Utah Championship field is set

Willie Wood has won more than $3 million in two-plus decades on the PGA Tour and owns a victory at the 1996 Deposit Guaranty Classic.

Yet, the 48-year-old former Oklahoma State golfer found himself at Layton's Valley View Golf Course Tuesday afternoon fighting for the final berth in the Nationwide Tour's Utah Championship at Willow Creek Country Club this week.

Wood defeated four other golfers on the second playoff hole to grab a spot in this week's $550,000 tournament, which will be played Thursday through Sunday. Wood will be one of several dozen golfers with PGA Tour experience playing this week.

Besides Wood, 13 other golfers were lucky enough to get into this week's tournament at the Valley View qualifier and one at Glen Eagle Golf Course in Syracuse.

Ben Portie of Westminster, Colo., set a new course record at Glen Eagle with a 10-under-par 62, a shot better than Justin Walters. William Herschel, Dong Yi and Steve Darthall each shot 64s, while Jim Park and Brian Kontac survived an eight-man playoff for the final two spots at Glen Eagle. Among those who lost in the playoff was Mike McRae, the former Utah State Amateur champion. Another former State Am champ, Tony Finau, shot a 72.

Andrew Dresser, of Carrollton, Texas, led the qualifiers at Valley View with a 63, a shot better than Charlie Beljan and Nickolas Jones. Tom Johnson of Weberville, Calif., shot a 65, while former University of Utah golfer Chris Gresh and Sam Osborne shot 66. Wood was the only player at 67 to make it.

The final pro-am will be played today and golfers will tee off on both nines Thursday beginning at 7:30 a.m. The field will include 26 players who have competed on this year's PGA Tour, and will feature the past three champions of the Utah Championship, defending champion Brendon Todd, Craig Kanada and Garrett Willis.

Several local players will be competing, including Nationwide regular Daniel Summerhays, Clay Ogden, Dave DeSantis, Mark Owen and Steve Schneiter.

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