You can read Liam Williams’ Power Rankings for the Bank of Utah Championship at bet365 News.
Course Guide: The Black Desert Resort is a new, constantly growing, facility built in Ivins, Utah. Set 120 miles North-West of Las Vegas, Ivins sits 3,100 feet above sea level. Part of the Greater Zion region, this whole area has plenty of golf courses which cater for the amateur golfer. Black Desert is Tom Weiskopf’s 93rd and final golf course design prior to his untimely death in 2022. Black Desert Resort is owned by Reef Capital Partners, who are bringing the PGA Tour to their resort for the next 4 years, plus the LPGA.
Black Desert Resort, Ivins, Utah: Designer: Tom Weiskopf / Phil Smith, 2023; Course Type: Resort, Desert, Altitude, Short; Par: 71; Length: 7,421 yards; Number of Holes with Water In-Play: 2; Number of Sand Bunkers: 44; Acres of Fairway: 51; Fairways: Dominator Bentgrass; Rough: Kentucky Bluegrass, 2″; Greens: 7,000 sq.ft average 007XL Bentgrass.
Course Scoring Average + PGA Tour Difficulty Rank:
- 2024: 69.06 (-1.94), Rank 39 of 51 courses
Fairway Widths (yards): Below are the fairway widths for Black Desert Resort and how they compare to recent courses that we’ve seen on Tour:
- Black Desert: Average 30 yards up to 70-100 yards wide.
- CC of Jackson: 250 yards from the tee: 29 yards wide; 275:28; 300:29; 325:28; 350:25.
- Silverado: 250 yards from the tee: 27 yards wide; 275:26; 300:26; 325:27; 350:26.
- Caves Valley: 35-40 yards.
- TPC Southwind: 250 yards from the tee: 29 yards wide; 275:29; 300:28; 325:31; 350:25.
- Sedgefield: 250 yards from tee: 29 yards wide; 275:28; 300:26 325:23; 350:22.
- TPC Twin Cities: 250 yards from the tee: 38 yards wide; 275:38; 300:31; 325:30; 350:36.
- Hurstbourne CC: 25-30 yards at 300 yards.
- TPC Deere Run: 250 yards from tee: 41 yards wide; 275:40; 300:36 325:33; 350:30.
- Detroit Golf Club: 250 yards from tee: 34 yards wide; 275:34; 300:35 325:34; 350:33.
- TPC River Highlands: 250 yards from the tee: 38 yards wide; 275:36; 300:29; 325:29; 350:28.
- Oakmont: 18-28 yards at 300 yards
- TPC Toronto: 35-37 yards at 300 yards.
- Muirfield Village: 24-25 yards at 300 yards.
- Colonial: 25-30 yards at 300 yards.
- Quail Hollow: 28-30 yards at 300 yards.
- The Dunes Golf and Beach Club: 20 – 25 yards at 300 yards.
- Philadelphia Cricket Club: 30-32 yards at 300 yards.
- TPC Craig Ranch: 30 – 40 yards at 300 yards.
- Harbour Town: 250 yards from tee: 29 yards wide; 275:26; 300:22; 325:26; 350:22.
- Oaks Course: 250 yards from tee: 33 yards wide; 275:34; 300:29; 325:27; 350:26.
- Memorial Park: 30 – 40 yards at 300 yards.
- Copperhead: 250 yards from the tee: 24 yards wide; 275:20; 300:21; 325:23 350:19.
- TPC Sawgrass: 250 yards from the tee: 31 yards wide; 275:32; 300:30; 325:28 350:20.
- Bay Hill: 250 yards from the tee: 32 yards wide; 275:33; 300:33; 325:39 350:29.
- PGA National: 250 yards from the tee: 29 yards wide; 275:27; 300:25; 325:27 350:25.
- TPC Scottsdale: 250 yards from the tee: 33 yards wide; 275:30; 300:28; 325:27; 350:27.
- Pebble Beach: 250 yards from the tee: 33 yards wide; 275:33; 300:29; 325:30 350:26.
- Torrey Pines South: 250 yards from the tee: 26 yards wide; 275:27; 300:25; 325:24; 350:23.
- Pete Dye Stadium: 250 yards from the tee: 29 yards wide; 275:27; 300:26; 325:26; 350:24.
- Waialae: 250 yards from the tee: 34 yards wide; 275:32; 300:34; 325:37; 350:34.
- Plantation Course: 250 yards from the tee: 59 yards wide; 275:61; 300:65; 325:60; 350:62.
Course Designer Links: For research purposes, other Tom Weiskopf designs include (including re-designs):
- Stadium Course, TPC Scottsdale – Waste Management Phoenix Open
- North Course, Torrey Pines 2017-2023 Farmers Insurance Open
Course Overview: The basic details of Black Desert Resort are that it’s a 7,421 yard, Par 71. However take 6% off yardages due to the course being over 3,000 feet above sea level and in reality the professionals will be playing a mid 6,900 yard Par 71, which features 3 reachable par-5s, 2 reachable par 4s, and short par-3s.
Fairways and Greens are Bentgrass – pretty unique in Utah where Poa Annua dominates, with Kentucky Bluegrass rough quoted at 2″ in height. Greens are large at 7,000 sq.ft average featuring 007XL Bentgrass.
Beyond the rough, the unique nature of this golf course is the fact that stray balls enter a lava field. It’s effectively desert golf though as rocks, sand and even cacti that we find on most desert set-ups in Western United States are replaced here by rocky, black lava outcrops.
Knowing there would be lava in play, and knowing that winds here in the Utah desert can reach 40 mph, course designers Weiskopf and Smith came up with a routing that provided plenty of room to swing away. That width therefore provides strategic options for plotters and it also allows plenty of room to avoid the lava and allow for power play for the longer hitters.
Under the fairways, sand has been positioned above the lava which provides excellent drainage and the firm, bouncy conditions that are the hallmarks of a desert course in Utah.
On a resort course designed for amateur visitors, the only defence on this golf course are the desert winds which can be pretty severe here. The forecast though is for light winds pretty much throughout, so I’m expecting low scoring.
Bank of Utah Championship Winners: 2024: Matt McCarty (-23).
- 2024: Matt McCarty 62-68-64-67 -23/261 AM/PM Wave
OWGR of Bank of Utah Championship Winners: 2024: McCarty 76.
Datagolf Ranking Bank of Utah Championship Winners: 2024: McCarty 74.
Cut Line: 2024: -5.
Black Desert Resort Lead Score Progression:
2024: Round 1 -11; Round 2 -14; Round 3 -19; Round 4 -23.
Path to Victory: Below are the end of round positions for the winners of the Bank of Utah Championship:
- 2024 – Matt McCarty: Round 1: 2nd, Round 2: 4th, Round 3: 1st.
Shots From the Lead: Below are the Bank of Utah Championship winners and where they were positioned in terms of shots from the lead during the tournament:
- 2024 – Matt McCarty: Round 1: 2 back, Round 2: 2 back, Round 3: 2 ahead.
Incoming Form of Bank of Utah Championship winners:
- Matt McCarty: 63rd Sanderson/5th Nationwide Childrens/35th Simmons/1st Boise.
Tournament Stats: We’ve published some key player statistics for this week’s event that are well worth a look. Naturally they’ll help to shape a view on players who could go well this week: Current Form | Combined Stats | First Round Leader.
My published predictor is available here. Top 10 of my published predictor are: 1) Christiaan Bezuidenhout; 2) Takumi Kanaya; 3) Andrew Putnam; 4) Taylor Montgomery; 5) Rico Hoey; 6) Emiliano Grillo; 7) Sam Ryder; 8) Michael Thorbjornsen; 9) Davis Thompson; 10) Beau Hossler.
Our brand new predictor model is running alongside, where you can build your own rankings in live time, using the variables listed on the left hand side.
Bank of Utah Championship Winning Prices: 2024: McCarty 66/1.
Historical Weather:
- 2024: Thursday: Sunny. High of 93. Wind W 6-12 mph. Friday: Mostly sunny. High of 93. Wind W 6-12 mph. Saturday: Sunny. High of 92. Wind W 8-15 mph. Sunday: Sunny. High of 90. Wind SW 8-15 mph.
Weather Forecast: The latest weather forecast for Ivins, Utah is here.
It might surprise you to read that the weather in South-West Utah will be relatively cool this week. Where we saw temperatures of 30-31 degrees Celsius – 86-88 Fahrenheit – in 2024, this week sees a temperature range of 22-25 degrees Celsius – 72-77 Fahrenheit.
The real defence of this course is wind that can howl up to 40 mph quite often. However winds this week look light, with the standard desert increase in breeze for the afternoon starters – bear this in mind for First Round Leader. Late afternoon westerly winds gusting up to and around 20mph look in-play, especially on Saturday. Therefore I can see higher scoring than 12 months ago with high-teens (-18/266 to -19/267) the likely winning total.
Player Strokes Gained Rankings: These top 25 in the field rankings are based on an 8-tournament window that stretches back to the Tour Championship / Betfred British Masters which includes both PGA Tour and DP World Tour events, where recorded. Player rankings are based on performance relative to the rest of the field:
- Top 25 SG Off The Tee: 1) Pierceson Coody; 2) Kevin Yu; 3) Chad Ramey / Michael Thorbjornsen; 5) Nick Hardy; 6) Davis Thompson; 7) Jesper Svensson; 8) David Ford; 9) Cameron Champ / Trevor Cone; 11) Alex Smalley; 12) Steven Fisk; 13) William Mouw; 14) Doc Redman; 15) Kevin Roy; 16) Will Chandler / Noah Goodwin / Alex Noren / Karl Vilips; 20) Ben Silverman / Norman Xiong; 22) Maverick McNealy / Seamus Power; 24) Patrick Fishburn / Lee Hodges / Thomas Rosenmueller.
- Top 25 SG Approach: 1) Doc Redman; 2) Nick Hardy; 3) William Mouw; 4) Carson Young; 5) Thomas Rosenmueller; 6) Michael Thorbjornsen; 7) Trey Mullinax; 8) Kurt Kitayama / Ben Kohles / Sahith Theegala; 11) Joseph Bramlett; 12) Rico Hoey; 13) Greyson Sigg; 14) Emiliano Grillo / Stephan Jaeger; 16) Steven Fisk / Matteo Manassero; 18) Doug Ghim / Matt Wallace; 20) Zac Blair; 21) Ryan Gerard / Thorbjorn Olesen / David Skinns; 24) Maverick McNealy; 25) Max Homa / Taylor Montgomery / Alex Noren.
- Top 25 SG Around The Green: 1) Chandler Phillips; 2) Mac Meissner / Matthew Riedel; 4) Christiaan Bezuidenhout / Steven Fisk / Taylor Montgomery; 7) Pierceson Coody / Stephan Jaeger; 9) Braden Thornberry; 10) Sahith Theegala; 11) Max McGreevy; 12) Lee Hodges / Patton Kizzire; 14) Beau Hossler / Vincent Whaley; 16) Maverick McNealy; 17) Tim Widing; 18) Mason Andersen; 19) Justin Lower; 20) Brandt Snedeker; 21) Max Homa; 22) Matt Wallace; 23) Joseph Bramlett; 24) Billy Horschel / Mark Hubbard / David Skinns.
- Top 25 SG Tee to Green: 1) Doc Redman; 2) Pierceson Coody / Michael Thorbjornsen; 4) Sahith Theegala; 5) Steven Fisk; 6) Joseph Bramlett; 7) Mac Meissner; 8) Doug Ghim; 9) Alex Noren; 10) Thomas Rosenmueller / Thorbjorn Olesen / Kevin Yu; 13) William Mouw; 14) Greyson Sigg; 15) Christiaan Bezuidenhout; 16) Maverick McNealy / Davis Thompson; 18) Nick Hardy; 19) Patrick Fishburn; 20) Ryan Gerard / Kurt Kitayama; 22) Rico Hoey / Max Homa / Matt Wallace / Carson Young.
- Top 25 SG Putting: 1) Frankie Capan; 2) Aldrich Potgieter; 3) Lanto Griffin; 4) Takumi Kanaya; 5) Harry Higgs / Maverick McNealy; 7) Vincent Whaley; 8) William Mouw; 9) Taylor Montgomery / Chad Ramey; 11) Kevin Yu; 12) Lee Hodges; 13) Hayden Springer; 14) Stephan Jaeger / Matt McCarty; 16) Mark Hubbard; 17) Mason Andersen; 18) Max Homa; 19) Antoine Rozner / Adam Schenk; 21) Luke List / Karl Vilips; 23) Alex Noren; 24) Emiliano Grillo / Adam Hadwin / David Lipsky.
- Top 25 SG Total: 1) Doc Redman; 2) Pierceson Coody; 3) Michael Thorbjornsen; 4) Steven Fisk / Kevin Yu; 6) Maverick McNealy / Taylor Montgomery / William Mouw; 9) Alex Noren; 10) Greyson Sigg / Davis Thompson; 12) Christiaan Bezuidenhout; 13) Max Homa / Adam Schenk; 15) Takumi Kanaya; 16) Matt McCarty / Mac Meissner; 18) Luke List / Thorbjorn Olesen; 20) Sahith Theegala / Matt Wallace; 22) Vincent Whaley; 23) Trey Mullinax; 24) Lee Hodges; 25) Ryan Gerard / Mark Hubbard.
Trends & Key Factors: Analysing the Strokes Gained Stats of the Bank of Utah Championship winners here at Black Desert gives us a little more insight into the requirements for this desert, Par 72:
Strokes Gained Tournament Trends:
- 2024, Matt McCarty (-23). SG Off the Tee: 8th, SG Approach: 24th, SG Around the Green: 6th, SG Tee to Green: 7th, SG Putting: 7th.
It’s only one renewal but statistically from a Strokes Gained perspective Matt McCarty gained 2.14 strokes per round from Tee to Green (56%) and 1.64 Putting (44%). That’s an exceptionally high Putting number, the likes of which are only higher at a couple of venues namely Copperhead (Valspar Championship) and Memorial Park (Houston Open).
Tournament Trends & Key Factors: Analysing the final stats of the winners here gives us a little more insight into the requirements for this test:
- 2024, Matt McCarty (-23). 325 yards (41st), 75.0% fairways (65th), 79.2% greens in regulation (22nd), 66.7% scrambling (21st), 1.63 putts per GIR (2nd).
Let’s take a view from players as to how Black Desert Resort played last year and what specific skills it requires:
Matt McCarty (2024): “I hit it well. I had a few short birdie putts, which always helps. But yeah, just played solid. Hitting fairways out here is very important because if not I think you’re kind of re-teeing, so that was helpful. Yeah, just a fun day, and played really free, and I think that was helpful for sure. And growing up in Scottsdale, I think it’s helpful to be back in the desert, kind of feels like home, like the environment and everything. That’s been real nice this week for sure.
Yeah, there’s some courses in Scottsdale and Phoenix that are kind of the same thing, though. If you miss a fairway, you’re never going to find it. I think growing up with desert golf, sometimes it’s tough to get your lines off the tee and you don’t have trees lining the fairways so it’s a little tough like that, so I think that’s helpful for sure. But yeah, kind of the dry heat, a little elevation, the ball is travelling similar. I think it’s pretty similar to where we were at for the Korn Ferry in Boise this year, like same elevation, so kind of just going back to those same numbers, honestly.
There is a little kind of wind the last couple days, but I felt like for the most part it’s kind of soft. There are two drivable 4s, all the par-5s are kind of gettable. Kind of makes sense. Everybody out here is so good.”
Harris English (2024): Yeah, it’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen, especially with the black lava rock. I haven’t played a ton of desert golf other than next week in Vegas, a little bit of Phoenix I guess you would call desert golf. So I wouldn’t say I’m used to this terrain a whole lot. For me, it’s a little more blind shots than we’re used to. You see it over in Scotland and England in the British and Scottish Opens.
You just got to pick really good lines and hit your targets, trust that you’re aiming the correct spot. For us out here on TOUR, we’re used to seeing landing areas a lot more and being able to see where the fairway starts.”
Stephan Jaeger (2024): “Yeah, you know, I started well the last couple days. It just kind of, it’s one of those golf courses when you get off to a good start, you can take your chances sometimes and be conservative on some shots. I like this golf course. You got to keep it in play, play somewhat conservative at times, and take advantage of the par-5s and short par-3s. I feel like I have done that this week.
The golf course is starting to play a little firmer. You saw on 18. I think my 7-iron bounced maybe 12 yards onto the green. You know, I think they’re let ting it get firmer for the weekend. I haven’t seen the wind so I’m not sure what the wind looks like this weekend, but definitely hit a drive through the fairway at 370, so you’ve got to slowly figure out where to hit drivers, where to lay back a little bit. Yeah, it’s just a nice golf course for sure.
Yeah, I think obviously this golf course you first of all got to hit it in between the rocks, number one. So I’ve done a good job of that. I feel like it fits me off the tee pretty well.
Some holes I can kind of be aggressive on and some we have to all lay back a little bit. From there, I am sure they’re going to tuck the pins a little bit more tomorrow. They’re a little firmer in the afternoon. Obviously late, late afternoon greens always get a little bumpy. It’s a challenge. I’m up for it. Excited for tomorrow. Yeah, hopefully I can get a good one.”
First Round Leader Analysis: First round leader(s), their wave and winning score since 2024. Full First Round Leader stats are here.
- 2024 – Svensson – PM -11/60 – 55/1.
For the record, here’s the breakdown of pure Bentgrass green PGA Tour victors in the field since 2008:
- 5 – Jason Day.
- 3 – Francesco Molinari.
- 2 – Billy Horschel.
- 1 – Cameron Champ, Emiliano Grillo, Lee Hodges, Max Homa, Kurt Kitayama, Ben Martin, Matt McCarty, William Mouw, Trey Mullinax, Seamus Power, Brandt Snedeker, Kevin Streelman, Davis Thompson, Camilo Villegas.
