LEHI — Besides having their name engraved on the historic trophy and taking home a championship ring, winning the 109th Utah State Amateur at Thanksgiving Point would go a long ways in the careers of the two who made it to today's 36-hole match-play final.

For 34-year-old Scott Clark it would be the seal on what has been a somewhat overlooked amateur performance over the past five years. He's won several local tournaments, finished among the leaders at almost every weekend event, and he's been a fixture in the Utah Golf Association Top 5 in player-performance points since he resumed playing competitive golf, ironically, five years ago when the State Am was last staged at Thanksgiving Point.

Clark was once the Western Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year as a Utah Ute. But he eventually gave up college golf and even took a 10-year break from the game because of burnout. In each of the past five years, however, the Draper investor has made it to the State Am's match-play, but this is the first time that he's advanced past the second round.

"This would be by far my biggest golf accomplishment," Clark said.

For the entire week Utah Valley State junior-to-be Nick Nelson has played the role of State Am unknown. The 23-year-old prepped at Lone Peak and then played junior college golf in Texas before deciding to accept an offer to play for Wolverine coach Clark Rustand. Still, few competitors who teed off at this week's state championship knew anything about Nelson's golf game. He's yet to win a tournament in Utah and this is his first-ever attempt at the State Am.

"This would open the door to a lot of tournaments and people would at least know who I am," Nelson said. "When I show up on the first tee I at least hope to be known now."

Both reached the State Am finals by the skin of their teeth.

In Saturday morning's quarterfinals, Clark came through the tournament's toughest bracket with a win over Dan Horner on the second extra hole. It was a match that saw both golfers make an eagle and four birdies. Strangely, the eagles came on the same hole, the 575-yard par-5 14th, and each also made birdie on the two front-side par 3s. But Clark advanced when Horner made bogey on the par-5 No. 2 in the playoff.

"Had Dan played anyone else he probably would have made the final four," Clark said. "I'm very fortunate to get in."

Clark, playing aggressive golf, then jumped out in front of BYU sophomore Robbie Fillmore in the semifinals and held on to win easily, 4 and 3.

"I just knew I had to make birdies to win holes. I knew pars were not going to get it done," Clark said.