FARMINGTON — Ever since the Utah Open became more of a real Utah event a decade ago, the annual golf tournament has usually been won by Utah golfers.
Last year was an exception when Nathan Lashley of Scottsdale, Ariz., won the tournament by three shots over Doug Garwood, thanks to a final-round 63.
Lashley's back to defend his title this year, but he's among the relatively few out-of-state golfers in an event that used to be dominated by non-Utahns.
The tournament, sponsored by Siegfried and Jensen, begins this morning at Oakridge Country Club and revamped its format in 2001 to include any club professional in the state who wanted to compete.
This year, 126 of the 162 golfers are Utahns, mostly club professionals, along with several top amateurs.
Most of the non-Utahns in the tournament had to earn their way by qualifying Monday at Glen Eagle Golf Course. Just three of the 24 qualifiers were from Utah — Lehi's Gipper Finau and amateurs Kurt Owen and Keaton Woodland.
Colby Myers of Gilbert, Ariz., led the way in the qualifying with a 62, followed by Kurt Watkins of Scottsdale, Ariz., with a 64.
Several former Utah Open champions are playing this week, including Boyd Summerhays, Clay Ogden, Pete Stone, Jimmy Blair, Kim Thompson, Mike Malaska and Steve Friesen.
Bruce Summerhays is playing in the tournament, but it's not the Bruce who won the event in 2008 at the age of 64. He's a mission president in Florida, and it's his son, Bruce Jr., who lives near St. George, who is playing this week.
Besides top local pros such as Zach Johnson, Dustin Volk, Brett Wayment, Joseph Summerhays, Todd Tanner, Steve Schneiter, Dustin Pimm and the Finau brothers, Tony and Gipper, several top amateurs will be competing.
BYU sophomore Zac Blair, who finished third overall last year, is the top amateur, and he'll be joined by 2010 Utah State Amateur champion Joe Parkinson, Dan Horner, Kirk Siddens, Cameron Crawford and Robert McRae. Junior golfers include Patrick Fishburn, Brandon Kida and Kyler Dearden.
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