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| Tuesday Sep 29, 2026 |
BANK OF UTAH CHAMPIONSHIP NOTEBOOK
➡️ The third Bank of Utah Championship returns to Black Desert Golf Course in Ivins, Utah, as the second event of the eight-tournament FedEx Cup Fall schedule. The 120-player field features 2014 FedExCup champion Billy Horschel, three 2026 PGA Tour winners, and three players fresh off competing in the Presidents Cup.
➡️ Reigning champion Michael Brennan enters the week as the highest-ranked player in the field at No. 33 in the Official World Golf Ranking. Brennan, who won the inaugural 2025 event as a sponsor exemption by a tournament-record four strokes, captured his second career PGA Tour victory earlier this season at the Wyndham Championship and finished 46th in the FedEx Cup standings.
➡️ Rookie Jackson Koivun makes his Bank of Utah Championship debut fresh off an undefeated 2-0-1 performance for the victorious U.S. Team at the Presidents Cup. The 21-year-old former Auburn standout enters the week 62nd in the FedEx Cup Fall standings as he seeks his second title of the season following his three-stroke victory over Scottie Scheffler at the 3M Open.
➡️ Six-time PGA Tour winner and Salt Lake City native Tony Finau makes his tournament debut, headlining a group of seven players with Utah ties in the field. The local contingency includes St. George resident Zac Blair, former BYU golfer Patrick Fishburn, 19-year-old sponsor exemption and two-time Utah Amateur champion Bowen Mauss, and 2024 tournament champion Matt McCarty.
➡️ McCarty returns to Black Desert Golf Course seeking his second victory at the event after setting tournament scoring records for 54 holes (194) and 72 holes (261) during his 2024 win. McCarty, who finished tied for third in defense of his title last year, capped his 2026 regular season ranked 50th in the FedEx Cup standings after posting four top-10 finishes, highlighted by a runner-up result at The American Express.
POLL OF THE WEEK
RADICAL CHANGE
Should international team competition eliminate singles play and consist only of foursomes and fourball matches?
>> Vote
Last week: Are you in favor of the new eligibility criteria and membership categories for the PGA Tour's Championship and Challenger series? | Results
QUESTION OF THE WEEK
ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN
What are your takeaways from the 16th Presidents Cup?
>> Respond
Last week: What are your thoughts on the PGA Tour's eligibility criteria and membership categories for its Championship and Challenger series that begin in 2028? | Read
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Organized by Fairways to Heaven Golf Travel, the intimate event at Lahinch and Doonbeg returns in May 2027 to offer five days of links golf, hospitality and connection.
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The First Call readers react as the PGA Tour defines clear promotion and relegation pathways for its new Championship and Challenger series.
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RECENT DROPS
🎧 | ▶️ CONTENT CLUBHOUSE
One-Way Ticket: Alissa Kacar
Guests: Alissa Kacar, golf content creator, media personality and social media host of the former Farmers Insurance Open on the PGA Tour.
Listen | Watch | Archives
▶️ GOLF INNERVIEW WITH ANN LIGUORI
Ireland golf boom: Championships put country in global tourism spotlight
Guest: Alison Metcalfe, executive vice president, North America, Tourism Ireland.
Listen | Archives
Buffalo Research's new Golf in Motion Monthly tracks year-over-year visitation trends across traditional golf facilities, off-course retail, golf entertainment venues and sporting goods retailers using anonymized movement data from approximately 30 million mobile devices.
Each monthly report is designed to provide the golf industry with a consistent, data-driven benchmark to help operators, brands, investors and industry leaders identify trends, and make more informed business decisions.
The report is free. Upon signing up, you will receive the updated monthly reports straight to your inbox.
>> Sign Up
SEPTEMBER
29-30: Golf Inc. Strategies Summit, Hilton Head, South Carolina | Info
OCTOBER
1: Golf Inc. Strategies Summit, Hilton Head, South Carolina | Info
NOVEMBER
8-11: International Association of Golf Administrators Annual Conference | Info
9-11: Golf Business Network Leadership Summit, Pinehurst, North Carolina | Info
JANUARY
26: AGM Retail Conference, Orlando, Florida | Info
26-29: PGA Show, Orlando, Florida | Info
To submit events for the calendar, please include the event name, date, location and informational link to info@firstcallgolf.com.
