Ogden – Cole Ponich Shines on Korn Ferry Tour
Cole Ponich has made a successful debut on the Korn Ferry Tour, finishing tied for 12th after shooting a solid 3-under-par 67 at the Utah Championship at Ogden Golf and Country Club.
This marks Ponich’s third start as a professional golfer. Following a victory at the Provo Open a month prior and a top-15 finish at the Colorado Open, he returned to the site where he clinched the Utah state amateur championship last year.
During his initial 36 holes, Ponich’s average drive reached 329 yards, while he excelled in putting, ranking in the top 15 for putts per greens in regulation with an impressive 1.63 average.
The former junior All-American from Davis High School performed exceptionally well, particularly on par-3 holes, finishing at 3-under before experiencing a bogey on the par-3 16th hole. “I feel like I rolled it really well over the last two days,” Ponich commented to KSL.com.
Ponich is currently tied with fellow former Utah state amateur champion, Preston Summerhays, who also turned pro recently. They trail behind Connor Howe and Daniel Summerhays, the latter having shot an impressive 7-under 63, moving him up to tied for eighth place at 8-under.
Daniel Summerhays’ two-day score of 132 is particularly noteworthy given his recent back surgery, where he fused his L3 and L4 vertebrae. After a tough recovery, Summerhays returned to action just three weeks ago and showcased significant improvement through diligent rehabilitation and practice.
In the lead of the tournament is Taylor Montgomery, who shot a remarkable 6-under 64, putting him at 14-under overall. Montgomery reflected on the prolonged nature of golf, emphasizing the mental challenges it presents compared to other sports.
Local golfer Mitchell Schow and former BYU player Peter Kuest both finished the day tied at 3-under, just making the cut. BYU incoming freshman Kihei Akina also participated, concluding at 1-under.
Upcoming Tee Times for Saturday’s Third Round
- 8:35 a.m. MDT — Peter Kuest, former BYU golfer
- 8:55 a.m. MDT — Mitchell Schow, former Utah golfer
- 1 p.m. MDT — Cole Ponich, former BYU golfer
- 1:40 p.m. MDT — Preston Summerhays, former Utah state amateur champion
- 2:10 p.m. MDT — Daniel Summerhays, former BYU golfer; Connor Howe, former Weber High golfer
