Colorado professional Nicholas Berry fired a 9-under-par 63 Monday at Soldier Hollow Golf Course to lead a group of 26 qualifiers for this week’s Siegfried & Jensen Utah Open.
Berry birdied holes 1 through 5 and added four birdies on the back nine in a bogeyless round that was three shots better than the next best golfer in the 154-golfer field.
Elijah Turner, who was a freshman for the BYU golf team last year, was second in the qualifier with a 6-under-par 66, while two professionals, Idaho’s Colby Dean and Colorado’s George Markhamk, came in at 67.
Three professionals, John Murdock, Perry Cohen and Jimmy Gunn tied for fifth at 68.
Among the local golfers who qualified are University of Utah golfer Tristan Mandur, Nic Booth, Jack Sargent, Brock Nielsen, Justin Keiley and Preston Alder.
The Utah Open begins Friday at Riverside Country Club with a field of 156 golfers and runs through Sunday.
Utah Open qualifier
Monday
Soldier Hollow Gold Course
63 — Nicholas Berry
66 — a-Elijah Turner
67 — Colby Dean, George Markham
68 — John Murdock, Perry Cohen, Jimmy Gunn
69 — Joseph Harrison, Derek Ackerman, a-Tristan Mandur, Kavan Eubank, Tyler Weworski
70 — Eric McCardle, a-Brock Nielsen, Drew McCullough, Nic Booth, Derek Fribbs, Logan Holt, a-Jack Sargent
71 — TK Kim, Tyler Jones, Preston Alder, Josh Anderson, Matt Snyder, Justin Keiley, Issac Merry