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2026 Bank of Utah Championship betting and fantasy golf preview with key stats, Black Desert Resort course breakdown, field analysis, and TV times for this week’s PGA Tour event.
The PGA TOUR heads to Ivins, Utah, this week for the third edition of the Bank of Utah Championship at Black Desert Resort. The event features a 120-player field and serves as the second tournament of the FedExCup Fall. Over the next seven events, players will compete to improve their positions in the FedExCup standings, with those inside the top 100 at the conclusion of the Fall earning full PGA TOUR status for the 2027 season.
Defending champion and World No. 32 Michael Brennan headlines this week's field, while 2024 champion Matt McCarty is also set to tee it up at Black Desert Resort. Several players from last week's Presidents Cup are also in the field, including U.S. Team member Jackson Koivun and International Team members Christiaan Bezuidenhout and Nick Taylor.
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Bank of Utah Championship - Tournament Information
- Dates: October 1st – October 4th, 2026
- Location: Ivins, Utah, United States
- Course: Black Desert Resort Golf Course
- Course Type: Parkland
- Par: 71 (4x 3’s / 11x 4’s / 3x 5’s)
- Length: 7,421 yards
- Format: 72-hole stroke play
- Greens: 007XL bentgrass .120”
- Fairways: Dominator bentgrass .350”
- Rough: Kentucky bluegrass 2”
- Bunkers: 44
- Water Hazard(s): 3 (In-Play on 2 Holes)
- Average Green Size: 7,000 sq. ft.
- Purse/ Winner: $6,000,000 /$1,080,000
- FedEx Cup Points: 500
- Field: 120 Players
- Cut: Top 65 and Ties – 36 Holes
- Playoff Format: Sudden Death (18 repeated; hole change after 2 extra holes)
- Historic Cut Line:
- 2025: -2
- 2024: -5
- Course Scoring Average:
- 2025: 69.81 (-1.19), Rank 30 of 50
- 2024: 69.06 (-1.94), Rank 39 of 51
Bank of Utah Championship - Course Information
Course Architect:
Comparable Courses:
Designer Link (Tom Weiskopf):
- Torrey Pines Golf Course (North Course) – Tom Weiskopf (2016) – Farmers Insurance Open
- TPC Scottsdale (Stadium Course) – Tom Weiskopf & Jay Morrish (1986) – WM Phoenix Open
- TPC Craig Ranch – Tom Weiskopf (2004) – THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson
Comparable Location (Ivins, Utah):
- TPC Scottsdale (Stadium Course) – Scottsdale, Arizona – WM Phoenix Open
Comparable Yardage (7,421 Yards):
Comparable Greens (007XL bentgrass .120”):
- Torrey Pines Golf Course (North) – Bentgrass .100″ – Farmers Insurance Open
- Augusta National Golf Club – Bentgrass .125” – Masters Tournament
- TPC Craig Ranch – Bentgrass .100” – THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson
- Colonial Country Club – OO7XL bentgrass .100” – Charles Schwab Challenge
- TPC Deere Run – L-93 Bentgrass .100” – John Deere Classic
- Muirfield Village Golf Club– Bentgrass .090”– the Memorial Tournamnt
- Hurstbourne Country Club (Championship Course) – A1/A4 bentgrass .110” – ISCO Championship
- TPC Twin Cities – Bentgrass .100” – 3M Open
- Yokohama Country Club (West Course) – Bentgrass – Baycurrent Classic
Comparable Average Green Size (7,000 sq. ft.):
- PGA WEST (Nicklaus Tournament Course) – 7,000 sq. ft. – The American Express
- PGA National Resort (The Champion Course) – 7,000 sq. ft. – Cognizant Classic
- Memorial Park Golf Course – 7,000 sq. ft. – Texas Children’s Houston Open
- The Renaissance Club – 7,000 sq. ft. – Genesis Scottish Open
Bank of Utah Championship - TV Information (ET)
Bank of Utah Championship - Weather
Bank of Utah Championship - Course/Tournament History
The Bank of Utah Championship is one of the newest events on the PGA TOUR schedule, debuting in 2024 as the Black Desert Championship. The event marked the PGA TOUR’s return to Utah for the first time in more than 60 years and has been contested at Black Desert Resort in Ivins ever since. Bank of Utah became the tournament’s title sponsor in 2025, with the agreement running through 2027.
Matt McCarty captured the inaugural title in 2024, earning his first PGA TOUR victory in just his third career start. McCarty finished at 23-under 261, three strokes ahead of Stephan Jäger, becoming the first champion in tournament history.
Michael Brennan followed with a victory in 2025, shooting 22-under 262 to finish four strokes ahead of Rico Hoey.
Black Desert Resort is one of the newest courses on the PGA TOUR schedule, with the championship course opening in 2023. Located in Ivins, Utah, just outside St. George, the course was designed by Tom Weiskopf and Phil Smith and became the final design project Weiskopf worked on during his career. Weiskopf passed away in August 2022 before construction was completed, with Smith carrying the project through to its completion.
The course was built across a 600-acre property featuring dramatic black lava fields surrounded by the red-rock mountains of southern Utah. Constructing the layout required blasting through the lava to create playable areas, while the routing incorporates the natural veins and formations of the volcanic landscape. The front nine opened in November 2022, followed by the back nine in May 2023.
Black Desert quickly established itself as a professional golf venue. The PGA TOUR returned to Utah in 2024 after a 61-year absence, with the inaugural Black Desert Championship held at the resort. The course has also hosted an LPGA Tour event since 2025, further establishing Black Desert as a venue capable of challenging the world's best players. Bank of Utah became the PGA TOUR event's title sponsor in 2025, with the tournament now known as the Bank of Utah Championship.
Previous Tournament Venues:
| Duration: | Course: | Location: |
| 2024-Present | Black Desert Resort Golf Course | Ivins, Utah, United States |
Previous Tournament Names:
| Duration: | Tournament Name: |
| 2025- Present | Bank of Utah Championship |
| 2024 | Black Desert Championship |
Course Records:
- 72-Hole Record:
- 261, Matt McCarty (2024)
- 18-Hole Record:
- 60, Adam Svensson (first round, 2024)
Bank of Utah Championship - Course Guide/ Scorecard
Black Desert Resort provides one of the most unique settings on the PGA TOUR, with the course carved through the black lava fields and red-rock landscape of Southern Utah. Located in Ivins, Utah, just outside St. George, the championship layout was designed by Tom Weiskopf and Phil Smith and opened in 2023. It was the final course project Weiskopf worked on before his death in 2022, with Smith completing the design.
The 2026 Bank of Utah Championship will be played at 7,400-plus yards and a par 71, with 11 par 4s, four par 3s and three par 5s. Despite its considerable length, Black Desert features some of the widest fairways on the PGA TOUR. The average fairway measures approximately 49 yards wide, making it the third-widest layout on TOUR. That gives players plenty of room off the tee, although strategically placed lava, bunkers, and other hazards still punish poorly positioned shots.
The greens are also larger than average, with an average size of approximately 7,000 square feet, ranking 11th largest on TOUR. The combination of wide fairways and large greens creates plenty of opportunities to attack, but players still need to position themselves properly to take advantage of the scoring opportunities. The course's black lava fields provide the defining hazard, lining many of the fairways and creating significant consequences for shots that miss the intended landing areas.
Elevation is another important factor at Black Desert. The course sits at the highest elevation of any venue on the PGA TOUR, meaning players will see some additional distance on their shots throughout the week. That should make the three par 5s particularly important, as longer hitters will have opportunities to reach them in two and create scoring chances.
While the course offers plenty of room and rewards players who can generate distance, the first two editions of the tournament have favored accuracy off the tee more than pure driving distance. With wide fairways available, players who consistently find the short grass should have an opportunity to take advantage of the course's scoring areas while avoiding the lava and other hazards. That makes driving accuracy an especially interesting stat to consider when evaluating this week's field.
Black Desert also features several unique green complexes and architectural elements inspired by famous holes from around the world. The third hole incorporates elements of Riviera's famous sixth, while the par-5 13th draws inspiration from the 14th green at Pebble Beach. The 17th hole is modeled after the famous Postage Stamp at Royal Troon, creating a short but demanding par 3 where precision is critical.
With wide fairways, large greens, significant elevation, and a collection of strategic hazards, Black Desert offers players several different ways to attack the course. The scoring environment has been favorable in the tournament's first two editions, with Matt McCarty winning at 23-under in 2024 and Michael Brennan finishing at 22-under in 2025.
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Bank of Utah Championship - Notable Par 3s
The four Par 3s at Black Desert Resort range from 151 to 202 yards, placing a premium on precision and smart club selection.
Hole 3 | Par 3 | 198 Yards | 2025 Stroke Average: 3.023 (Difficulty Rank - 9)
Hole 3 is a par three with a bunker in the middle of the green, inspired by Riviera’s sixth hole, allowing for creative, challenging putts.
Hole 8 | Par 3 | 152 Yards | 2025 Stroke Average: 2.944 (Difficulty Rank - 11)
Hole 8 shares a double green with Hole 2, features a short downhill tee shot, and is protected by lava and a deep bunker.
Hole 15 | Par 3 | 202 Yards | 2025 Stroke Average: 3.066 (Difficulty Rank - 7)
Hole 15 is the longest par three at 205 yards, with a bunkered, flat green atop a hill overlooking Padre and Snow Canyons.
Hole 17 | Par 3 | 151 Yards | 2025 Stroke Average: 2.894 (Difficulty Rank - 12)
Hole 17 is a 155-yard par three with a small green surrounded by three bunkers, rewarding accurate tee shots and good putting.
Bank of Utah Championship - Notable Par 4s
There are eleven Par 4s at Black Desert Resort, with the majority of those holes ranging 500+ yards. No. 5 is the shortest, listed at 320 yards, with the longest being No. 11, playing 532 yards.
Hole 6 | Par 4 | 450 Yards | 2025 Stroke Average: 4.041 (Difficulty Rank - 8)
Hole 6 is a par four with lakes on both sides of the fairway, a generous landing area, and an uphill approach to a bunker-protected green.
Hole 11 | Par 4 | 532 Yards | 2025 Stroke Average: 4.261 (Difficulty Rank - 1)
Hole 11 is a long par 4 with a wide fairway, downhill approach, and a bunker and pond protecting the green’s right front.
Hole 13 | Par 4 | 519 Yards | 2025 Stroke Average: 4.223 (Difficulty Rank - 2)
Hole 13 features an elevated tee shot with a lake on the left, a green atop a lava-surrounded knob, inspired by Pebble Beach’s 14th hole.
Bank of Utah Championship - Notable Par 5s
There are three Par 5’s on the course: No. 7, No. 9, and No. 18. All of these holes had a scoring average under par in 2025. No. 18 was the easiest Par 5 on the course last year, with a scoring average of 0.516 below par.
Hole 7 | Par 5 | 589 Yards | 2025 Stroke Average: 4.581 (Difficulty Rank - 16)
Hole 7 is a long, semi-blind par five with lava islands near a small, well-protected green measuring about 6,028 square feet.
Hole 9 | Par 5 | 587 Yards | 2025 Stroke Average: 4.793 (Difficulty Rank - 14)
Hole 9 is a par five playing uphill, with lava and bunkers protecting the fairway and green, offering views of Snow and Padre Canyons.
Hole 18 | Par 5 | 595 Yards | 2025 Stroke Average: 4.484 (Difficulty Rank - 17)
Hole 18 is a 570-yard dogleg left par five with lava and bunkers shaping the fairway, and a challenging green inspired by Augusta’s fifth.
Featured/ Signature Hole(s): 13, 18
Bank of Utah Championship - Key Statistics
Strokes Gained: Off the Tee
Strokes Gained: Approach
Strokes Gained: Putting (Bentgrass)
Good Drives Gained %
Fairways Gained
Par 4 Scoring
Par 5 Scoring: 550-600 Yards
Birdies or Better %
Proximity Gained: 150-200 Yards
Comparable Courses and Event History
Bank of Utah Championship - The Field
The 2026 Bank of Utah Championship features a 120-player field, including 24 players ranked inside the top 100 of the Official World Golf Ranking. The field is headlined by defending champion and World No. 32 Michael Brennan, while 2024 champion Matt McCarty is also set to tee it up this week.
Basis of qualification for each entrant this week:
- Tournament Winner in Past Two Seasons
- Top 70 on Prior Years FedExCup Points List
- Top 5 from PGA TOUR Q-School
- Top 20 Prior Season Korn Ferry Tour Points List
- Top 100 on prior season FedExCup Fall Points List
- Top 100 (Medical)
- Top 10 and Ties from the Previous Event
- Sponsors Exemptions - Unrestricted
- Reorder for 111-125/300 Career Cuts
- Reorder Category - Cat. 37 thru 44.
- PGA TOUR University
- PGA Section Champion\Player of the Year
- Major Medical Extension
- Leading 10 players (not otherwise exempt) on DP World Tour
- 101-110 prior season FedExCup Fall Points List
Debutants in the Field (Event):
- A.J. Ewart, Aaron Wise, Austin Eckroat, Benjamin James, Boston Bracken, Brendon Todd, Cameron Davis, Christo Lamprecht, David Lingmerth, Davis Chatfield, Davis Riley, Denny McCarthy, Eric Cole, Hank Lebioda, Jackson Koivun, Jeffrey Kang, Jimmy Stanger, John Parry, John VanDerLaan, Johnny Keefer, Jordan L Smith, Kensei Hirata, Li Haotong, Mackenzie Hughes, Marcelo Rozo, Marco Penge, Marty Dou Zecheng, Matthieu Pavon, Max Greyserman, Michael Thompson, Neal Shipley, Pontus Nyholm, Rasmus Hojgaard, Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen, Sudarshan Yellamaraju, Taylor Pendrith, Tony Finau, Zach J Johnson, Zachary Bauchou
Exemptions:
- Kihei Akina: Sponsors Exemptions - Unrestricted
- Boston Bracken: Sponsors Exemptions - Unrestricted
- Bowen Mauss: Sponsors Exemptions - Unrestricted
- Tyson Shelley: Sponsors Exemptions - Unrestricted
Previous Winners in the Field (Event):
- Michael Brennan – 2025
- Matt McCarty – 2024
Notable Withdraws/ Changes:
- Lanto Griffin WD / Kevin Streelman IN (on his own number)
- Tyson Shelley IN (sponsor exemption)
Bank of Utah Championship - The Odds
Here’s a breakdown of the top players in the field for this year’s Bank of Utah Championship at Black Desert Resort, ranked by current betting odds (via DraftKings). The table below details each player’s five most recent finishes on the PGA Tour/ DP World Tour and their last results at the Bank of Utah Championship. My top plays of the week are included in the PGA Premium package.
| Golfer | Odds | Last 5 Finishes on the PGA TOUR/ DPWT* (Recent -> Past) |
Last 5 Finishes at the Bank of Utah Championship (Recent -> Past) |
| Jackson Koivun | +1100 | T5-T24-T29-T31-WON | - |
| Maverick McNealy | +1700 | T7-T19-T25-T34-MC | MC |
| Michael Brennan | +1750 | T10-T42-WON-T15-T24 | WON |
| Benjamin James | +2000 | 2-3-T38-MC-T4 | - |
| Matt Wallace | +2250 | T10*-T14*-T9*-T15*-T7 | MC |
| Doug Ghim | +2600 | T17-T19-T15-MC-MC | T63-T25 |
| Marco Penge | +2800 | T10-T18*-T6*-T38-T45 | - |
Bank of Utah Championship - Recent Horses for Courses
| Bank of Utah Championship | Black Desert Championship | |
| Black Desert Resort | Black Desert Resort | |
| Golfer | 2025 | 2024 |
| Matt McCarty | T3 | WON |
| Stephan Jaeger | T11 | 2 |
| Rico Hoey | 2 | 21 |
| Max McGreevy | T11 | T11 |
| Patrick Rodgers | T27 | T11 |
Bank of Utah Championship - Recent Donkeys for Courses
| Bank of Utah Championship | Black Desert Championship | |
| Black Desert Resort | Black Desert Resort | |
| Golfer | 2025 | 2024 |
| Luke List | MC | MC |
| Kihei Akina | MC | MC |
| Brice Garnett | MC | MC |
| Mark Hubbard | MC | MC |
| Patrick Fishburn | MC | MC |
| Chandler Phillips | MC | MC |
| David Skinns | MC | MC |
| Rafael Campos | MC | MC |
| Dylan Wu | 69 | MC |
Bank of Utah Championship - Previous Winners' Scores, Prices, and Strokes Gained (Rank at Tournament)
- 2025: Michael Brennan (-22)
- Price: 125-1
| SG: Off the Tee | SG: Tee to Green | SG: Approach | SG: Around the Green | SG: Putting |
| 1st | 3rd | 23rd | 27th | 8th |
- 2024: Matt McCarty (-23)
- Price: 66-1
| SG: Off the Tee | SG: Tee to Green | SG: Approach | SG: Around the Green | SG: Putting |
| 8th | 7th | 24th | 6th | 6th |
Bank of Utah Championship - Previous Winners Incoming Form (Last 5 Starts)
- 2025: Michael Brennan
- T4 – Fortinet Cup Championship (PTA)
- T5 – Times Colonist Victoria Open (PTA)
- WON – ABT Classic (PTA)
- WON – CRMC Championship (PTA)
- T51 – Manitoba Open (PTA)
- 2024: Matt McCarty
- T63 – Sanderson Farms Championship (PGA)
- T5 – Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship (KFT)
- T35 – Simmons Bank Open for the Snedeker Foundation (KFT)
- WON – Albertsons Boise Open (KFT)
- T9 – Magnit Championship (KFT)
Bank of Utah Championship - Previous Winners' Finishes at Event
2025: Michael Brennan
- Tournament Debut
2024: Matt McCarty
- Tournament Debut
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