IVINS, Utah — Zach Bauchou carded the final two holes Thursday for a career-best round of 9-under 62, giving him a one-shot lead on a low-scoring day at the Bank of Utah Championship.
With several players on the way to the Black Desert Resort, Bauchou hit a 12-foot birdie on the par-17, closing the hole at 602 yards with a birdie from 25 feet and the first 18-hole lead on the PGA Tour.
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Bauchou is at No. 86 in the FedEx Cup. Only the top 100 at the end of the FedEx Fall Cup in November keeps the cards full for 2027. The Oklahoma State alum said he hasn’t thought about that.
“I felt like I spent the last couple weeks thinking about the season. It felt like I played more than a solid year, it just didn’t have many high points,” he said. “As you try to improve when I’m at home and I know that I’m actually playing probably better than my results.”
Sudarshan Yellamaraju of Canada is the first nine players behind a 63. He is at No. 59 in the FedEx Cup, among those who hope for a good chance to finish among the top 60 and are eligible for signature events at Pebble Beach and Riviera.
It took Jackson Koivun a while to get back to his President’s Cup. The 21-year-old who was unbeaten on his Presidents Cup debut last week. He had three bogeys and 2 rounds of his own while Koivun had four birdies in his five holes for 69.
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He still needs to be able to make sure he sticks around for the weekend because of the low scoring on a beautiful day in southern Utah.
The average score was about 68.
Nick Taylor is still making great putts, as he did in Medina last week for the International team. Taylor finished the round with an eagle 50-foot putt and was among a group of 64 players that included Presidents Cup teammate Christiaan Bezuidenhout.
Three players from the group of 63 are outside the top 100, including Kevin Streelman and Nick Dunlap. Streelman birdied six of the last eight holes.
Jordan Smith of England reached a very impressive 63. He holed an eight-foot birdie cut and then hit another shot from 238 yards on the par-5 albatross.
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“It’s the first time I’ve ever done it, so it was pretty special, and to finish the round is even more special,” Smith said.
Defending champion Michael Brennan also opened with a 64. Brennan headed to the Korn Ferry Tour a year ago when his sponsor took a Utah vacation and won to earn a PGA Tour card. He returns as a two-time winner.
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Zach Bauchou has a career-low 62 and leads Utah
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Golf Channel Staff
Zach Bauchou has a career-low 62 and leads Utah
(golf_channel_versant_464)
Golf Channel Staff