FARMINGTON — A dream threesome for local fans will be teeing off Thursday morning as the Korn Ferry Tour’s Utah Championship golf tournament gets underway at Oakridge Country Club.
The 9:15 a.m. group off No. 10 tee will feature three golfers who live within a stone’s throw of the golf course as Daniel Summerhays, Preston Summerhays and Cole Ponich will go off together.
Daniel Summerhays lives just up the road in Kaysville, Preston Summerhays is just five minutes away in Farmington during the summer, while Ponich grew up right off the No. 2 hole at Oakridge.
Unfortunately, there won’t be throngs of Summerhays and Ponich fans following the threesome as they work their way through the 7,045-yard layout that each knows so well.
The tournament is not allowing fans this week, which is the policy of the PGA Tour for each of its first four tournaments on the PGA and Korn Ferry tours, since the re-start of golf following three months off for the COVID-19 outbreak.
Instead just a few rules officials, volunteers and news media will be allowed on the course and in the clubhouse.
The first groups go off at 7:15 a.m. Thursday and continue through 9:15 a.m. Then the afternoon wave will start at 12:20 p.m. with the final groups going out at 2:20 p.m. Players will switch waves for the second round on Friday and the field will be cut to the low 60 and ties for the weekend rounds on Saturday and Sunday.
“I’m probably not as prepared as I should be, but I’m going to make a few birdies and have some fun.” — Daniel Summerhays
Daniel Summerhays is an eight-year veteran of the PGA Tour, who may be playing in his final professional tournament as he looks to change careers and become a school teacher and golf coach this fall.
“I’m probably not as prepared as I should be, but I’m going to make a few birdies and have some fun,” he said.
Preston Summerhays, who is Daniel’s nephew, is a 17-year-old amateur, who received a sponsor’s exemption for the second straight year. He is the two-time defending champion of the Utah Men’s State Amateur and will be a senior in high school in Arizona this fall.
Ponich, who just turned 20 Tuesday, plays on the BYU golf team and he finished in a tie for second at the Monday qualifying at Talon’s Cove with a 9-under-par 63. He starred at Davis High School and has been one of the top junior golfers in the state for many years.
“It was kind of an emotional moment for me, because I have always dreamed of playing in a professional event, and it is kinda cool just finally seeing that happen,” Ponich told the Deseret News after his 63, which included a 29 on the front nine. “I knew I could compete with these guys and now I will be playing in a professional event on my home course that I have been playing since I was 13. That is pretty exciting.”
TOURNEY NOTES: Eight of the top 10 golfers on the Korn Ferry points list and 18 of the top 25 in the field are playing, including Mito Pereira of Chile, No. 1 on the points list, and No. 2 Davis Riley. ... Former champions in the event include Nicholas Lindheim (2016), Andres Gonzales (2014), Steve Alker (2013), Josh Teater (2009). ... Masters winner and Sandy resident Mike Weir is in the field is playing this week and tees off at 1:20 p.m. Former Utah Open winner Zahkai Brown claimed one of the Monday qualifying spots and will tee off at 2:20 p.m.. ... The tournament will be televised on the Golf Channel from 4 to 6 p.m. each of the four days.