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MIDWAY — After back-to-back Utah state amateur finals were held entirely by two teammates from the University of Utah, BYU golfers vowed to make their way back to the podium.
Through Friday's quarterfinals, the dream remained a reality — and the Cougars' team Twitter account reminded you of it — with medalist Zac Jones and BYU teammate David Timmins seeded on opposite sides of the bracket.
By the end of the day Friday, Jones' two victories kept the dream of a BYU champion alive. His opponent in Saturday's final? Well, at least he has strong Cougar heritage.
Jones dispatched former pro John Owen 5 and 4 in Friday's semifinals of the 124th Utah state amateur championship at Soldier Hollow, where he will face former Skyline High star Simon Kwon in Saturday's 36-hole final.
Kwon, who just completed his freshman season at Cal, isn't just a local golfer on summer break from Berkley, though; he's also the grandson of former BYU great Johnny Miller. The rising sophomore held off Weber State's Hayden Banz 4 and 3 in Friday's semifinals to punch his championship ticket.
Jones' run continued through Friday's quarterfinals with a 2 and 1 win over former Utah golfer Steve Croft, who now works at Provo-based Qualtrics and plays out of Timpanogos golf club. The rising BYU sophomore who won three 5A state titles at Lone Peak led from the sixth hole, cling to a 1 up lead most of the way before a short birdie putt on No. 17 clinched a semifinal bid.
Jones played in two tournaments as a freshman in the 2021-22 season, shortly after serving as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Pachuca, Mexico, and Orlando, Florida. But the 2019 Utah Golf Association Player of the Year showed anything but rust all week, from firing a pair of 66s to finish at 12-under 132 after stroke play — two shots better than his teammate Timmins at the top — to match-play wins over Nick Nielson, Jacob Wagstaff and Ryan Barber en route to Friday's quarterfinals.
Zac Jones advances to the @UtahGolfAssn State Amateur semi-final match with a birdie on the 17th to win 2&1.#byugolf#GoCougs#utahstateam
— BYU Men's Golf (@BYUmgolf) July 15, 2022
📸:@FairwaysMediapic.twitter.com/9ClVzyKx63
The 2020 Utah junior golfer of the year, Kwon faced an uphill climb just to make it to the semifinals. The rising sophomore was down a hole to Timmins heading into the 18th green, but birdied the final hole to survive and won on a walkoff birdie on the 19th hole.
Then he advanced to face Banz, the former East High standout who comfortably dispatched Jackson Holman 3 and 2 in the quarterfinals.
Saturday's 36-hole championship final will tee off at 8 a.m. MDT. Admission is free at Soldier Hollow.
