Austin Cook Surges to Lead at Bank of Utah Championship

Austin Cook transformed his late entry into a share of the lead at the Bank of Utah Championship held at the Black Desert course. He achieved this after carding six birdies before play was suspended due to darkness. Cook is currently tied with Thorbjorn Olesen, Jesper Svensson, and David Lipsky, all of whom completed their rounds with a score of six-under-par 65.

Cook was on the par-four 14th hole, preparing for a 20-foot birdie putt when the light faded, halting play. The tournament’s schedule had already been adjusted, with afternoon tee times pushed back by 15 minutes. The 38 players who did not finish their rounds will resume early in the morning.

This marked Cook’s eighth start of the year and he expressed little dissatisfaction with the circumstances. Initially low on the alternate list, he was enjoying time at the beach with his family when he decided to participate in the Monday qualifier. After learning that he would be competing, Cook took the opportunity to replace Erik van Rooyen, who had withdrawn.

Olesen revealed that his expectations for the tournament were modest. Having recently traveled from the Sanderson Farms Championship in Mississippi to the Spanish Open in Europe, he returned home to Dubai before arriving in Utah. Olesen shared, “I would say my expectations were pretty low this morning. But I did some recovery work the last few days and just tried to get the body ready for today.”

The competition is particularly intense this season, as only three tournaments remain for players to secure a position in the top 100 of the FedExCup standings, which is crucial for retaining their full PGA Tour cards for the 2026 season. The cutoff has decreased from 125 players last year, intensifying the stakes for many participants. Olesen currently sits at No. 116, while Svensson and Lipsky are at No. 115 and No. 99, respectively.

Among those closely trailing the leaders is Paul Peterson, who started his round poorly at two over after eight holes but rallied to finish strong with six birdies and an eagle, finishing with a score of 66. The unique layout of the Black Desert course, characterized by its striking red dirt and black lava rock, offers numerous birdie opportunities but also poses significant challenges.

Notable player Billy Horschel struggled during his round, recording a quadruple-bogey eight on the 11th hole after a series of mishaps. After a penalty drop from the lava rocks, he attempted to recover but ended up three-putting from just inside 20 feet. Despite the setback, Horschel managed to salvage his round with an eagle on the 14th and a birdie on the par-three 15th, finishing with a score of 72.

In the mix for a strong finish, Max Homa reached three under par before running into trouble on the 13th hole, leading to a double bogey. He rebounded by driving the 14th green and making a birdie but lost ground with a bogey on the 16th and a missed par opportunity on the 17th, finishing even par.

Meanwhile, Alex Noren completed his round with a score of four-under 67, marking a strong return to form after a leg injury kept him out of competition until May. Noren previously won the prestigious BMW PGA Championship in England and served as a vice captain for Europe’s victorious Ryder Cup team.

The excitement continues at the Bank of Utah Championship, with live coverage available on Sky Sports Golf. Fans eagerly await the resumption of play as the tournament unfolds, with the leaderboard set to change dramatically in the coming days.