00:00 – Local Golf Stars Shine at Utah Championship: Connor Howe & Cole Ponich Lead the Pack
03:51 – Daniel Summerhays’ Comeback Continues: Utah Championship Leaderboard Update & Player Highlights
07:10 – Étienne Papineau DOMINATES with Career-Low 61 | Utah Championship Round 1 Highlights 2025
1. Local Golf Stars Shine at Utah Championship: Connor Howe & Cole Ponich Lead the Pack
Join us as we dive into the exciting first round of the Utah Championship at Ogden Golf & Country Club!
In this video, we highlight local pros Connor Howe and Cole Ponich, who are making waves on the Korn Ferry Tour.
– Discover how Cole Ponich, a former BYU golfer, is thriving at his home course after winning the Provo Open.
– Learn about Connor Howe’s impressive performance and his journey from North Ogden to the tournament.
– Get insights into the leaderboard, including the standout performance of Etienne Papineau.
Stay tuned for highlights, player interviews, and expert analysis as we follow these talented golfers in their quest for victory!
2. Daniel Summerhays’ Comeback Continues: Utah Championship Leaderboard Update & Player Highlights
Watch Daniel Summerhays make his strongest comeback yet after back surgery, carding a 4-under 66 to stay 4 shots off the Utah Championship lead! 🏌️♂️
Highlights include:
– Preston Summerhays (Daniel’s nephew) in the hunt
– Cole Ponich’s Korn Ferry Tour debut
– Local favorite Mitchell Schow’s strong performance
– Robby Shelton and Taylor Montgomery battling for the lead
Catch drama, family moments, and tournament action from Ogden Golf & Country Club. Perfect for Korn Ferry Tour fans and golf comeback stories!
🔗 Follow for live leaderboard analysis, golf highlights, and behind-the-scenes tour moments.
3. Étienne Papineau DOMINATES with Career-Low 61 | Utah Championship Round 1 Highlights 2025
Watch Étienne Papineau’s historic 9-under 61 at the Utah Championship presented by Zions Bank and Intermountain Health. The 28-year-old Canadian broke into the Korn Ferry Tour lead for the first time with dramatic eagles on holes 4 and 15, overcoming his season struggles (14 missed cuts in 19 starts). Taylor Montgomery (-8) and Adrien Dumont de Chassart (-7) follow closely, while 18-year-old qualifier Blades Brown (-6) and Utah native Connor Howe (-5) shine. BYU alum Cole Ponich (-4) makes his pro debut, and Bo Hoag (-4) secures his spot. Catch all the action, course highlights, and key stats from Ogden Golf & Country Club.
#GolfHighlights #KornFerryTour #UtahChampionship
Local golf stars shine at Utah Championship. Connor how Cole Ponic lead the pack. Imagine being a local golf sensation, teeing off in front of your hometown crowd and absolutely crushing it on the course. That’s exactly what’s happening for former BYU golfer Cole Ponic and local pro Connor How are currently leading the pack after the first round of the Utah Championship in Ogden. With over 30 years of experience covering sports in Utah, I’ve seen my fair share of talented golfers. But there’s something special about watching these two take on the Ogden Golf Country Club. But here’s where it gets interesting. Ponic, a newly minted pro, is already making waves in the golf world, having won last month’s Provo Open in his professional debut. And this is the part most people miss. He’s not just playing well, he’s dominating on a course he knows and loves, having won the 2024 state amateur at the same club. Panich shot a 4under par 66 on Thursday, putting him in excellent shape to make the cut. And he’s currently tied for 10th place. But he’s not the only local who’s finding success on the course. Former Georgia Tech golfer Connor How, who grew up just 15 minutes away in North Ogden, shot a five under 65 and is tied for sixth place heading into Friday’s second round. Now, you might be wondering how these two are stacking up against the competition. Well, let me tell you, former West Virginia golfer Eddie Nen Papo, who’s from Canada, is currently sitting at top the leaderboard after shooting a career low round of nine under 61 in the first round. Papo made two Eagles and had only won five on his entire scorecard, which is a pretty impressive feat. As we take a closer look at the leaderboard, it’s clear that Ponic and How are in good company. Ponic made five birdies and a bogey with the highlight being a birdie two on the difficult par 3 9th hole. He also made a birdie two on the par 316th hole which is no easy task. But here’s the thing, his lone bogey came on number 17, which plays as number eight for the members. It’s a tough course, but these golfers are up for the challenge. And this is where things get controversial. Ponic got the exemption that would have gone to former BYU golfer Peter Quest, who ended up qualifying on his own merit. But does that mean Pawnich doesn’t deserve to be here? Absolutely not. In fact, Hal posted the best round among the eight golfers with Utah ties in the tournament on Thursday, and he’s looking strong heading into the second round. Quest who is number one 150 on the KFT points list opened his round with back-to-back bogeies but recovered nicely and ended the day at even par 70. Former Weber State golfer Hayden Bans from Salt Lake City is also in decent shape to make the cut after firing a 68 on Thursday. bands made three consecutive birdies on holes 13 to 15 to get back into contention and he’s currently tied for 31st. Recent Lone Peak High graduate Kihei Akina who will be a freshman at BYU this fall is playing in his second straight Utah championship having made the cut last year at Oakidge Country Club. Akina shot 71 on Thursday with three birdies and four bodies and he’s got some work to do to make the cut. But here’s the question. Can these local golfers keep up the momentum and make a real run at the championship? We’ll have to wait and see. What do you think? Can Ponich and How keep their lead or will someone else come from behind to take the top spot? Let us know in the comments. Daniel Summerhaz comeback continues. Utah Championship leaderboard update player highlights. Here’s a story that defies the odds. a golfer who recently underwent major back surgery is now just four shots behind the leaders in a high stakes tournament. But Daniel Summerh’s journey is about more than numbers. It’s a testament to resilience, family, and the unpredictable nature of sports comebacks. And this is the part most people miss. How a mix of personal struggle, homefield advantage, and generational talent is reshaping the narrative of this Utah championship. Let’s start with the basics. Summerhazes, a 41-year-old former BYU standout from Farmington, is having a career resurgence. After fusing his L3 and L4 vertebrae in January, he’s now carded three consecutive rounds in the 60s at Ogden Golf and Country Club, including a 4 under 66 on Saturday. That leaves him at 12 under par, tied for eighth. That’s not just impressive, it’s borderline miraculous when you consider he stopped walking 20 yard into his Sunday strolls with his wife Emily during rehab. But here’s where it gets controversial. Is this comeback sustainable or is it a fluke fueled by adrenaline and home state support? Summer Hayes himself downplays the drama. I hit some good shots today, he said. A few putts went in, a few didn’t. It was just a normal round. Yet for someone who once considered retirement after the 2020 Utah championship and spent a year coaching at Davis High, this normaly feels anything but. The family angle adds another layer. His nephew Preston Summerhazes is also making waves with a three under 67 helped by his sister Grace on the bag and his father Boyd walking the course. The younger Summer Hayes, a recent pro from Arizona State, is now tied for 16th at 10 under. Meanwhile, former BYU golfer Cole Ponich, making his cornfairy tour debut, is proving his amateur success, including a Utah State Amateur title, wasn’t just luck. At nine under, he’s on the cusp of securing a spot in next week’s Pinnacle Bank Championship, a reward for finally feeling like I belong here. And let’s not forget Mitchell Sha, the Ogdenborn golfer who went from Monday qualifiers to earning checks in his home state. His 66 on Saturday moved him to 7 under, while former BYU stand out Peter Quest flirted with the top 50 before settling at 6 under. The leaderboard, however, is a different beast. American Robbie Shelton and Taylor Montgomery are locked in a tie at the top after Shelton’s five under 65, including a blistering four under 31 on the front nine. Meanwhile, South Korea’s BioKim trails by two shots. So, what does this all mean? Summerh story isn’t just about golf. It’s about reinvention. But here’s a question for you. Can a comeback like this, built on medical miracles and familial support, truly last? or is it a fleeting spark in an unforgiving sport? Share your thoughts below. Do you believe in this kind of second act or is it just the exception that proves the rule? It Papino dominates with career low 61. Utah Championship round one highlights 2025. When the dust settled after round one at the Utah Championship presented by Zans’s Bank and Inter Mountain Health, Etienne Papo stunned the field with an electrifying display, carding a sizzling 9 under 61 to seize the early lead. It’s the kind of round that gets everyone talking. How does a player who’s been flying under the radar suddenly demolish the leaderboard? Let’s break it all down and point out the details most fans overlook. Chapter Papo’s historic day. Papeno, 28, entered this tournament with hardly a glittering season. Ranked number 129 on the 2025 Cornferry Tour points list. He’d played 19 events this year and missed the cut in 14 of them with just one top 25 finish, T19 at the Ascendant. Yet on Thursday, he delivered a career best performance, a 9 under par 61, fueled by Eagles on the par 44th and the par 515th holes. This wasn’t just a personal best, beating his previous low, a 63 at the 2024 Estara Golf Championship, but his first time ever leading or even sharing the lead after any round of a cornfairy tour event. Before this, the highest he’d been after round one was tied for ninth. But here’s the part casual fans might miss. Out of 43 career starts on the Corn Fairy Tour, Papo has only cracked the top 10 once. And until this year, he had played most of his professional golf in Canada. He found success north of the border, winning the 2023 Times Colonist Victoria Open and earning his spot on the Cornferryy Tour for the following season. In college, he was the epitome of perseverance, spending five seasons at West Virginia University 2016 to 21 and dramatically elevating his game to earn most improved player honors in 2018 to 19. Notable stories in the chase, and this is where it gets controversial. Is a single phenomenal round enough to signal a player’s arrival, or is it just a flash in the pan? Fans and pundits alike debate whether momentum like Papinos can truly carry through four grueling rounds. He wasn’t the only one lighting it up. Taylor Montgomery, who graduated from the corn ferry tour in 2022, fired an eight under 62 to sit just one back. Montgomery matched his personal best, a 62, which he’s achieved twice before on this tour and once on the PGA Tour. But with only his third start of the year, is Montgomery’s potential being overlooked? Elsewhere, Adrien Dumont de Chassard, another Cornferry graduate and past winner, shot a 7under 63, marking his fourth round this season of 63 or better. It’s worth noting his low for the year is a jaw-dropping 11 under 59, proving the depth of scoring talent this week. Upandcomer Blades Brown, just 18, continues to buzz the industry. The open qualifier fired a six under 64, needing only a two-way tie for 40th or better to secure special temporary membership for the rest of the season. For a player who’s broken 65 three times already this year, the sky seems to be the limit. Or is it too much too soon for such a young prospect? Another local highlight, Ogden’s own Connor How in just his third cornfairy tour start this season returned to form with a five under 65, his lowest round in more than a year. For the home crowd, Cole Ponish was a storybook subplot. The Brigham Young University alum playing his first cornfairy tour start as a pro opened with a four under 66. He’s fresh off winning the Utah State Amateur and the Provo Open. Could this be the beginning of a sleeper run? And finally, Bo Hogue, the final player to sneak into the field, matched Ponish at four under. Sometimes all you need is a chance, the bigger picture. With so much young talent and a leader who’s battled adversity all year, this tournament has all the makings of a drama-filled weekend. But here’s your hook. Who really has the nerve to hold on when it counts? Are these low opening numbers a sign of a changing golf landscape or will the veterans reassert control? What do you think? Is Etien Papo about to become the breakout story of 2025 or is this just another fleeting headline? Where do you stand on young players like Blades Brown getting big tour opportunities early? Join the conversation and share your boldest prediction for the Utah Championship below.
