Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
FARMINGTON — On the wall at the door of the clubhouse at Oakridge Country Club, there’s a big photo of Danny Summerhays, the former BYU golfer who has played on the PGA Tour since 2011.
So, perhaps it’s only fitting Summerhays was near the top of the leaderboard after the first day of the Korn Ferry Tour’s Utah Championship at the private course in Farmington.
Summerhays shot 5-under-par 66 to sit tied for third, just two strokes off the lead, Thursday.
“That was one of my best rounds of the year. Oakridge was tricky today; I haven’t hit some clubs off those tees ever in my life,” said Summerhays, the two-time Utah State Amateur champion who won the 2000 title at Oakridge. “It felt pretty good. But for afternoon poa annua greens, I feel fortunate to make what I made.”
Summerhays ran into a spell of good form, carding birdies on three straight holes, beginning with the par-3, 205-yard sixth to finish at 4-under 32 on the front nine — and just three shots off the lead.
He gave one back on the par-4, 517-yard 10th, but added back-to-back birdies at 14 and 15 to finish inside the top 5.
Indeed, it was almost perfect — until he missed a par putt on No. 18 to finish with a bogey, just his second of the afternoon.
“I’m disappointed. But to make seven birdies and two bogeys on a windy day at Oakridge, I’m really happy,” Summerhays said. “I thought the greens were a little faster than they were, so I left several putts short.
“I would’ve liked to have had one more. But seven birdies today was very satisfying.”
Summerhays has made the cut just three times in the 15 events he’s played on Korn Ferry, or its previously named Web.com Tour stops in 2019 while bouncing back and forth on the PGA Tour.
Now he finds himself in contention for a title, in his home state, just two shots behind leader Robert Garrigus of Arizona, who fired eight birdies to finish at 7-under 64.
Summerhays’ nephew, Preston Summerhays, joined the family for 18 holes in what looked at times more like a family reunion.
Preston Summerhays shot 2-over 73 to finish near the projected cut line Thursday. The 16-year-old, who is also the reigning Utah State Amateur champion, carded a triplicate of birdies on the front nine en route to a 2-under 34 before falling back.
“The wedges were really good, and I just hit it close,” the younger Summerhays said.
Preston Summerhays has a sponsor’s exemption for this weekend’s Korn Ferry stop in Utah. But he’s familiar with Oakridge — his whole family has had a membership there — and he got to play with his uncle Danny while putting his father, Boyd, on the bag as his caddie.
There's no place like home. 🏠
— Korn Ferry Tour (@kornferrytour) June 27, 2019
Farmington local Daniel Summerhays is loving playing close to home. A birdie on No. 14 has him into the top-5 @UTChampionship.#LiveUnderParpic.twitter.com/htalpUGW07
“He’s got such a good short game that it’s hard for him to make a bogey when he hits a decent tee shot,” said Boyd Summerhays, who is also the swing coach for PGA rising star Tony Finau of Lehi. “That’s uncharacteristic for him. I know he’ll be anxious to get back out here tomorrow and to play better.”
Former BYU golfer Zac Blair, who has played sporadically on the Korn Ferry Tour since joining in 2014, finished tied for 17th. The Fremont High grad carded a 2-under 69, including birdies on Nos. 1, 7, 15 and 17 to tie for 15th.
Park City's Steele DeWald, a Monday qualifier who won this year's Provo Open, Shot 1-over 72 to finish tied for 77th.
