Likely winners? Well you have to start with Bruce Brockbank, who won last year and was in the finals the year before. He's also playing well now, having won the Art City Amateur last week and the Canyon Hills Amateur earlier in the month. Other top candidates include Todd Barker, who has won practically every amateur title in the state except this one and Ron Hitchcock, who always makes it to match play and often to the quarters or semis.

Among the college golfers, there's the University of Utah contingent, Matt Johnson, Devin Dehlin, Doug Roberts, and BYU golfers Rafael Ponce, Brad Sutterfield and Jon Baker

Former champions include Brad Hansen, Steve Borget, Mark Davis and Mitch Hyer, Arlen Peacock and Jack Ridd.

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HOMESTEAD COURSE UNDER WAY: Every time a new golf course is built in Utah, it's cause for rejoicing among golfers. Not only does it give the golfer another choice of where to play, it helps to ease the overcrowdedness, which seems to be one of the biggest complaints a golfer has.

The latest golf course under construction is the Homestead Course in Midway, adjacent to the Homestead hotel and restaurant. Ground was broken Friday and the course is due to be ready for play in the fall of 1989.

Wasatch Mountain pro Bruce Summerhays designed the course and will be the director of golf. The course is a championship-caliber (ren't all courses these days?) 7,185-yard, par-71 layout.

"It will be quite spectacular with Snake Creek running through it," said Summerhays.

Jerry Sander, the owner of the Homestead, notes that it will be Utah's first hotel-owned and managed golf course. "It will be intergrated into the whole management of the Homestead. Guests will be able to book rooms and golf reservations at the same time."

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STRAY SHOTS: Dorie Davis, the reigning ladies club champion at Oakridge Country Club accomplished a rare feat last week when she made not one, but two holes in one in the same round. First she aced the 142-yard No. 5 hole with a 5-iron and followed with an ace at the 126-yard No. 13 hole with a 6-iron . . . Those connected with the local golf scene were shocked and saddened to hear of the death of Vance Christensen in California last month. Christiansen was one of the state's top amateurs in the late 1970s and early 1980s . . . Provo's Mike O'Brien and Scott Brockbank qualified for the USGA Junior Amateur at New Haven, Connecticut July 24-30 . . . Former Nibley Park assistant Mike Bicker is the new head pro at Spring Meadows in Bountiful . . . BYU golf coach Gary Howard signed three golfers for next year, including Sharon Probst of Midway.