. Gorge has impacted over 100 Veterans and plan to serve 40-50 Veterans each year. Utah’s PGA HOPE Ambassador, Jayme Turner, is a graduate of the St. George program. 

For the first time, PGA HOPE St. George has been selected to participate in the PGA of America’s annual Secretary’s Cup golf tournament. The Utah team will head to Louisville, Kentucky May 11-13 for a welcome reception at Churchill Downs, practice rounds, and a 9-hole scramble tournament at the University of Louisville Golf Club.

The Secretary’s Cup is named after the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, recognizing the Department of Veterans Affairs and the PGA of America’s PGA REACH program assisting Veterans in need. The Secretary’s Cup celebrates teams of Veterans and their local PGA Professional playing together in a 9-hole golf tournament of 12 teams competing from around the country. The Secretary’s Cup coincides with the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky, May 16-19. 

The PGA HOPE St. George team members:

Tom Brown, an Air Force Veteran. Tom has 20 years of active duty and 25 total years in the military. According to his wife he found it very hard to return to civilian life. For the last eight years, he has worked with St. George area youth, running Junior ROTC programs at the High School level. The program provides leadership training to youth, serving 220-315 kids per year. Both he and his son, soon to be an officer in the Army, went through the PGA HOPE program in fall of 2023. His wife was grateful that this program came about for Tom and the fact he could do it with his son was priceless. It helped him further connect with his family as well as recover from recent hip surgery due to an injury caused during his service. PGA HOPE has been instrumental in his leadership of young recruits and has helped him mentally and physically as he has returned to civilian life. Being able to play in the Secretary’s Cup with his son prior to his son’s deployment will be an amazing experience.

Dallin Brown (Tom’s son) is currently enlisted and recently graduated from the Southern Utah University’s ROTC program and is active in the Army as a 2nd Lieutenant. He will be heading to Virginia immediately after the Secretary’s Cup for service. He never played golf before entering the PGA HOPE program but his athletic background, like his father’s, allowed him to quickly make huge strides toward improvement and playing. Over the course of his military career, he will have the opportunity to use the game of golf to not only play and improve but also to build relationships throughout his service and after. Tom and Dallin now have a great bond of not only the military, but also, the game of golf. Golf will be very instrumental as an officer in the Army and his entire military career. For PGA HOPE to have a young officer be able to share his experience in the program and understand what the game has done for himself and can do for other servicemen and Veteran’s that struggle, will be quite impactful long term.  

Brett Gibson is an Air Force Veteran of over four years with two tours in Iraq and one in Afghanistan as part of the security forces. He is now a local police officer in the St. George community. He was also able to go through PGA HOPE with his father Craig. It provided time together that they were not getting and  playing together gives them both time together and an outlet. Brett uses golf as a channel to get away from the crime he faces daily as part of the police force. The Secretary’s Cup is an amazing opportunity for him that he never thought was possible being a part of the military and most importantly spending quality time with his dad, and playing a game he loves, golf.

Utah PGA HOPE Ambassador Jayme Turner never played golf before and has now been playing for just a year and a half. Jayme graduated from the PGA HOPE St. George program in the Fall of 2022. Hooked on the game, Jayme is actively recruiting Veterans to the HOPE program. He has served both in the Navy and in the Army, re-enlisting after 9/11terrorist attacks. He has served in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn. Serving as a Senior Line Medic and medical operations staff to the operations command center in Iraq. He has been awarded the ARMY Combat Medical Badge, the ARMY Combat Action Badge, the Bronze Star, and the prestigious John R. Teal Leadership Award. After retiring from the service in 2012, he has worked in the medical field, as a Care Technician for the VA helping Veterans daily with their medical issues.

Rob Krieger is a Member of the PGA of America since 1996 and a native of Cleveland, Ohio. He transplanted in the west in 2009 to open a golf facility for a golf management company and now makes his home in St. George. Rob is a Utah PGA Section Player Development award winner and multiple year nominee for his instruction and player development. He began the first PGA HOPE Program in Utah and it continues to grow annually, locally, and statewide. 

“PGA HOPE is one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.” Krieger said. 

He feels deeply that he has a duty to give back to those that have sacrificed, because he didn’t have too. Thrilled that the PGA HOPE St. George, Utah was selected to participate in the Secretary’s Cup, believes the tournament will be a “life-changing event and a once in a lifetime experience.” He is looking forward to meeting other Lead Coaches and Veteran’s from other programs while competing in Kentucky. 

“Having our small program selected and recognized for the accomplishments is both very fulfilling and rewarding personally and professionally.  These experiences will help make PGA HOPE an even more important part of the Southern Utah Community,” said Kreiger. “It is the right thing to be doing for those that have done so much for us.”

Story provided by Rob Krieger, PGA. Photos by Fairways Media/Randy Dodson.

Davis County golf courses Valley View and Davis Park played host to the annual Spring Pro-Pro  and opening rounds of the season-long Four-Ball Championship this week. 

Monday’s Spring Pro-Pro at Valley View also served as the seeding tournament for the Round of 64 of the Four-Ball Championship with local favorites Zach Johnson and Caiden Jones taking the top spot on the leaderboard with a (-9) 63. 

One shot back in the 36-team field were the teams of Jordan Gibbs/Ana Ross, Mark Owen/Dustin Pimm and Dustin Volk/Pete Stone. Team Summerhays, Bruce and Joe, rounded out the top 5 teams at 7-under par. 

With the win at Valley View, Johnson and Jones were seeded second in the following day’s Four-Ball Round of 64 matches. The defending champion team of Tracy Zobell and Ryan Rhees received the No.1 seed and a bye into the Round of 32. 

Jones said, “I’m super happy to be advancing to the next round. This is our second time winning the Spring Pro-Pro but only our first time advancing out of the Four-Ball second round together. Hopefully we can keep playing well and make a deep run”

In the 3-team Women’s Spring Pro-Pro division, Colleen Walsh/Lynsey Myers carded a round of even par 72, 1-stroke better than Darci Olsen and Cassie Campos.

Looking ahead to the Round of 16 which will be played May 22nd at Thanksgiving Point Golf Club, Zobell/Rhees will face the Stonebridge GC Professionals team of Paul Phillips and Clark Garso while Johnson/Jones will take on No. 18 seed team of Ryan Colemere and Jordan Bloxham (photos below). 

Spring Pro-Pro top 5 teams of Volk/Stone and Summerhays/Summerhays also have advanced to the Round of 16.

The Four-Ball Quarterfinal matches will also be played May 22 at Thanksgiving Point. Semifinal matches and the championship match will be played June 26th, hosted by Jeremy Ranch Golf and Country Club near Park City, UT. 

The Spring Pro-Pro and Four-Ball Round of 64 and 32 leaderboards are available on the website, Click Here. 50-teams entered the Four-Ball Championship this year. Click here to see the Four-Ball Qualifier team list. To follow the Four-Ball Championship match play results online, Click Here.

Many thanks to tournament sponsor Charley Carlson and host Professionals Pete Stone and Zach Johnson. 

Utah’s Max Togisala, the 2023 U.S. Adaptive Open – Seated Champion, will tee it up tomorrow at the USDGA Championship at PGA Golf Club’s Ryder Course in Port St. Lucie, Florida. The event will be played April 22-24.

The PGA of America is once again the presenting partner of the Championship, as the former U.S. Disabled Golf Open Championship officially launches its new name, the USDGA Championship.

The USDGA Championship will feature 90 players competing in a 54-hole, three-round stroke-play event beginning with the first round on Monday.

The USDGA’s mission is to provide people with physical, sensory and intellectual disabilities an opportunity to showcase their ability in a golf championship at a high level. Golfers must have a handicap index of 36.4 or lower and a WR4GD pass in order to register.

The 2023 USDGA Championship was won in May by Chad Pfeifer of Nampa, Idaho (Men’s) and Bailey Bish of Tucson, Arizona (Women’s). World Golf Hall of Fame Member and Honorary PGA of America Member Dennis Walters won the Seated Division, and Eliseo Villanueva of Fayetteville, North Carolina, won the Senior Division (50 and over).

Just 17 months after being paralyzed in a skiing accident, Togisala defeated Walters last year in the USGA’s U.S. Adaptive Open with a remarkable round of 2-under par 70 in the second round. Togisala closed with a final round of 80 and finished 18-strokes ahead of Walters. He placed in the top 20 overall in the national championship.

Locally, Togisala plays out of Valley View Golf Course in Layton. Togisala who last competed in this year’s Coral Canyon Amateur, uses a stand-on-command all-terrain mobility rider produced by VertiCat. Learn more about VertaCat by visiting, vertacat.com.

Designed by Tom Fazio, the Ryder Course at PGA Golf Club is named in honor of Samuel Ryder, the namesake and founder of the Ryder Cup. For more information on the USDGA Championship, please visit usdgagolf.org.

There are open books, and then there is Jayme Turner.

The retired Army Combat Medic is a refreshing storyteller who is willing to answer every question in as much detail as necessary.

“If me being straight up and brutally honest telling the world what I’ve been through, if it helps people understand that they’re not in uncommon situations … ” Turner said. “If I can go through that and still have hope in my life, it can work for other people. It’s important for people to know the truth.”

Turner, 47, is a PGA HOPE Ambassador who represents the Utah PGA Section. He begins this conversation talking about his background, where he grew up and how he ended up in the military, which resulted in three combat tours in Iraq. All of it wildly fascinating.

Three years ago, Turner was at the Veterans Affairs clinic in St. George, Utah – where he’s an Intermediate Care Technician (ICT) – and he saw a flier about the PGA HOPE program at Southgate Golf Course. He was asked to recruit Veterans to attend. But Turner didn’t feel right about asking Veterans to do something that he hadn’t done himself.

“I picked my clubs back up again,” Turner said. “After I went through it, it was the first time in a decade that I felt alive. I didn’t have any hobbies. I didn’t want to be social. I was isolated for pretty much a decade.

“PGA HOPE totally changed my life.”

Click here to read the complete feature published April 17 on PGA.Com by Jay Coffin. 

A Celebration of Life honoring former Utah Golf Association President, Executive Director, Gold Club & Wesley Ruff Award winner and Utah Golf Hall of Fame member Joe Watts will be held on April 6, 2024 at TalonsCove Golf Club in Saratoga Springs, UT. at 1: 00 p.m. All are invited.

A Good Joe has Left the Course – A Life Sketch of Joe Watts by Connie Watts (based on the personal writings of Joe Watts)

Joe Watts, longtime Utah Golf Association executive director, friend to many, father, brother, grandfather and husband, has finished the course and signed his score card.

On March 11, 2024, Joe left the 18th hole with his putter held high and that enduring smile on his face – not necessarily a smile of a champion but more significant, the grin of satisfaction – having played the game well, enjoyed it and made so many friends along the way.

Life is a lot like a round of golf. You start out at the first tee box. Clubs gleaming. Fresh polo shirt. Sunny skies, friends smiling and hopes high. In front of you is a beautiful course you must navigate with a little ball and some sticks. Keeping the ball on the fairway and out of the rough – especially the deep rough – is the trick. No one knew their way around a golf course – or life – quite like Joe Watts. Let’s walk the course with him. Click Here to read the complete Joe Watts’ obituary.

The Utah Section PGA Family would like to send our sincere condolences to the Watts family at this difficult time.

We couldn’t be more grateful for the relationship we had with Joe during his numerous years as the leader of the Utah Golf Association. His leadership allowed the UGA and the Utah PGA to collaborate on countless initiatives that made a difference in the Utah golf community.

A good leader is often defined as someone who leaves the world better than how you found it and Joe definitely did that in the Utah golf world.

The family has announced that there will be a “Celebration of Life” held in Joe’s honor later this spring.

On behalf of the 425 Utah PGA Members and Associates, THANK YOU!! May you rest in peace, Joe!

Devin Dehlin, PGA

Executive Director, Utah Section PGA

Nearly 150 people from 24 states bridged the generation gap at the inaugural PGA Family Golf Championship Dec. 9-10 at the La Quinta Resort & Golf Club.

The field consisted of 60-plus families. Teams comprised of some combination of mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, uncles, aunts, and grandparents enjoyed the ideal weather and picturesque views of the Pete Dye Mountain and Dunes courses.

Utah PGA Member Dave DeSantis (Golf Galaxy), his wife Holly and grandson Gordie Gatrell (middle three in top photo) won the PGA Professional Division at even par on the Pete Dye Mountain and Dunes courses.

Each team consisted of at least one adult and one junior. A modified alternate shot format required an adult and junior each to hit a tee shot. The pair selected the best of the two and from there played alternate shots until the ball was holed.

For participating, each player received adidas pullovers and hats, and each team received a photo in a PGA Family Golf Championship frame. They also were treated to a pizza and pasta party after the first day of competition with a taco truck and ice cream provided at the conclusion of the competition.

PGA Family Golf launched nationally in 2022. It was inspired by the innovative and welcoming team-based format of the PGA of America’s successful PGA Jr. League program. PGA Family Golf brings family members of all ages and skill levels together on multi-generational teams, each comprising 2-4 players, with a minimum of one adult and one junior. Local programs are hosted exclusively by PGA and LPGA Professionals.

For more information on the 2024 PGA Family Golf Championship, click here.

Congratulations to the 2023 Utah PGA Rolex Players of the Year. It has been another fantastic season of championship golf and we applaud your efforts and excellent accomplishments throughout the year.

CASEY FOWLES-UTAH PGA ROLEX PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Casey Fowles occasionally checked the standings, although he never put any pressure on himself to win a third straight Rolex Player of the Year award in the Utah Section PGA.

He just kept playing good golf, and the results again went his way in what evolved into a healthy, three-way competition in 2023. Fowles finished with 5,752.5 points to 5,327.5 for Zach Johnson and 5,189.67 for Tommy Sharp.

The latest title “means a lot,” Fowles said, “because those guys have been good for a long time.”

They would say the same about Fowles, the Head PGA Professional at Sunset View Golf Course in his hometown of Delta. At age 39, the former UNLV golfer (who started his college career at the University of Utah) was proud to finish 2023 strong, amid the usual ups and downs of a golf season.

After winning The Oaks Open in May, Fowles tied for first (with Johnson) in the Mountainland Valley View Open in August. He then finished second among Section pros in the Siegfried & Jensen Utah Open (70-68-69) and tied for first in the Willow Creek Open, posting a 70.

“Valley View’s treated me really well over the years,” Fowles said. “Willow Creek was a big one too. Willow Creek was set up really good and tough. That was one of my best rounds all year.”

As a head pro trying to maintain an elite-level golf game, “It’s tough to balance everything,” Fowles said. A supportive family helps make it possible; so does his ability to focus on what he’s doing at the moment.

MARK OWEN-UTAH PGA ROLEX SENIOR PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Mark Owen is not being greedy when he mentions the biggest tournament title that got away from him in 2023. At this point, as a three-time winner of the Rolex Senior Player of the Year award in the Utah Section PGA, he’s allowed to have high standards of performance.

So he’ll keep thinking about the final round of the Mel Duke Utah Senior Open at Toana Vista GC, where Joe Summerhays stormed ahead of him with a closing 66 to top Owen’s 72 after they were tied for the lead.

Otherwise, Owen was the one dusting the competition throughout the season. He finished with 7,741.83 points to 5,450 for runner-up Steve Schneiter, during a year when his game “all kind of came together,” Owen said.

Owen, the Head PGA Professional of Mountain View GC, tied for first place in The Oaks Open. He won the Senior Match Play Championship in a great duel with Scott Brandt at Willow Creek Country Club, took the Senior Section Championship by posting 69-70 at Hobble Creek GC and was the low senior in the Siegfried & Jensen Utah Open at Riverside CC (71-71-73). 

”It’s always fun to win the big ones,” Owen said. “That’s kind of what I shoot for, mostly.”

And that’s why Owen appreciates the Section staff and host pros who stage such high-level events, keeping him motivated to maintain a sharp game. He also has figured out how to do that, while being devoted to his job in Salt Lake County Golf, while being thankful for his two assistant pros, including Dustin Pimm, the Section’s Assistant Professional of the Year.

HALEY STURGEON-UTAH PGA ROLEX WOMEN’S PLAYER OF THE YEAR

For once, Haley Sturgeon had some competition in the race for the Rolex Women’s Player of the Year award in the Utah Section PGA. She also had some accompaniment.

In the Sturgeon family, 2023 will be remembered as the year when Haley played some great golf as a twosome. Her expected delivery of a child in December created an interesting dynamic, while she won a fifth straight season title.

Emily Jones, her colleague at The Country Club in Salt Lake City, made a strong challenge to Sturgeon’s reign. Do the math: The duel came down to the final match of the Women’s Match Play at Alpine Country Club in mid-October. If not for Sturgeon’s 6-and-5 victory, Jones would have become the Player of the Year. Sturgeon finished with 4,375 points to 4,162.5 for Jones.

Playing so well during her pregnancy was “very special,” Sturgeon said. “It was a constant reminder that no matter what happens in your golf game, just let it go because bigger things are ahead.”

Sturgeon was happy to stay healthy enough to play regularly in tournaments and she was at her best in the Women’s Match Play, dominating all three opponents. 

”Playing good golf while being almost eight months pregnant was incredible,” she said, “and I will keep that feeling with me when I play while I’m not pregnant.”

Sturgeon also finished first in the Brigham City Open, the Mountainland Valley View Open, the Willow Creek Open and the Intro-Lend Davis Park Open.

BRAYDON SWAPP-UTAH PGA ROLEX ASSISTANT PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Braydon Swapp may wish he could have saved his best round of the year for Sunday in the Siegfried & Jensen Utah Open in August, instead of using it to finish the EMT/EZGO Winter Classic in February.

Even so, both experiences created some good memories of a season when Swapp repeated as the Rolex Assistant Player of the Year in the Utah Section PGA.

He’s proud of that closing 67 amid tough conditions at Copper Rock Golf Course in the Winter Classic and he loved having Keaton Woodland as his caddie while contending in the Utah Open. Swapp earned 1,200 points for finishing as low Section member at Riverside Country Club, shooting 67-69-69. He finished with 4,396.5 points to 3,156.67 for runner-up Aaron Purviance.

In addition to the Winter Classic, Swapp finished first in the Southern Utah Open in November 2022, launching his Player of the Year run. He tied for second in The Oaks Open and tied for third in the Utah Section PGA Assistant Championship at Hobble Creek GC.

In the Utah Open, “I couldn’t get the putter hot enough the last day,” Swapp said, “but it’s always exciting to be in contention in one of the biggest tournaments we play all year as Section pros.”

As he pursues a playing career while working as an assistant pro at The Barn GC, Swapp appreciates the support of his family and friends. And the opportunity to play in tournaments amid his work schedule is “something I don’t take for granted,” he said. “I’m grateful to be able to play the game I love and compete against other high-level players in the Section.”

2023 Utah PGA Rolex Player of the Year profiles written by Fairways Media senior writer Kurt Kragthorpe. Photos by Fairways Media.

The PGA of America released the statement below today regarding the USGA and R&A’s decision to revise golf ball testing conditions:

We appreciate that the USGA and R&A ran a collaborative and patient process over the past several years. We are particularly gratified that they heard our concerns regarding the significant operational challenges bifurcation would have presented and are no longer considering a local rule regarding the ball for elite players. We are also pleased that the proposed change to the ball has been delayed until 2028 for elite players and 2030 for recreational golfers. Given the important role our nearly 30,000 PGA of America Golf Professionals play in the recreational game, having more time to adjust to the new rule is helpful.

We remain opposed to any change that may potentially lessen the enjoyment of the game for recreational golfers or diminish the unprecedented momentum the game is enjoying.  It appears recreational golfers will see a greater reduction in distance than we would advise. While this decrease has been lessened, we continue to recommend being more moderate on the swing speed change for the golf ball conformance test.

At this time, we continue to have concerns and look forward to continuing this important conversation and finding resolution with all of our golf industry partners.

We value our relationship with the USGA and R&A and respect their role as administrators of the Rules of Golf and the equipment standards of the game. We will continue to share our feedback on this, and any topic that affects our PGA of America Golf Professionals and the countless number of golfers they coach and welcome into the game each year.

Click here for the USGA/R&A press release on Revised Golf Ball Testing Conditions to Take Effect in 2028.