PROVO — With the sports world, the whole world for that matter, in turmoil the past few months because of the coronavirus pandemic, it wasn’t a sure thing that the Utah Open would be played this year, as it has been every year but one, since 1926.
The Utah Section PGA, which has taken over the event in recent years was prepared to hold the event and when title sponsors Siegfried & Jensen committed to continue their support, there was little doubt the annual tournament would continue.
“We help support a lot of community things, but this is probably our favorite, to be honest with you. It’s more than just writing a check, it’s helping to run the event and getting other local businesses into the event. It’s become very near and dear to our hearts.” — Ned Siegfried, whose law firm is been the title sponsor of the Utah Open
The 93rd Utah Open, a 54-hole event, will get under way Friday morning at Riverside Country Club and continue until Sunday afternoon when a champion is crowned. The vast majority of the golfers are from Utah, but the field of 156 will include golfers from 12 other states as well as Canada and Scotland.
“Back in April, they told us ‘we’re committed and we want to see this happen, not only for Utah Open, but for the community,’” Utah Section executive director Devin Dehlin said of Siegfried & Jensen. “We always say this is more than a golf tournament, it’s a community event that we all look forward to every August and it’s been fun to see it grow.”
Ned Siegfried, whose law firm has been the title sponsor for the past 18 years, was determined to hold the tournament this year, even if it had to be scaled back slightly.
“We help support a lot of community things, but this is probably our favorite, to be honest with you,” Siegfried said. “It’s more than just writing a check, it’s helping to run the event and getting other local businesses into the event. It’s become very near and dear to our hearts.”
In past years, eight pro-ams were held prior to the tournament as many, as any tournament in the country, but were cut back to five this year with four being held at Thanksgiving Point GC in Lehi. The total purse is down from $130,000 to $110,000 and the winner will receive $15,000 instead of $20,000.
New Mexico pro Sam Saunders is the defending champion and he’ll tee off with 2018 champion Dusty Fielding and 2010 champion Nick Mason at 8:10 a,m.
Those three are among 10 former champions in the field. Also playing this week are Zahkai Brown (2016), B.J. Staten (2014), Zach Johnson (2013), Clay Ogden (2011, 2007), Pete Stone (2006), Jimmy Blair (1981) and Mike Malaska (1974).
Preston Summerhays, the two-time State Amateur champion, will be playing in his first Utah Open after getting eliminated at the U.S. Amateur earlier this week. He tees off with another former State Am champ, Kelton Hirsch, and Peter Kuest, an All-American golfer for BYU this past season, who has played in some PGA Tour events this summer.
Among the top players to watch are Joe Summerhays, who has won four tournaments this year already, including last weekend’s Salt Lake City Open, Jeremy Ranch teaching pro Steele DeWald, who has won several events in recent years and finished in a tie for third last year, former State Am champ Tommy Sharp, who finished second last week at the SLC Open, former Korn Ferry Tour player Craig Hocknull, Riverside assistant Chris Moody and Justin Keiley, a former Provo Open winner who played for BYU.
The field includes two dozen amateurs, led by Hirsch, who nearly won last year’s tournament, making a terrific comeback on the final five holes before falling on the second hole of a sudden-death playoff to Saunders. Other top amateurs include University of Utah golfers Mitchell Schow and Tristan Mandur, BYU golfers Elijah Turner and Brock Stanger, former State Amateur champion Dan Horner and teenage golfers Tyson Shelley and Simon Kwon.
The only woman in the field is Veronica Joels, a junior on the UNLV golf team, who won the Utah Women’s Open last week. Seventy-five-year-old Kean Ridd is the oldest player in the field. Also playing is 60-year-old Keith Clearwater, a two-time winner on the PGA Tour.
After Saturday’s round, the field will be cut to the low 60 and ties for Sunday’s final round.