Utahns get glimpse of future PGA stars

By Mike Sorensen
Deseret Morning News

SANDY— In a couple of weeks, two recent winners of Utah's Nationwide PGA golf tournament will be teeing it up in Ireland for the United States in the Ryder Cup matches.
Zach Johnson won the 2003 tournament in Utah and the following year Brett Wetterich was the winner. Both will be joining Tiger Woods and the rest of the 12-man team in trying to wrest the Cup from the Europeans.
That may not mean much for fans watching this year's Utah Championship, except that they very well could be watching a couple of golfers who'll play in the 2008 Ryder Cup when the tournament is played this week at Willow Creek Country Club.
The annual tournament begins this morning and runs through Sunday. Total purse is $475,000, with $85,500 going to the winner.
Over the years, the Nationwide Tour has proven to be a breeding ground for future PGA Tour stars. The top 20 money-winners on this year's tour will graduate to the big tour next year and could find the same success as Johnson and Wetterich.
Several top Nationwide Tour players are in Utah this week, including Craig Bowden, Tripp Isenhour, Ken Duke and Jeff Quinney, who rank two through five on the money list. Also playing is Boo Weekley, No. 8 on the money list, along with Gavin Coles, who won last week's event in Ohio.
Also in the field is defending champion Garrett Willis, who has split his time between the PGA Tour and Nationwide Tour this year, and 2001 champion David Sutherland.
Two Utah natives with experience on the PGA Tour could contend this week.
Farmington's Boyd Summerhays has played in several PGA Tour events this year as well as seven Nationwide events and could give his career a jump-start with a win in his home state.
The same goes for Sandy's Steve Schneiter, who has played in 11 Nationwide events. Both Summerhays and Schneiter have held shares of the lead at Willow Creek in recent years but haven't been able to hold on.
Another Nationwide regular is Ron Harvey Jr., who played at BYU from 2001-2005 and has played in 12 events this year.
Two local teenagers are in the field, brothers Tony and Gipper Finau. They tee off in the final two groups off No. 1 today, with Gipper at 2:20 p.m. and Tony at 2:30 p.m.
Tony received a sponsor's exemption for his fine play earlier this summer when he won the Utah State Amateur, tied for first at the Junior America's Cup and finished second in the prestigious Westfield PGA Junior.
Gipper got into the tournament by winning medalist honors at the qualifier on Tuesday at Wingpointe, where he shot a 63.
Other local golfers to keep an eye on are Utah Open winner Pete Stone, Todd Tanner, who finished 22nd in last year's tournament, Joseph Summerhays, Ashdon Woods, Henry White, Mark Owen and Kury Reynolds.
Among the former PGA Tour champions playing this week are Steve Pate, Brian Henninger, Cameron Beckman and Jim McGovern.

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