The PGA Tour returns to Black Desert Resort in Ivins, Utah, for the third edition of the Bank of Utah Championship. The 120-player field competes for a purse and a winner’s share as the FedExCup Fall series continues its eight-event stretch.
Black Desert Resort Setup and Desert Terrain
Carved directly through lava rock in Ivins, Utah, the 7,421-yard, par-71 course designed by Tom Weiskopf and Phil Smith presents a visual contrast where green fairways stand apart from surrounding volcanic terrain. The venue sits at an elevation of about 3,000 feet, which alters ball flight and requires constant distance adjustments from competitors.
The facility features expansive bentgrass fairways and 7,000-square-foot greens designed to welcome all to have a good time, ranking among the easiest par 71s on the circuit during its first two years. Bluegrass rough reaches up to 3.5 inches, but it occupies minimal space compared to the black rock and native hazards lurking near the playing corridors. With only two water hazards across the property, players face a layout that places a premium on second-shot accuracy and putting performance on greens expected to reach 12.5 feet on the Stimpmeter.
Weather Forecast and Tournament Schedule
Mother Nature introduces a twist early in the week. Tropical systems originating in the eastern Pacific Ocean deliver a fair amount of rain through at least Tuesday. Once the weather clears, sunshine takes over for the remainder of the event, pushing daytime temperatures toward the 90-degree mark with light winds.
The first round begins Thursday morning. This tournament marks the second stop of eight in the FedExCup Fall series, where participants compete to secure full PGA Tour status for the 2027 season.
Contenders and Betting Favorites at Black Desert Resort
Field contenders feature prominent names coming off strong recent performances. Presidents Cup star Jackson Koivun (+1100) leads the betting odds as the biggest name in the field. Ben James enters at +1600, trending upward after finishing second and third in his last two starts, including a runner-up finish behind Jacob Bridgeman in Asheville, North Carolina.
Michael Brennan returns as the defending champion at +1800, having won last year’s event in his tournament debut before adding a victory at the Wyndham Championship and a 10th-place finish at the BMW Championship during the playoffs. Matt Wallace (+2500) arrives carrying four straight top-20 finishes on the DP World Tour alongside a tie for seventh at the Wyndham Championship.
Past Champions and Notable Long Shots
Matt McCarty, who won the inaugural edition of the tournament in 2024 and tied for third last season, enters the week at +4500. While his ball-striking has experienced inconsistencies over the past three months, he ranks second in the field in strokes gained: putting.
Max Homa is listed at +4000 following a difficult 2026 season. Despite his struggles, metrics show him inside the top 40 across all strokes gained categories among the field over the last three months, complementing a tie for ninth at this course last year. Kevin Roy (+5500) ranks ninth in strokes gained: tee-to-green over the same span, while Chad Ramey (+9000) aims to build on finishes of 21st and 33rd in his prior appearances at Black Desert Resort.
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