Blake Tomlinson traces up a putt throughout the Utah Open at Riverside Nation Membership in Provo on Sunday, Aug. 21, 2022. Tomlinson received the event. Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret Information
Kyle Stanley eyes the ball on eleventh inexperienced throughout the Mexico Open in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, Friday, April 28, 2023. A two-time winner on the PGA Tour, Stanley obtained a restricted sponsor’s exemption into subsequent week’s Utah Championship at Oakridge Nation Membership Moises Castillo, Related Press
FARMINGTON — Former College of Utah golfer and 2022 Utah Open champion Blake Tomlinson has performed Oakridge Nation Membership in Farmington so many instances that he has forgotten the precise quantity.
“I simply know it's a lot,” mentioned the previous Skyline Excessive star, whose mother and father had been Oakridge members till he was 12 years outdated.
“It's what I've been dreaming of ever since I used to be somewhat child, watching the Internet.com (Tour) guys exit to Willow Creek and compete. I by no means thought I'd be there, however I feel it's changing into extra of a actuality now. … Will probably be a enjoyable week.” — Former Utah golfer Blake Tomlinson
Suffice it to say that Tomlinson, at present taking part in on PGA Tour Canada, received’t overlook the following event he performs in on the scenic format simply north of Lagoon.
Tomlinson, 24, is receiving an unrestricted sponsor exemption into subsequent week’s Utah Championship, a cease on the PGA Tour’s Korn Ferry Tour, event officers introduced Tuesday.
The 72-hole event begins Aug. 3 at Oakridge Nation Membership and runs by way of Aug. 6.
Former Oklahoma State star Zach Bauchou, who not too long ago completed in a tie for fourth place within the KFT’s Kansas Wichita Open, has additionally been awarded an unrestricted exemption.
Two-time PGA Tour winner Kyle Stanley, 35, is receiving a restricted exemption. Stanley has 24 profession top-10 finishes on the large tour and needs to be thought of a pre-tournament favourite, together with former BYU golfer Patrick Fishburn, a KFT common in 2023 who completed in a three-way tie for second place and a shot behind winner Andrew Kozan final yr.
Jeff Robbins, president and CEO of the Utah Sports activities Fee, which hosts the event, with Zions Financial institution because the presenter, mentioned the fourth and remaining exempted participant will likely be introduced later this week or early subsequent week.
Tomlinson is a part of the Tony Finau Basis mentorship program, which additionally contains Fishburn and another native merchandise. He expressed gratitude through a Zoom name Tuesday after receiving the information.
“It's an honor to be chosen and it will be an incredible week subsequent week,” Tomlinson mentioned from Toronto, Ontario, Canada, the place he's getting ready to play within the Canadian Tour’s Osprey Valley Open Thursday by way of Sunday. “I'm actually excited.”
The Utah Championship will mark Tomlinson’s Korn Ferry Tour debut. He mentioned touchdown the exemption “is big” for him as he works his approach towards the last word objective — a PGA Tour card.
“It's what I've been dreaming of ever since I used to be somewhat child, watching the Internet.com (Tour) guys exit to Willow Creek and compete,” he mentioned. “I by no means thought I'd be there, however I feel it's changing into extra of a actuality now. … Will probably be a enjoyable week.”
After profitable the Provo Open and Utah Open final summer time, Tomlinson tied for second within the PGA Tour Canada qualifying event in April in suburban Phoenix to safe taking part in privileges on that tour. He missed the minimize eventually week’s Ottawa Open, after a T47 efficiency on the Quebec Open in mid-July.
“I haven’t continued the momentum currently, however I'm considering it will change, at the very least this week and subsequent week,” he mentioned. “I really feel I'm coming into some good weeks.”
What does he wish to accomplish subsequent week?
“I might give 1,000,000 totally different solutions,” he mentioned. “… I feel principally I simply wish to make my pals, household and the state of Utah proud to have me on the market. I wish to signify them the easiest way I can.”
Final yr, 4 former or present BYU golfers — Fishburn, Peter Kuest, Daniel Summerhays and Carson Lundell — performed within the occasion, and Kuest added a T5 end to Fishburn’s T2 for the Cougars.
“Hopefully the Utes can compete somewhat bit extra with BYU,” Tomlinson mentioned. “Hopefully that's in our future.”
Stanley staying within the sport
Stanley broke into professional golf in 2009, about the identical time as Summerhays, and the 2 have remained shut pals. The Gig Harbor, Washington, native performed collegiately at Clemson, the place he received the 2009 Ben Hogan Award.
His first PGA Tour win was on the 2012 Waste Administration Open in Arizona and his second victory got here on the Quicken Loans Nationwide in 2017.
“I didn’t play a lot final yr,” he mentioned. “I simply completed up on a serious medical (exemption) out on the principle tour. Simply excited to get extra aggressive reps. Hopefully I can put collectively a pleasant week and reap the benefits of this chance.”
Stanley mentioned it's “extraordinarily aggressive” to land sponsor exemptions and he received’t take this one as a right.
“It's a thrill when you possibly can find yourself getting them, since you definitely don’t anticipate to,” he mentioned. “I'm very grateful to have the possibility to return down there and play subsequent week.
There are such a lot of good gamers which might be preventing for spots. A number of actually good younger expertise. I'm certain there are lots of good gamers from Utah that had been within the operating. Any time you will get one among these it's a thrill and you must reap the benefits of it. Yeah, simply very grateful.”
Kyle Stanley eyes the ball on eleventh inexperienced throughout the Mexico Open in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, Friday, April 28, 2023. A two-time winner on the PGA Tour, Stanley obtained a restricted sponsor’s exemption into subsequent week’s Utah Championship at Oakridge Nation Membership
Moises Castillo, Related Press