Local pros Connor Howe, Cole Ponich among the leaders after the first round of the Utah Championship in Ogden

Former BYU golfer Cole Ponich enjoys Ogden Golf & Country Club, and not just because he grew up in the area.

Ponich, a newly minted pro and the winner of last month’s Provo Open in his professional debut, won the 2024 State Amateur at the club in Ogden and is already flourishing at the same course this year in the Korn Ferry Tour’s Utah Championship.

Ponich shot a 4-under par 66 on Thursday in the tournament’s first round (Ogden G&CC is playing as a par-70 this week) and is in excellent shape to make the cut at the layout on Washington Boulevard, which is hosting the event for the first time ever.

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Ponich is currently tied for 10th.

Ponich wasn’t the only local who found the course to his liking, again. Former Georgia Tech golfer Connor Howe, who grew up 15 minutes away in North Ogden and graduated from Weber High, shot a 5-under 65 and is tied for sixth place heading into Friday’s second round.

Former West Virginia golfer Etienne Papineau, who is from Canada, sits atop the leaderboard after shooting a career-low round of 9-under 61 in the first round. Papineau made two eagles and had only one 5 on his entire scorecard.

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Ponich made five birdies and a bogey. The highlight was a birdie 2 on the difficult par-3 9th hole (Ogden’s nines have been flipped for the tournament). He also made a birdie 2 on the par-3 16th hole.

His lone bogey came on No. 17, which plays as No. 8 for the members.

Ponich got the exemption that would have gone to former BYU golfer Peter Kuest, who ended up qualifying on his own merit (KFT’s points list) after originally receiving the exemption that went to Ponich.

Howe posted the best round among the eight golfers with Utah ties in the tournament on Thursday. In his third start of the 2025 Korn Ferry Tour season, he posted his lowest round on the tour since a final-round 64 at the 2024 Utah Championship, held down the road at Oakridge Country Club in Farmington.

Kuest, who is No. 150 on the KFT points list, opened his round with back-to-back bogeys, but recovered nicely and ended the day at even-par 70.

Former Weber State golfer Hayden Banz, from Salt Lake City, is in decent shape to make the cut as a Monday qualifier after firing a 68 on Thursday. Banz made three consecutive birdies on holes 13-15 to get back into contention to make the cut and is currently tied for 31st.

Recent Lone Peak High graduate Kihei Akina, who will be a freshman at BYU this fall, is playing in his second straight Utah Championship, having made the cut last year at Oakridge Country Club. Akina shot 71 on Thursday with three birdies and four bogeys and has some work to do to make the cut, currently sitting in a tie for 104th place. Also tied for 104th is former University of Utah golfer Mitchell Schow, a Monday qualifier.

Former BYU star Daniel Summerhays shot a 69 and is tied for 49th in a group that includes his nephew, former ASU golfer Preston Summerhays.