In Ivins, Utah, Austin Cook made a strong impression early in the Bank of Utah Championship at Black Desert. Benefiting from a direct entry rather than a qualifier, Cook carded six birdies on Thursday, positioning himself at the top of the leaderboard before play was suspended due to fading light.
Joining Cook in the shared lead are Thorbjorn Olesen, Jesper Svensson, and David Lipsky, who each completed their rounds with an impressive 6-under 65 on the distinctive Black Desert course, known for its striking red dirt and black lava rock landscape.
Cook, also 6-under, was set to attempt a 20-foot birdie putt on the reachable par-4 14th when play was halted by darkness. Afternoon tee times had already faced a 15-minute delay. The 38 golfers unable to finish their rounds are scheduled to recommence at 8 a.m. Friday.
Despite the interruption, Cook expressed contentment. The PGA Tour veteran, with one career victory, is making only his eighth start this season. He had been enjoying a family beach trip and was initially prepared to enter the Monday qualifier, having been far down the alternate list.
“On Saturday, I moved up to the first alternate position. I had a feeling I`d get in, so I drove everyone home on Sunday, flew out Monday, and received a text while on the plane confirming my spot,” Cook recounted. He gained entry after Erik van Rooyen`s withdrawal.
Thorbjorn Olesen was also notably satisfied with his performance, especially given his demanding travel schedule. Recently, he competed in the Sanderson Farms Championship in Mississippi, then journeyed to Europe for the Spanish Open, returned to his residence in Dubai, and finally traveled to Utah, accumulating significant flight time.
“Honestly, my expectations were quite low this morning,” Olesen admitted. “But I focused on recovery work over the past few days, aiming to prepare my body for today`s play.”
Olesen currently ranks 116th in the FedEx Cup standings, precariously close to the cut-off. He`s joined by others in similar positions, with Svensson at 115th and Lipsky at 99th.
Following this event, only three tournaments are left in the season for players to secure a spot within the FedEx Cup top 100, which is crucial for retaining full tour cards for the 2026 season. This year, the number of players keeping full cards has been cut from 125 to 100.
Among those one shot back with a 66 was Paul Peterson, who made a remarkable comeback after being 2-over through eight holes, concluding his round with an impressive six birdies and an eagle.
While Black Desert offers numerous birdie opportunities, it also presents significant challenges. Billy Horschel, returning after a five-month absence due to hip surgery, was 1-under before his back nine began with a bogey, followed by a costly quadruple-bogey 8 on the 11th hole.
Horschel`s troubles escalated when his attempt to recover from the desert landed him in the black lava. After taking a penalty drop, he found himself in the red dirt, navigating around rocks, but his subsequent shot veered left of the green. He chipped onto the green only to three-putt from within 20 feet.
Despite his earlier struggles, Horschel managed to rebound, driving the 14th green to within 20 feet for an eagle putt, and then sinking a 12-foot birdie on the par-3 15th, ultimately salvaging a round of 72.
Max Homa had been steadily climbing the leaderboard, reaching 3-under, until a costly drive into the water on the 13th resulted in a double bogey. He too showed resilience, driving the 14th green for a birdie, but then dropped shots with a bogey on the 16th and failed to save par from a bunker on the par-3 17th. Homa ended his day even par, facing a 27-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole when play resumes Friday.
Alex Noren concluded his round at 4-under 67. The Swede, who was sidelined until May due to a leg injury, is now striving to re-enter the FedEx Cup top 100. Noren previously triumphed at the BMW PGA Championship in England, a premier event on the European Tour, and served as a vice-captain for Europe`s victorious Ryder Cup team.
