SANDY - Usually, Farmington's Boyd Summerhays travels professional golf's Nationwide Tour in relative obscurity, moving from tournament to tournament with few, if any, interview requests.
That changed somewhat when his brother, Daniel, won a Nationwide event in July to earn tour status, but familiar faces from back home were still few and far between.
Everything is different this week, however, and not just because the Summerhayses are back home.
When the Utah Championship, the 25th of 32 events on the tour, begins today at Willow Creek Country Club, a record 13 Utahns will be in the field. From 17-year-olds Gipper and Tony Finau to the "older" guys who had long careers on the PGA Tour - St. George's Jay Don Blake and Provo's Dan Forsman - the tournament will have a local flair like never before.
One of the those locals, Sandy's Steve Schneiter, who is also a Willow Creek member, said he wouldn't be surprised to see a Utahn win the event, something that has never happened before.
"I think someone might do it this year," he said. "I am not
saying who, but I think there's a chance."
Today's first round begins at 7:40 a.m. on the first and 10th tees. After Friday's second round, the field of 156 will be trimmed to the low 60 scores, plus ties, for Saturday's third round and Sunday's final round. The tournament will be televised nationally on The Golf Channel.
Defending champion Craig Kanada is not in the field, having earned a spot on the PGA Tour this year, but 2005 champ Garrett Willis is here along with Ricky Barnes and Hunter Haas, two names familiar to ardent golf fans.
But the Utahns hope to be the storylines come Sunday.
"It's pretty awesome that we have so many Utahns here," Boyd Summerhays said. "That says a lot about Utah golf. It has really been amazing. There are just tons of guys playing well right now. It's pretty neat, to have that big of an influence."
Three of the 13 - Layton's Barry Schenk, Draper's Ryan Ellis and former Southern Utah University standout Ken Ebalo - got in Tuesday or Wednesday by shooting 6-under-par 66s at a qualifying site. Blake, 48, and Forsman, 49, have Nationwide playing privileges due to their body or work on the PGA Tour, and both are at the point in their careers when they are eyeing the Champions Tour.
The Finau brothers received sponsors exemptions and are still recovering from a trip to Europe for some tournaments and exhibitions.
"I feel like I am going to do well," Tony Finau, who turns 18 next week, said. "I could be hitting the ball the best I have ever hit it right now."
Gipper Finau, who turned 17 two weeks ago, said he is eager to show that last year, when he became the youngest golfer in Nationwide Tour history to make a cut, was not a fluke.
"My mentality is to win this time," he said. "Because I made the cut, expectations are higher, and I always try to set my expectations higher than those of people around me."
So who will be the low Utahn?
The best bet, almost everyone agrees, is Daniel Summerhays, the former BYU golfer who won the event in Ohio in mid-July and turned professional shortly thereafter.
"I think I can [win], but that's what you have to think," Summerhays said. "It is going to be fun with all the Utahns. Hopefully all of us can play well and compete. . . . For me, hopefully I can get the putts to drop. That's what it is out here is just a putting contest on the Nationwide Tour. Everybody hits it pretty good. The guy that can make the putts usually wins."
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Golfer Hometown Comment
Boyd Summerhays Farmington Nationwide Tour regular was once on PGA Tour
Daniel Summerhays Farmington Won a Nationwide event in July to earn full-time status
Steve Schneiter Sandy Willow Creek CC is his home course, should flourish
Garrett Clegg Bountiful Has conditional status, but received a sponsor's exemption
Dan Forsman Provo Is PGA Tour regular prepping for Champions Tour?
Kury Reynolds Salt Lake City Earned a spot through local section qualifying
Tony Finau Salt Lake City Vows to play better in second-straight UEC appearance
Gipper Finau Salt Lake City Earned exemption after making cut last year, wants more
Jay Don Blake St. George Another former PGA regular with eye on Champions Tour
Mark Owen Draper Another local pro who earned spot through PGA Utah Section
Ryan Ellis Draper Former Ute shot 66 in Tuesday's qualifier to get spot
Kenny Ebalo Cedar City Turned pro after fine career at Southern Utah
Barry Schenk Layton Former Wildcat also shot 66 in qualifier to earn a spot

 

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