If the USGA Development Team coaches need a poster boy for the success of their new program, they should take a good look at BYU’s incoming freshman Kihei Akina.

Fresh off competing at the U.S. Amateur, Akina has brought that confidence with him to Riverside Country Club. Back-to-back rounds of 66-65 have him sitting atop the Larry H. Miller Utah Open leaderboard at 13-under 131, one shot clear of former Cougar and 2013 Utah State Amateur champion Cole Ogden as the morning wave wrapped up Saturday.

“The Development Program has really helped me,” Akina said. “They’ve taught me how to track my stats and see areas of improvement. I’ve really have never done that before. It’s cool to see the stats, and kind of just learn from that and see what you’re doing well. It’s helped me a lot in learning where I can get better.”

Akina credited his wedge play and iron game for keeping him in scoring position. He even gave his grandparents a show early in today’s round, holing out from 60 yards for eagle on the par-4 second hole.

“My wedges are all about controlling distances and being pin high,” he said. “One way to be great at golf is to be pin high all the time.”

While his summer has been a mix of highs and lows, Akina says he’s feeling good as he looks ahead to Sunday’s final round. “I’m comfortable with my game now. I just want to stay loose, have fun, and stick to my process.”

The field will be cut to the low 60 and ties following the afternoon wave to set the stage for Sunday’s finish in Provo.

Click here for Larry H. Miller round 2 leaderboard.

Morning Wave Report and photography by Fairways Media/Randy Dodson & Garrit Johnson.

Playing as the Utah State Amateur’s reigning champion two years ago, Simon Kwon made a late run at Riverside Country Club in search of another prestigious title, before falling just short. 

He’s leading the Larry H. Miller Utah Open after Friday’s opening round, while competing this time as a State Am runner-up. 

The BYU senior from Skyline High School played Riverside just the way elite golfers think they should. He went 5 under par on the four par-5s holes, with an eagle on No. 7 propelling him to an 8-under 64.

In all, Kwon posted eight birdies and two bogeys to go with that eagle. He took a one-stroke lead over two players whose biggest golf achievements came a dozen years ago, when Zach Johnson won the Utah Open and Cole Ogden took the State Amateur title. 

Ogden produced the day’s most spectacular scorecard, with two eagles highlighting a back-nine 29. 

Next at 66 are University of Utah golfer Brandon Robison, former Utah Valley University star Brady McKinlay and BYU freshman Kihei Akina.

The group at 67 includes Riverside teaching pro Matt Baird and 2022 winner Blake Tomlinson. Defending champion Derek Fribbs of Colorado shot a 68.     

The 54-hole tournament will conclude Sunday, 50 years to the day since Mike Brannan’s Utah Open victory at Riverside as a BYU golfer. That was in an era when the tournament rotated annually; this is the club’s 12th consecutive year as host.     

Entering his second year as an active player for the Cougars after transferring from the University of California and redshirting in 2023-24, Kwon is accustomed to battling at Riverside to make BYU’s tournament lineup. “Qualifying, there’s a lot of pressure, so it’s good that we have a lot of pressure rounds out here,” he said. 

Kwon missed only one green in regulation Friday, due to an errant drive. Nearing the end of what he labeled an “up-and-down” summer of golf, he said, “I just kind of wanted to come in with a different mentality, and just be super present.”

That means not getting ahead of myself as he went deep under par. He acknowledged some trouble maintaining that mind-set after getting to 9 under after the eagle on his 16th hole of the day. That resulted in his second bogey, but he parred the tough par-3 No. 9 to finish.     

In 2023, Kwon bogeyed the last two holes of the final round, ending up two shots out of the playoff that was won by PGA Tour veteran Zac Blair.

Johnson and Ogden played in the afternoon, when conditions typically are tougher. Johnson, 42, is the PGA Head Professional at Davis Park Golf Course. His 2013 victory came at the end of the Utah Open’s seven-year run at Oakridge Country Club (where Ogden’s brother, Clay, earned two wins).

Johnson, one of the Utah Section PGA’s top players, never really has contended in the Utah Open’s Riverside era, although a final-round 66 last August gave him a tie for 14th place. He made eight birdies and one bogey Friday.

Ogden plays limited tournament golf, but has a knack for showing up at the State Amateur and the Utah Open and performing well. Last year, a closing 65 gave him a tie for seventh place among amateurs.

He was even par through 10 holes Friday, then made two eagles (on the par-5 Nos. 13 and 15) and three birdies, including one on the par-4 No. 18.

Akina’s 66 stemmed mainly from five birdies on the last six holes of the back nine (his first nine). After carding two bogeys on his second nine, he eagled No. 7. Akina missed the cut to match play in this week’s U.S. Amateur in San Francisco. State Am champion Bowen Mauss, who made match play, posted a 69 at Riverside, as did State Am semifinalist David Liechty, who won a first-round match at The Olympic Club.    

Robison, who was last year’s low amateur in Provo with a closing 64, eagled the par-5 Nos. 5 and 13. McKinlay, a Canadian who won four straight tournaments as a UVU senior in 2022-23, is now a pro. He played bogey-free golf Friday with six birdies. 

Click here for the Larry H. Miller Utah Open leaderboard heading into Saturday’s second round.

Opening round recap story written by Fairways Media senior writer Kurt Kragthorpe. Photography by Fairways Media/Garrit Johnson.

The morning wave at the 99th playing of the Larry H. Miller Utah Open belonged to BYU junior and this year’s Utah State Amateur runner-up Simon Kwon, who fired an 8-under 64 at Riverside Country Club — two shots clear of Brandon Robison and Brady McKinlay.

Starting on the back nine, Kwon went to work on Riverside’s par 5s, birdieing three of them and eagling the other. 

“I missed one green all day and hit a lot of wedges close,” Kwon said. “I just wanted to be super present, not thinking about a number, just the shot in front of me.”

Comfortable on a course he knows well from BYU qualifying rounds, Kwon admitted to feeling the good kind of pressure early. “On hole 10 I thought, ‘Man, this is great — I love this pressure, I love this field.’”

A couple of late bogeys kept him from going lower, but in the morning wave of Round 1, Kwon’s scorecard already has everyone chasing. Click here for live scoring.

Larry H. Miller Utah Open opening round morning wave recap and photography by Fairways Media/Randy Dodson & Garrit Johnson.

Ever since the Utah Section PGA launched the Larry H. Miller Utah Women’s Open, Executive Director Devin Dehlin has wanted to attract more out-of-state professionals.

Dehlin may have discovered the formula: Sending a Utah high school graduate to an out-of-state college, having him meet a women’s golf team member and eventually ask her to marry him and live in his hometown. 

Well, it worked in the case of Emilee Hoffman, who became the champion of the ninth Utah Women’s Open at The Country Club in Salt Lake City. 

Hoffman (71-73) balanced eight birdies and eight bogeys over two days in a three-stroke victory over Haley Sturgeon (78-69), who nearly produced an even bigger, close-to-home story. After helping bring the tournament to the club where she works as assistant pro and securing additional sponsorships that doubled the size of the winner’s check ($4,000), Sturgeon “almost won the tournament,” as Dehlin marveled during the awards presentation. 

Sturgeon was 5 under par through 16 holes of Tuesday’s final round before bogeying the last two holes. Starting the day seven shots behind, she applied all kinds of pressure to Hoffman, not that the eventual champion actually noticed. 

Hoffman refused to check any on-line scoring updates until approaching the No. 18 green and asking her father/caddie, Jeff, how she stood. His reply: “I think you’re good.”

So let’s connect the dots that brought Hoffman to Utah. She grew up in Northern California and went to the University of Texas to play golf in 2016. During their freshman year, she met Garek Bielaczyc, a Longhorn distance runner from Salt Lake City’s East High School. They became engaged last August and plan to be married in Austin, Texas, on Oct. 24. 

Having lived in Arizona as an LPGA Epson Tour player, Hoffman moved to Utah in January to join her fiance, who works in banking. She teaches lessons at Salt Lake City’s golf courses, describing that role as “a nice change of pace for me.”

Hoffman added, “It’s just been a really warm welcome here. I’m loving living in Utah.”

In winning her first title since the 2020 Arizona Women’s Open, she showed some resilience. “It’s easy to make bogeys out here, because it’s so tough, and you really can’t beat yourself down when that happens,” Hoffman said. “You’ve just got to stay patient with it and keep believing in yourself. I feel like I did a great job of that this week.”

Even though her comeback fell short, Sturgeon also was at the heart of this tournament. As Dehlin said, “This wouldn’t have happened without Haley.” A $3,000 second-place check was among the rewards for her efforts both before and during the tournament, having increased sponsorships among the club’s membership. 

In the process, Hoffman and Sturgeon led the strongest-ever showing for pros in the Utah Women’s Open, after college golfers had won past six titles. BYU senior Sunbin Seo (76-72) of Provo, who tied for third overall, was the only amateur in the top six. 

Seo tied with rookie pro Ali Mulhall (76-72) of Washington, Utah, who holed out for an eagle on the par-4 No. 7 in the final round. Arizona pro Leighton Shosted (74-75), who started her college career at Utah Valley University, bounced back from a rough front nine to birdie three of the last six holes and finish fifth.

The Country Club was a tough test, while attracting a starting field of 89 players that nearly doubled the average size of the previous eight years. “What an amazing site we’ve been able to experience,” Dehlin said.   

Click here for the Larry H. Miller Utah Women’s Open final leaderboard

Final round recap of the Larry H. Miller Utah Women’s Open written by Fairways Media senior writer Kurt Kragthorpe. Photography by Fairways Media/Randy Dodson.

In the past six years, one college golfer after another has won the Larry H. Miller Utah Women’s Open. The trend could end Tuesday, amid wedding plans that have helped bring that possibility into play. 

Emilee Hoffman will take a three-stroke lead into the final round at The Country Club. The former Epson Tour pro carded five birdies and four bogeys for a 71 in the opening round. She was followed by Herriman High School senior Natalie Mclane and rookie pro Leighton Shosted at 74. The pros are playing for a $4,000 first prize. 

Hoffman, 27, is a California native who played for the University of Texas and then lived in Arizona during her Epson Tour tenure. So what’s she doing in Salt Lake City? Hoffman is engaged to East High School graduate Garek Bielaczyc. They met in Austin, Texas (the site of their wedding in October), where he was a distance runner for the Longhorns. 

Hoffman birdied the par-3 No. 2 and the par-5 No. 3, then mixed in bogeys and birdies the rest of the way. 

After eight years at public venues in Utah County, the Utah Women’s Open moved to The Country Club for the ninth edition. The first-round scores were high. Only 21 players in the starting field of 89 shot in the 70s, with conditions becoming more difficult when the wind kicked up in the afternoon.

Each of the top three players birdied the par-5 No. 17, then bogeyed the par-4 No. 18. Mclane, who won the Utah Section PGA’s Junior Major Championship last week, overcame a double bogey on the par-5 No. 13 to post her 74. 

Shosted, whose college career took her to Utah Valley, Grand Canyon and Tennessee, turned pro this summer. The Arizona native also absorbed a double bogey, on the par-4 No. 7. 

Three golfers will start the final round five shots behind Hoffman: Raina Riml, a recent Wasatch High School graduate; rookie pro Ali Mulhall, who has played the Women’s All Pro Tour and made her LPGA Tour debut in the Black Desert Championship in May; and Timpview High School alum Sunbin Seo, who was in and out of BYU’s tournament lineup the past three seasons. 

Larry H. Miller Utah Women’s Open Round One leaderboard.

Written by Fairways Media seinor writer Kurt Kragthorpe. Photography by Fairways Media/Garrit Johnson and Randy Dodson.

The Utah PGA Junior Major Series—designed to give junior golfers a more competitive tournament experience—wrapped up the 2025 season with its Junior Major Championship July 29 at Hobble Creek Golf Course.

A big thank you to Utah PGA President Craig Norman and the Hobble Creek staff for supporting the season-ending championship and hosting the final event.

On a perfect summer day in Springville Canyon, boys and girls ages 13-18 teed it up to crown season champions in each age division. For the 16-18 age group champions and Players of the Year, the stakes were even higher, with exemptions on the line for the 2025 Larry H. Miller Utah Women’s Open at The Country Club in Salt Lake City and the Larry H. Miller Utah Open at Provo’s Riverside Country Club.

Also up for grabs were final Major Series points to help determine the makeup of this year’s Utah PGA Mountain Cup team.

The season began with three Major Membership Qualifiers, giving players who hadn’t already earned a spot through 2024 play the chance to qualify for this year’s series. In all, the 2025 Major Series featured five 36-hole events and two 18-hole tournaments. Click here for season-long tournament results.

The season-ending Major Championship at Hobble Creek was open to all qualified Major Series players.

In the Boys 16-18 division, it took a playoff to determine the champion after Ethan Luna, Warren Fisher and Austin Bybee each posted rounds of 3-under-par 68s. Luna rolled in a long birdie putt on the second playoff hole—the par-5 second—to win the trophy and earn the exemption into the Utah Open.

Cayson VanBeekum claimed Player of the Year honors in the Boys 16-18 division with 460 points after winning four of the six Majors he entered. Following the awards ceremony, the Oregon Tech commit said, “I first want to thank my swing coach, Braydon Swapp at The Barn GC. Without him helping me get dialed in, I wouldn’t have played so well this year. Being named Player of the Year means a lot—it’s a big confidence boost knowing I can compete with top-tier players.”

In the Girls 16-18 division, Natalie McLane shot a steady 1-over 74 to win by two shots over Kennedee Pearson. Addison Cannon took home Player of the Year honors with 485 points after a season that included a win at the Tooele County Junior Major and three runner-up finishes in seven events

Cannon credited her strong short game and steady focus for her success: “Staying consistent and putting in the work, especially on my short game, was the key for me this season.”

In the Boys 13-15 division, Jack Murray carded a 1-under 70 to win by two shots over Levi King. Madden Barnes earned Player of the Year honors with 450 points, built on a season that featured three wins and two other top-three finishes in six starts.

The Girls 13-15 title was decided in a playoff after Anushka Rajeev and Morgan Thomas both shot 77. Rajeev claimed the trophy with a par on the par-3 10th hole in the sudden death playoff.

Taylor Weingarten took home the Girls 13-15 Player of the Year title with 485 points. In seven starts, Weingarten won twice and added two runner-up finishes and two third-place showings, including at the Major Championship. She finished outside the top three just once all season.

Thanks to all Utah Section PGA members who hosted Major Series events this season. Your efforts play a vital role in the development of these junior players. The success of the Major Series—and the JET Tour—comes from the collective support of the Utah PGA family, including our head professionals and Junior Golf Director Cassandra Campos and her staff.

These tournaments continue to deliver high-level competition, a memorable experience, and a lasting love for the game for our players.

Utah PGA Major Series Championship recap story and photography by Fairways Media/Randy Dodson.

What a week in West Wendover.

The 2025 Utah Senior Open played July 16-17 at Toana Vista Golf Course in West Wendover, NV delivered on every front—great weather, a championship-caliber field, a few storybook finishes, and plenty of reason to believe in the magic of the Utah Section PGA family.

Headlining this year’s 36-hole championship was Mountain View Golf Course PGA Professional Mark Owen, who celebrated his birthday with a final-round 64 and a 13-under 131 total to win his third career Utah Senior Open title, four shots clear of defending champion Todd Tanner.

“It’s my special day,” Owen said. “Everything just kind of came together.”

It certainly looked that way.

After trailing Tanner by two heading into the final round, Owen poured in birdies across Toana Vista’s front nine with tap-ins and polished off his round with an eagle two on the par-4 7th—his 16th hole of the day—thanks to a “lucky” gap wedge from 119 yards that took two bounces and disappeared into the cup.

“I hit it a little thin, one-handed it,” Owen admitted to Paul Pugmire of Utah Golf Radio. “It bounced right in front of the pin, popped straight up, two hops, and in. Total luck—but I’ll take it!”

Owen’s final-round surge was enough to pull away from Tanner, who finished solo second at 9-under 135. Dave DeSantis claimed third at (-4) 140, while amateurs Matt Lyons and Tommy Johnson shared low amateur honors at (-2) T4.

Though Owen’s name may be etched on the trophy once again, this win had a deeper meaning.

“This one’s special,” Owen said. “A few years ago, when Joey Bonsegnore was honored, I wanted to win it then. This year, with Don and Ron Branca as the honorees, it really meant something to me. Ron and I go way back.”

Long-time Utah PGA professionals Ron and Don Branca were celebrated as honorees of the championship during Wednesday night’s banquet, hosted by Wendover Resorts and emceed by ABC4’s Wesley Ruff. And in a moment that couldn’t have been scripted any better, Don Branca captured the Legend Division title with rounds of (=2)  73-73 – 146—a fitting capstone to a lifetime of service to the game. Click here to watch the honoree video shown at the honoree banquet.

In the Super Senior division, amateur Mark Gardiner outplayed the field with rounds of 66-70 for an 8-under 136 total. Randy Hicken finished second (-5), while Dave DeSantis claimed Low Professional honors at 4-under.

The field this year may have been one of the strongest and deepest in Utah Senior Open history but it was Owen who stole the show. And his recent experience at the U.S. Senior Open at The Broadmoor may have something to do with it.

“Competing in a major was the highlight of my career,” he said. “It was overwhelming—fast greens, tough pins—but it made me better. Just being around guys like Langer, Harrington, Bjorn… it changes your perspective.”

Now, with this latest win, Owen’s goals shift to the fall season and another shot at qualifying for the Senior PGA Championship.

“I’m not getting any younger,” he said, “but days like today remind me I’ve still got some good golf in me. The Utah Section majors still mean everything to me.”

A special thanks to Wendover Resorts, Toana Vista GC, and the staff who make this event one of the true highlights of the Utah golf season calendar.

Click here for the Utah Senior Open final leaderboard.

Story and photography provided by Fairways Media/Randy Dodson.

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.

The Utah Section PGA proudly announces the Larry H. Miller Company as the new title sponsor of the Utah Open and the Women’s Utah Open golf tournaments, ushering in a new era for one of Utah’s most storied sporting traditions. The 99th playing of the championship—now officially named the Larry H. Miller Utah Open—will be held August 15–17, 2025, at Riverside Country Club in Provo, Utah. The Larry H. Miller Women’s Utah Open will take place at The Country Club in Salt Lake City, August 4–5. Admission to both tournaments is free for spectators.

With nearly a century of history, the Utah Open stands as one of the longest-running and most prestigious golf tournaments in the country. Its champions’ list reads like a hall of fame of Utah golf, featuring legends such as George Schneiter, Mike Reid, Jay Don Blake, Jimmy and Zac Blair, Bruce and Boyd Summerhays. The tournament has also welcomed international golf icons over the years, including Billy Casper, Gary Player, Ken Venturi, Gene Littler, Miller Barber, and Tommy Aaron, during the PGA TOUR’s stop in Utah in the early 1960s.

“The Utah Open has long been a cornerstone of Utah golf and a championship with deep community roots,” said Devin Dehlin, Executive Director of the Utah Section PGA. “We’re excited to partner with the Larry H. Miller Company, whose support and values align perfectly with the tournament’s mission of excellence, tradition, and support of our charity beneficiary Special Olympics Utah.”

In addition to championship play, the weeklong event will again feature multiple Pro-Am tournaments, two per day Monday through Thursday, providing unique opportunities for sponsors and guests to tee it up alongside Utah’s top PGA Professionals. The Utah Open Pro-Ams are nationally recognized and offer memorable experiences that extend beyond the golf course.

“We are honored to support and continue the legacy of the Utah Open as one of the premier golf events in the state,” said LHM Company CEO Steve Starks. “The Larry H. Miller Company and the Miller family have a long history and deep love of sports in Utah and providing access and opportunities for athletes to grow and develop through sports. The Utah Open is a perfect example of the power of sport to shape lives and strengthen communities.” 

With the Larry H. Miller Company’s partnership, the Utah Open is poised to elevate its impact—both competitively and philanthropically—while continuing to celebrate the game’s legacy in Utah.

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?

Click here for complete Utah PGA Four-Ball Championship bracket scoring.

Feature story and photography by Fairways Media/Randy Dodson