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PROVO — There's something about "Kuest's Corner" at Riverside Country Club that plays to Derek Fribbs' strengths.
Three years ago, when the Colorado pro won the Utah Open, he carded 4-3-2 for 9-under on the pair of par-5s that sandwich the par-4 14th hole that has been colloquially named for Peter Kuest after what he did during his All-American career at BYU en route to winning the 2020 Utah Open.
Fribbs did it again Sunday during a course-record round 61, including three straight 3-shot finishes on hole Nos. 13, 14 and 15 for a 54-hole total of 19-under-par 197 en route to his second Siegfried and Jensen Utah Open title in four years.
The similarities of the two rounds just four years apart that both collected a $22,000 purse were fairly remarkable.
"I didn't even think about that," quipped Fribbs of his 3-3-3 run, before joking, "It's too much math for me."
The native Coloradoan is the first two-time champion at the top pro event hosted by the Utah Section PGA since Nate Lashley in 2015. Lashley and Clay Ogden (2011, 2007) are the only two-time champs since Mike Reid in 1983 and 1985.
Former BYU golfer Patrick Fishburn finished two shots back for second, just ahead of Phoenix pro Gavin Cohen and Josh Anderson of Murrieta, California.
University of Utah rising junior Brandon Robison took low amateur honors, shooting 14-under to finish one shot ahead of newly reinstated amateur David Timmins. Riverside teaching pro Matt Baird shot 204 to finish tied for seventh to collect the $1,500 check for Utah Section PGA low member honors.
"I knew a lot of good players were back there, with Fishburn and (defending Utah Open champion) Zac Blair," Fribbs said. "I didn't check the scoreboard until the 17th tee; I was just trying to make as many birdies as I could."
After a second round delayed by thunderstorms and lightning wrapped up Sunday morning, Fishburn maintained a two-shot lead after carding eight birdies en route to a second-round 64.
But the field was on his heels all afternoon.
The Ogden native shot 4-under through the first five holes of Sunday's final round. But Fribbs, who plays out of Aurora, Colorado, carded five birdies and an eagle en route to 7-under 29 on the front nine to stay in contention.
Fribbs pulled even with Fishburn at 16-under after his second eagle of the day on the par-5, 557-yard 13th hole to ignite his run at "Kuest's Corner" of two eagles that sandwiched a birdie to play the three holes at 5-under.
"I was following his scores a little bit," Fishburn said of Fribbs, before adding, "I just couldn't catch up. That's pretty darn good to shoot 11-under, and that was an amazing stretch to go 3-3-3 on 13 through 15. I went 5-3-5 (on the same stretch), so the two par 5's were kind of the killer there. I just didn't hit great tee shots, but had a pretty solid week."
It's been a "pretty sold" year for Fishburn, the former Fremont High star who earned his PGA Tour card last fall and made the cut in eight of 19 starts while also spending time on the Korn Ferry Tour.
Among his best finishes was a tie for sixth at the 3M Open when he shot 63 in the third round to finish at 13-under at TPC Twin Cities, and a T4 in the Zurich Classic of New Orleans when he teamed with fellow Utah product Zac Blair.
"I've been really good off the tee, and just keeping it in play. I think that is the most important club on the PGA Tour is your driver," said Fishburn, who turned pro in 2018 in large part due to a grant from the Tony Finau Foundation. "I've been hitting it pretty well and giving myself plenty of opportunities.
"It's a huge adjustment going from Korn Ferry to PGA. The courses are harder, they set it up differently, and I'm just playing with a lot of guys I've been watching growing up.
"It's been a blast, and I'm grateful to be out there."
2024 Siegfried and Jensen Utah Open
Riverside Country Club
Top-10 leaderboard
- 197 — Derek Fribbs
- 199 — Patrick Fishburn
- 200 — Gavin Cohen
- 201 — Josh Anderson
- 202 — Brandon Robison (a)
- 203 — David Timmins (a)
- 204 — Rhett Rasmussen, Carson Lundell, Matt Baird, Zac Jones (a), Zac Blair, Cole Ponich
Other notable finishes
- T17. Kihei Alkina (a) — 207
- T17. Cooper Jones (a) — 207
- T20. Tyson Shelley (a) — 208
- T20. Mitchell Show — 208
- T29. Jackson Shelley (a) — 210
- T34. Todd Tanner — 211
- T38. Clay Ogden — 212
- T38. Austin Shelley — 212
- T44. Jay Don Blake — 214
- T51. Simon Kwon — 216
- T57. Martin Leon — 219
- T59. Tony Romo — 220
Click here for full leaderboard.
