SANDY — Kyler Dearden had more to play for Monday than just beating the top high school senior golfers at the 7th annual Hidden Valley Senior Golf Invitational at Hidden Valley Country Club.
One of Dearden's Northridge High School teammates, Tyler Smith, passed away last week due to cancer, and Dearden dedicated the tournament to Smith. He wore a T-shirt under his golf shirt that read "Team Tyler FTTF (fight to the finish)" and wrote Smith's name on his golf ball.
"It's been a really hard time … this really meant a lot to me," Dearden said. "I dedicated this round to him. He was really an inspiration to all of us."
Dearden shot a 73 in the morning 18 and after the field was cut to 15 for the afternoon, he shot a 2-under-par 34 for a 27-hole total of 107. That was one shot better than Lone Peak High's Zach Pymm, who shot 71-37. Juan Diego's Nick Smart was another shot back at 109, while three golfers, Highland's Devin Tovey, Bountiful's Rich Davis and Jake Wagstaff of Wasatch tied for fourth at 106
"I haven't won a tournament in over a year, so this was a nice start to the year," said Dearden, who has a scholarship to play at Weber State next year.
Dearden credited his fine play Monday to his putting. He said he got a new "belly" putter last week and was using it for only the second time. In the decisive afternoon nine, he made three birdies at holes 1, 4 and 8, the latter with a 10-footer that gave him the victory.
With the win, Dearden won a trophy plus a $250 prize that can be used at his college bookstore.
Alta's Kenny You, the 5A individual champion last fall, finished seventh at 111 and was followed by Richfield's Talon Gadd and Skyline's Travis Norseth at 113. Rounding out the top 15 were Syracuse's Spencer Barber, Alta's Nate Lant, Juab's Braden Wellburn, Hillcrest's Seokwon Jeon, Highland's Mitch Creer and Jarom Hogg of Syracuse.
In all, 45 golfers played 18 holes in the morning with the top 15 playing nine holes in the afternoon. Highland's Andrew Sorensen and Bingham's Tyler Wright missed the cut by one shot.
The girls' competition included five competitors, Carly Oldroyd of Davis, won the girls trophy with an 81, two shots better than Orem's Kim Nyhus and Copper Hills' Shaina Snyder.
Oldroyd's 18-hole round featured two triple-bogeys, two double-bogeys and ended with a rare eagle. "I was all over the place today," she said.
Oldroyd also received a trophy and $250 prize for college.
Hidden Valley Country Club Senior Golf Invitational
Hidden Valley County Club
Monday
Boys
Kyler Dearden, Northridge 73-34 — 107
Zach Pymm, Lone Peak 71-37 — 108
Nick Smart, Juan Diego 71-38 — 109
Jake Wagstaff, Wasatach 76-34 — 110
Devin Tovey, Highland 73-3 7—1 10
Rich Davis, Bountiful 74-36 — 110
Kenny You, Alta 72-39 — 111
Talon Gadd, Richfield 77-36 — 113
Travis Norseth, Skyline 79-34 — 113
Spencer Barber, Syracuse 75-39 — 114
Nate Lant, Alta 77-38 — 115
Braden Wellburn, Juab 79-36 — 115
Seokwon Jeon 75-42 — 117
Mitch Creer, Highland 76-44 — 120
Jarom Hogg, Syracuse 79-44 — 123
Girls
Carly Oldroyd, Davis 81
Kim Nyhus, Orem 83
Shaina Snyder, Copper Hills 83
email: sor@desnews.com