State Am champ will get exemption into Bank of Utah PGA tourney

The PGA Tour’s Bank of Utah Championship will award a sponsor exemption to the winner of the Utah State Amateur Championship. 

The announcement is part of a strategic statewide partnership between Bank of Utah and the Utah Golf Association that positions the bank as the “Official Banking Partner of the Utah Golf Association,” with the Bank of Utah Championship serving as a platform for elevating Utah golfers and the sport statewide. 

The Bank of Utah Championship will bring the PGA Tour’s stars to Black Desert Resort for the third straight year Oct. 1-4. 

“Bank of Utah has always believed in the importance of investing in the people, organizations and experiences that help strengthen communities across our state,” Branden Hansen, the bank’s president, said in a release. “As a Utah-founded community bank and statewide financial partner, this partnership with the Utah Golf Association and the Bank of Utah Championship reflects our commitment to Utah golf at every level, from local players and historic championships to Utah’s opportunity to host an official PGA Tour event at Black Desert Resort.”

The sentiment was echoed by the Utah Golf Association, which views the collaboration as a vital step for the sport’s regional growth.

“This partnership represents an exciting opportunity to continue elevating golf across Utah while creating stronger connections between our players, championships and the PGA Tour stage,” Easton Folster, executive director of the Utah Golf Association, said in a release. “Bank of Utah shares our commitment to supporting Utah communities, honoring the traditions of the game, and investing in opportunities that help grow golf statewide.”

“Elevating Utah golf and creating pathways for our state’s best players to compete at the highest level is what Black Desert Resort and the Bank of Utah Championship are all about. Nothing excites us more than watching a homegrown champion step onto that stage and show the world what Utah golf is made of,” Ashley Dove, executive director of the Bank of Utah Championship, said in a release.

Qualifying rounds for the Utah State Amateur Championship — one of Utah’s most historic amateur golf championships — began statewide May 14. The championship will be held July 6-11 at Soldier Hollow Golf Course, with significant stakes as players compete for a spot in the Bank of Utah Championship.

Since its inception, the Bank of Utah Championship has supported Utah’s thriving golf community by extending sponsor exemptions to players with local ties. Bowen Mauss, the 2025 Utah State Amateur champion, and Preston Summerhays, the State Amateur winner in 2018 and 2019, played on sponsor exemptions in 2024 and 2025, respectively. This partnership further solidifies the tournament’s support of Utah talent.

In addition to the tournament exemption, Bank of Utah will become the presenting partner of the Utah Golf Association’s player recognition programs, including Champion of the Month and Player of the Week. These awards will highlight the achievements of local golfers all year long, allowing Bank of Utah and the Utah Golf Association to share the stories of talented players across the state.

Tickets and VIP opportunities for the Bank of Utah Championship are officially on sale at www.bankofutahchampionship.com.