LEHI — The 105th consecutive Utah State Amateur Championship begins today at Thanksgiving Point Golf Course, with 153 of the state's top amateurs vying for the prestigious title.
Every year, the State Am gets a week's worth of publicity among the various media outlets, but a lot of folks don't understand what it's all about.
So here is a primer with 10 questions you may or may not have always wondered about the State Am:
Is the Utah State Amateur really the longest continuously held golf tournament in the world?
Unless there's some obscure event in the highlands of Scotland that's been going on for more than a century, the answer is yes. For years, the State Am billed itself as the longest continuously held tournament west of the Mississippi. Then it was changed to longest . . . in the United States. When an official from the United States Golf Association was in Utah and heard about it, he was skeptical enough to go and research it himself. What he discovered was that it was actually the longest continuously held golf tournament in the world.
How did little ol' Utah get to the top of the list?
The Utah Amateur began in 1899 after other bigger tournaments such as the U.S. and British Opens had been playing for several years. However, tournaments such as those, played on a worldwide scale, were not held during World Wars I and II, while the Utah State Amateur kept plugging away all those years in obscurity.
What makes this tournament different from other golf events?
It combines medal (stroke) play with match play, with matches being held until there's just two players left for a 36-hole final on Sunday. In match play, players win or tie (halve) holes, and it doesn't matter what their score is on each hole. They play until someone wins the match, whether it's 13 holes or 23. The eventual finalists will play as many as 144 holes of golf in five days.
Who are the best players in State Amateur history?
Going back to the days when golf champions were known by initials rather than first names, you have A.W. Copp and F.E. McGurrin, who both won it four times before 1913. Hal Lamb won five titles between 1915 and 1924, while Ed Kingsley won four straight in the 1930s and Billy Korns won six titles between 1941 and 1951. George Von Elm, who won it three times before going on to gain national acclaim by beating the great Bobby Jones in the U.S. Amateur finals, might be the most famous State Am champion. Current Champions Tour regular Bruce Summerhays won it in 1966.
In modern times, several players including Jack Ridd, Don Branca, Bruce Brockbank, Mitch Hyer, Eric Hogg and Daniel Summerhays have won two State Am titles. Doug Bybee, who has played in more matches than anyone and is second behind Korns in matches won, has won three State Am titles.
What is the longest overtime match in State Am history?
That would be the 27-hole marathon between Todd Budge and Matt Johnson at Oakridge in 1988, when Budge won on the ninth extra hole.
Who are some of the favorites for this year's tournament?
You have to start with defending champion Gregg Oliphant, who says he's playing better than ever. Twenty-one-year-old Pete Stone has been in the top five of nearly every tournament he's played this year and leads the UGA Player Performance standings. Clay Ogden, who will play at BYU next year, has already won four tournaments. A couple of Davis County golfers, Steve Poulson and Marty Jacks, have each won a pair of tournaments this year, while former State Am champ Darrin Overson recently won the Art City Amateur. Tommy Sharp, who just graduated from Colorado State, has made it to the semifinals before and University of Utah golfers Luke Swilor, Garrett Clegg, Carl Jensen and Steve Newren have all had good springs. There's probably two dozen golfers close to these guys in what is truly a wide-open field.
Which of the "veteran" players have a chance?
Forty-two year-old Doug Bybee sat out with shoulder surgery last year and is rarin' to go this year and chase his fourth title. Forty-year-old Eric Hogg recently regained his amateur status after a 10-year pro career and could be a threat. Todd Barker, 49, and Steve Borget, 43, are former champions as is 57-year-old Craig Ridd, who recently regained his amateur status. Other contenders in the over-40 crowd include former runners-up Steve Brinton, 52, and Kirk Siddens, 40.
Who are the oldest and youngest players in this year's field?
Two-time winner Arlen Peacock, who has a lifetime exemption, is the oldest player at 71. Tony Finau, the young phenom who has five holes-in-one already in his life along with some national tournament wins, is the youngest at 13.
How many Summerhays are in this year's tourney?
Just one, Josh Summerhays, and he isn't even related to the famous Summerhays clans headed by Bruce and Lynn. Two-time winner Daniel left for an LDS mission last month, while Boyd is trying to make a living as a pro.
How will the state's best amateurs do on what is arguably the toughest golf course in Utah?
Some golfers will do just fine, while others will struggle. Some golfers will shoot around par, but don't be surprised if there are more scores in the 80s and 90s than there have been in years, particularly if the wind kicks up during the qualifying rounds. In fact, here's betting that at least one poor soul will shoot above 100. Of course, once match play starts, scores don't matter, remember?
E-MAIL: tbuckley@desnews.com