Recaping A Historic Week At Black Desert In PGA’s Return To Utah
Oct 14, 2024, 7:37 PM
ST. GEORGE, UTAH- The action on the course has concluded, but there is much to be remembered from the PGA Tour’s historic return to the state of Utah. The action began last Thursday with 132 golfers hopeful of earning the right to call themselves the winner of the first-ever Black Desert Championship and ended with the rookie Matt McCarty hoisting the trophy on the 18th green.
Matt McCarty is the winner of the inaugural Black Desert Championship 🏆#BlackDesertChampionship @PGATOUR pic.twitter.com/OhEBrZf83V
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) October 14, 2024
With the inaugural edition of the Black Desert Championship in the history books, let’s take a look back at everything that made an unforgettable tournament last week in St. George and what golf fans in Utah have to look forward to with the future of professional golf in the Beehive State.
Stories Of The Week At The Black Desert Championship
Matt McCarty’s Meteoric Rise To PGA Glory
Matt McCarty arrived at Black Desert, set to make only his third start on the PGA Tour. A month ago, McCarty was still participating in the PGA’s developmental tour, the Korn Ferry Tour. However, Matt won three tournaments between July 21 and August 25 to earn a promotion to the big leagues, the PGA Tour.
Matt started the week hot with a bogey-free first round. He shot a 62 with seven birdies and an eagle on the par-4 5th. Matt was comfortably inside the cut line after shooting a 68 on Friday, putting him at -12 and only a couple of shots from the lead. McCarty started making his push on Saturday with a -7 in round three. He had a five-hole under-par stretch, with four birdies and an eagle.
On Championship Sunday, Matt jostled with the likes of Stephan Jaeger and Lucas Glover but took control on the par-4 14th, where he hit a 3-wood to 3.5 feet for eagle, climbing to a three-shot lead with four holes to go. He went par, birdie, bogey, birdie down the stretch to finish at -23, winning by a margin of three strokes. Matt celebrated his win on the 18th green with his parents and girlfriend before hoisting the trophy.
The victory of a lifetime. 👏
Matt McCarty soaks in his winning moment at the Black Desert Championship. pic.twitter.com/im6YD2lXfa
— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) October 14, 2024
Matt McCarty cashed a $1.35 million dollar check with his win at the Black Desert Championship, but his win also qualifies him for two more majors, meaning he will play in the US Open, PGA Championship, and The Masters in 2025.
If Matt is able to secure golf immortality by winning a major next year or in the years to come, the Black Desert Championship will forever be remembered as the springboard of his PGA career.
The Black Desert Golf Course
The Black Desert Golf Course was the final design of the renowned Tom Weiskopf. During his golf career, Weiskopf won 16 times on the PGA Tour including one major championship, The Open in 1973. Following his playing days, he designed more than 80 golf courses, with Black Desert being his last before passing away in 2022 from pancreatic cancer.
Black Desert not only featured some stunning backdrops but also challenges for players unique to the desert of Southern Utah. Black Desert doesn’t have much water, but it does have black lava rock protruding just off of most holes around the course. With just a few feet separating the fairways and the rock, a shot just slightly offline almost certainly meant disaster. The rock’s jagged edges meant an eared ball could bounce in any direction, and if they got a lucky bounce back into safety, the ball would have battle scars from the impact with the rock. If the shot didn’t pinball, it would nestle itself between sharp edges and inside of holes, forcing players to either take a stroke or take a swing with a crazy lie or bad footing.
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With so many unforeseen circumstances caused by the terrain, rounds were slowed the first two days as players waited for rules officials to arrive to give the player guidance or a ruling. Over the course of the week, there were 201 penalties assessed because of factors surrounding the lava rock. This was a factor as to why the pace of play was slowed and each of the first two rounds was suspended due to darkness. The eventual champion, Matt McCarty, was able to hit 75% of the fairways over his four rounds, proving that accuracy and consistency will give you the edge on this course.
The St. George Scenery
The Black Desert Golf course is set right up against the red mountains of Ivins, about 15 minutes from the heart of St. George. Not only were the views beautiful in person, but they caught the attention of golf fans nationwide who watched on TV.
Black Desert Championship @PGATOUR @BlackDesertUT . Amazing golf course! Stunning beauty! #fedexcup #BlackDesertChampionship pic.twitter.com/YDg4ojcO1B
— Cheston (@cheston_ps) October 14, 2024
Incredible sunset for Friday at the Black Desert Championship! pic.twitter.com/MfxKHP44Dj
— John Hansgen (@hansgen_john) October 12, 2024
NOW: @PGATour Live – Black Desert Championship ⛳️
What a golf course 🤩 final round coverage continues until a winner is crowned in southern Utah..
📲 Listen → https://t.co/cj37eETTlG pic.twitter.com/0EHSqBhZZx
— talkSPORT 2 (@talkSPORT2) October 13, 2024
Black Desert Championship pic.twitter.com/XvAP67aiKi
— Chris Del Grande (@ValuedMerchants) October 13, 2024
The breathtaking Black Desert Golf Course is home to the Black Desert @PGATOUR Championship! 🏔️⛳️ With its unique amphitheater-style lakeside gathering spot carved into the black lava, this course is as stunning as it is challenging. #PGATOUR
Image Source: Black Desert Resort pic.twitter.com/jBtsofdzqg
— Keiser University (@collegeofgolf) October 13, 2024
The Future Of The PGA Tour In Utah
PGA Tour golf will return to St. George with Black Desert signing a multi-year deal with the PGA. The Black Desert Golf Course is one of few that will host both PGA and LPGA events, with the LPGA addition of the Black Desert Championship to tee off in the spring of 2025 and then again for the men in the second annual Black Desert Championship next October.
