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Derek Fribbs isn’t much of a talker, and his math skills aren’t the greatest.
But boy, the soon-to-be 34-year-old Colorado pro sure knows how to play golf well at Riverside Country Club in Provo, mastering the par-5s in particular.
Fribbs made three eagles in Sunday’s final round of the 98th Siegfried & Jensen Utah Open en route to a course-record 11-under 61 and won the tournament for the second time in four years. His 54-hole total of 19-under 197 was good enough for a two-shot victory over former BYU golfer and PGA Tour rookie Patrick Fishburn, who led by a shot after the second round.
“Twice is nice, right?” said Fribbs, who shot 23-under when he won in 2021. “I mean, this is one of my favorite places to play. This course (is great), and you play in the pro-ams with fun people here. And it is ran so well. Devin (Dehlin) and his crew are so welcoming. This is a good one to win.”
While the win three years ago was worth $20,000, this one was good for $22,000 and had arguably a better field with at least three golfers who have spent considerable time on the PGA Tour.
Fishburn, the 2017 champion when he was an amateur, held the lead for much of the day Sunday, before Fribbs played holes 13-15 in nine shots (two eagles sandwiched around a birdie) to seize the lead.
“I was kinda following the scores a little bit. I just couldn’t catch up. That’s pretty darn good. … That was an amazing stretch,” Fishburn said. “I saw he went 3-3-3 on (holes) 13 through 15. Congrats to Derek. That’s unbelievable play.”
Fishburn played the stretch at 5-3-5, sandwiching pars on the par-5s around a birdie on the short 14th hole, a par-4.
“I went 5-3-5, so the two 5s were kind of the killer there,” Fishburn said.
Three years ago, those stretch of holes also helped Fribbs hold off a late run from then PGA Tour regular Daniel Summerhays and former Boise State golfer T.K. Kim. Fribbs needed just nine shots back then, too, highlighted by a rare double eagle on 15 when he holed out from 215 yards.
“I didn’t even think about that,” he said of his heroics in 2021. “It is too much math for me.”
Fribbs said he didn’t do any scoreboard watching until he was on the No. 17 tee, despite having made a bogey on No. 10 that put a damper on the 29 he carded on the front nine. Speaking of which, the bogey “was kind of a blessing because it calmed me down and I just started playing golf again,” he said.
He acknowledge the thought of shooting a 59 crossed his mind until he made that bogey on the short par-4 10th hole.
The previous course record of 62 was jointly held by former PGA Tour player and past NCAA champion Jay Don Blake and Fishburn, who shot 10-under 62 in the 2016 Utah Open, only to fade to a tie for fifth place. In 2017, Fishburn opened with a 63 and ran away with the championship that year.
Why did he play in this year’s event as a PGA Tour rookie who didn’t make the FedEx Cup Playoffs?
“Lots of reasons,” he said. “This is always a great tournament. I love playing the Utah Open, love playing Riverside. A lot of great memories here.”
Fishburn, who shot a tournament-record 26-under-par 190 in 2017 before embarking on his pro career, said he wanted to get in “some reps” and stay sharp for the resumption of the 2024 PGA Tour season in Napa, California, next month.
“So many great players from all over the Western United States play in this thing. So, great competition. Shooting 19-under in three days, and the pins were really tricky, so that is amazing competition,” he said. “Just kind of a homecoming for me. See a lot of my teammates and see a lot of friends and a lot of club pros who have been so good to me my whole life, letting me come play at their courses. Just a great experience being here.”
University of Utah golfer Brandon Robison, from Centerville, was the low amateur at -14 and placed fifth. He edged former BYU golfer David Timmins, a reinstated amateur, by a shot.
Blair, the 2023 champion, tied for seventh at -12 with Matt Baird, BYU golfers Zac Jones and Cole Ponich and former BYU golfers Carson Lundell and Rhett Rasmussen, who are now pros. Baird was the low Utah Section PGA pro and won $1,500 for his efforts.
Sandy’s Todd Tanner won the Senior Division at -5 and tied for 34th overall.
Blake tied for 44th at -2, while former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo tied for 59th at +4. The current NFL analyst for CBS Sports posted an 80 on Sunday after two sub-par rounds.
Siegfried & Jensen Utah Open
At Par-72 Riverside Country Club, Provo
Final Results (54 holes)
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197 — Derek Fribbs, Aurora, Colorado (70-66-61)
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199 — Patrick Fishburn, Ogden (69-64-66)
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200 — Gavin Cohen, Phoenix, Arizona (65-69-66)
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201 — Josh Anderson, Murrieta, California (66-68-67)
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202 — a-Brandon Robison, Centerville (70-68-64)
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203 — a-David Timmins, Sandy (70-69-64)
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204 — Rhett Rasmussen, Draper (70-69-64); Carson Lundell, Alpine (68-70-66); Matt Baird, Highland (69-68-67), a-Zac Jones, Highland (69-67-68); Zac Blair, Orem (70-66-68); a-Cole Ponich, Farmington (67-67-70).
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205 — Daniel Robinson, Seminole, Florida (69-72-64)
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206 — Zach Johnson, Farmington (72-68-66), Clayton Tribus, Layton (70-68-68); Braydon Swapp, Ogden (67-69-70)
Go here for complete leaderboard.