Shortly after most of the leaders had teed off in the third and final round of the 2026 Larry H. Miller Utah Open, it quickly became apparent that the 100th playing of the event was going to be won by either a former University of Utah or BYU golfer.
Fittingly, the Utah Open had become just that through the first two rounds at Riverside Country Club in Provo as Utahns — guys born and raised in the Beehive State — dominated the leaderboard heading into Sunday’s final round.
In the end, a former Ute prevailed, as Salt Lake City’s Blake Tomlinson won the $25,000 first-place check by firing a 5-under 67 to hold onto his second-round lead, which was also by two strokes.
It is the second Utah Open title for the Skyline High product, who also won in 2022.
Former BYU golfers Cole Ponich and Rhett Rasmussen tied for second at -19 and each earned $13,500. Salt Lake City pro John Fox closed with a 66 to take solo fourth and earn $9,000 for his efforts.
“It feels just as good (to win it again),” said Tomlinson, whose victory in 2022 was his first as a professional and earned him $20,000. “I mean, winning once is great, but twice is even better. So yeah, it feels really nice.”
Having shot a 66 on Friday and a 62 on Saturday, Tomlinson had a cushion entering Sunday but quickly lost it with bogeys on No. 2 and No. 6. Five different guys — Tomlinson, former BYU golfer and recent Colorado Open champion Carson Lundell, former BYU golfer Simon Kwon, Ponich and Rasmussen — had the lead or were tied for the lead on Sunday.
But while Lundell and Kwon, who were in the final group with Tomlinson, struggled to hit fairways on the back nine, Tomlinson came up clutch time and again to regain the lead.
He said the turning point was an eagle 3 on No. 7.
“And then the chip-in on 10 (for birdie), that was also very good, and then I was just kind of off and running from there,” Tomlinson said.
Ironically, while Ponich was on his way to winning the Provo Open in 2025 down the road at Timpanogos Golf Club, Tomlinson fired a final-round 62 to make the former Cougar a bit uncomfortable. This time, it was Ponich shooting the 62 to keep Tomlinson on his toes.
“I just told him I tried to do the same thing to him as he did to me,” Ponich said after congratulating his boyhood friend before the trophy presentation near the 18th green.
Said Tomlinson: “Yeah, it seems like we’re both just gunning for each other at these Utah events. It’s awesome. Yeah, he played well today.”
Four years ago, Tomlinson holed a 48-yard approach for an eagle 2 on the 16th hole at Riverside en route to the win and became the first former University of Utah golfer to win since former Champions Tour standout Bruce Summerhays in 2008 at Oakridge Country Club.
The only other former Utes to have won it are Billy Johnston in 1961 and Eric Hogg in 1991. They are both in the Utah Golf Hall of Fame.
So what’s next for Tomlinson, 27, who has been on and off the PGA Tour-branded Americas Tour the past four years since he won in Provo in 2022? Without any current status on any tour in 2026, he will play in the New Mexico Open next month and then head back to Q School later this fall.
“Playing conservative is good, and it saves you money,” he said, drawing laughter, after being asked what he’s learned these past four years. “… I mean, just a lot of growing up. Every golfer has grown up as they play in tournaments. … having the opportunity to play and compete and do well in this tournament has taught me a lot about who I am and a lot about what kind of golfer I am, too.”
Former Utah Tech golfer Jackson Rhees, also a new pro like Kwon and BYU’s Tyson Shelley (T5), shot 14-under 202 to win the Utah PGA Section sidebar. The highest non-Utahn finisher was Colorado’s Derek Fribbs, who tied for 12th with former Ute Brandon Robison and teenager Blake Brown, a student at Draper’s Corner Canyon High.
“It’s amazing, because I’ve been battling with (other Utahns) for tons of years and I know that they don’t give up so I knew I had to play good,” Tomlinson said, “and yeah, it’s just good to have that competition, especially here in Utah, and just kind of represent what we have as a state.”
100th Larry H. Miller Utah Open
At Riverside Country Club, Provo
Final Leaderboard (Top 20)
195 (-21) — Blake Tomlinson (66-62-67)
197 (-19) — Cole Ponich (68-67-62), Rhett Rasmussen (66-65-66)
199 (-17) — John Fox (68-65-66)
200 (-16) — Tyson Shelley (63-68-69), Carson Lundell (63-67-70)
201 (-15) — a-Peter Kim (70-66-65), Simon Kwon (64-66-71)
202 — a-Jace Benson (68-67-67), a-Jackson Mauss (66-66-70), Jackson Rhees (63-67-72)
203 — a-Blake Brown (67-69-67), Derek Fribbs (68-66-69), Brandon Robison (71-64-68)
204 — a-Angus Klintworth (65-71-68), Brady McKinlay (67-68-69), Braxton Watts (63-69-72), Keanu Akina (70-62-72).
205 — Todd Tanner (66-70-69), Pete Stone (66-68-71)
Professional Purse
1, Blake Tomlinson, $25,000
T2, Cole Ponich and Rhett Rasmussen, $13,500 each
4, John Fox, $9,000
T5, Tyson Shelley and Carson Lundell, $6,500 each
7, Simon Kwon, $5,000
8, Jackson Rhees, $4,500
T9, Derek Fribbs and Brandon Robinson, $3,850 each
T11, Brady McKinlay, Braxton Watts and Keanu Akina, $3,300 each
T14, Todd Tanner, Pete Stone, $2,800 each
16, Zac Jones, $2,600
T17, Kyle Suppa, Jordan Gibbs, Joe Summerhays, $2,400 each