A 238-yard albatross on the ninth hole was part of the opening round at Black Desert Resort, but rookie Zach Bauchou seized control of the leaderboard.
Bauchou’s Bogey-Free 62 Seizes the Lead
PGA Tour rookie Zach Bauchou leads the Bank of Utah Championship after firing a bogey-free, career-low 9-under 62 in Thursday’s opening round. Bauchou, who entered the week ranked 86th in the FedExCup standings, finished his round with back-to-back birdies to secure a one-shot lead over a crowded field of nine players.
Bauchou led the field with a 5.635 Strokes Gained: Tee to Green metric during his round. After entering the week with two top-10 finishes in 22 starts this season, the 30-year-ruling rookie holed a 12-foot birdie putt at the par-3 17th before reaching the 602-yard 18th hole in two and converting a two-putt from 25 feet for birdie.
A Scorching Opening Day on the Desert Course
The Black Desert course yielded low scores throughout the day, with nine players finishing one stroke behind Bauchou at 8-under 63. The group at 63 includes David Lipsky, Stephan Jaeger, Steven Fisk, Jordan Smith, Kevin Roy, Kevin Streelman, Nick Dunlap, Austin Smotherman, and Sudarshan Yellamaraju.
Among those at 63, Yellamaraju and Lipsky set career-low PGA Tour rounds, while Fisk and Smith matched theirs. Smith played his final three holes at 5 under, beginning his late push by draining a 30-foot birdie putt on No. 8.
Jordan Smith’s 63 was highlighted by an albatross on the par-5 ninth hole, where he holed out his second shot from 238 yards. “It’s the first time I’ve ever done it, so it was pretty special, and to end a round like that is even more special,” Smith said.
Local Contenders and Defending Champion Positioned
Among players with Utah ties, Ogden natives and former BYU stars Zac Blair and Patrick Fishburn finished at 5-under 66, tied for 26th place. They were joined at that score by former Cougar Tyson Shelley. BYU sophomore Kihei Akina carded a 4-under 67, while amateur Boston Bracken finished at 2-under 69. Tony Finau, the most accomplished local player in the field, struggled on the final hole with a bogey to finish at 1-under 70, tied for 80th.
Bracken finished one shot ahead of former BYU players Zac Johnson and Rhett Rasmussen, alongside two-time Utah State Amateur champion Bowen Mauss, who now competes at Arizona State. Finau recorded his bogey after hitting his wedge shot short of the green on No. 18, watching it roll back toward his feet before settling for a six and tying with Johnson at 1-under 70.
Defending champion Michael Brennan remains in contention following an opening 64, placing him in a group at 7-under alongside Christiaan Bezuidenhout and Nick Taylor, who finished his round with a 50-foot eagle putt.
Stakes Rise in the FedExCup Fall
The tournament carries significant weight for players attempting to secure their status for the 2027 season. With the top 100 players in the FedExCup Fall standings retaining full PGA Tour status, the leaderboard remains tight as participants look to improve their positions. A win for Bauchou would propel him from 86th to 51st in the standings, potentially qualifying him for the first two signature events of the next season.
Second Round Starts Friday at Black Desert Resort
The second round continues Friday at the Black Desert Resort in Ivins, Utah. Tee times for the morning wave begin at 9:35 a.m. ET, with Jordan Smith, Mackenzie Hughes, and Brendon Todd scheduled to start on the first tee.
The top 100 players at the conclusion of the fall series earn full status for the 2027 PGA Tour season, while those finishing between 51st and 60th earn entry into the first two signature events of the following year.