Region 1 boys golf: Summerhays locks up individual title with big finish
Syracuse wins team region championship; Landon talks Davis career
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- Farmington junior Jack Summerhays lines up his putt on hole No. 12 during the round of 32 at the Utah State Amateur Championships on Thursday, July 11, 2024.
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- Syracuse’s Luke Stanger lets it rip on hole No. 10 during the final round of the Region 1 boys golf championship Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024, at Riverbend Golf Course in Riverton.
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- Farmington’s Cruz Davidson fights his way out of the sand trap on hole No. 7 during the final round of the Region 1 boys golf championship Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024, at Riverbend Golf Course in Riverton.
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- Fremont’s Pace Dixon sizes up the green on hole No. 7 during the final round of the Region 1 boys golf championship Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024, at Riverbend Golf Course in Riverton.
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- Davis’ Cooper Kirry watches his put on hole No. 10 during the final round of the Region 1 boys golf championship Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024, at Riverbend Golf Course in Riverton.
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- Layton’s Ryan Liechty watches his shot on hole No. 10 during the final round of the Region 1 boys golf championship Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024, at Riverbend Golf Course in Riverton.
RIVERTON — A two-day strut for Region 1 golfers ended with Farmington’s Jack Summerhays shaving six strokes off his final round to become the region’s individual champion and lead his team to a runner-up finish behind Syracuse on Thursday at Riverbend Golf Course.
Tied for third after Tuesday’s round at Schneiter’s Bluff, Summerhays ascended atop the field writing in 65 on his final day of the two-round tournament.
Syracuse’s Landen Green, first individually after Tuesday’s round, helped his team finish first overall with a 588 team score.
Summerhays, joined by teammates Tate Gibb (T7) and Madden Streiff (T8) inside the top 10, said today’s round — his first competitive match played at Riverbend — yielded every advantage he’d studied when practicing at the course little over a week ago.
“I played really well on the par 5’s and gave myself a lot of easy birdie opportunities,” Summerhays said. “Just kind of staying in it and not freaking out when I’m playing well and keeping the pedal to the metal.”
Chasing Summerhays around the course were runner-up golfers Max Landon (Davis) and Jace Seaman (Layton), who each finished just four strokes back of the Farmington junior. Landon, preparing for the graduation stage as a senior, said soaking up a hard-fought, competitive region tournament was the best way to go out.
“I love high school golf,” Landon said. “It’s not as widespread competition as I play in like UGA or tournaments like that but it’s so fun playing with all my buddies and playing with kids I know. I’ll definitley miss it a bunch.”
Three from Syracuse — Green, Cohen Colquitt (T4) and Luke Stanger (5th) — joined the top 10 overall to help the Titans chalk up a round just two strokes better than Farmington and Layton, each finishing with a 590 squad score.
Summerhays growing his game for state
It’s no secret that Jack Summerhays, returning for his junior season at Farmington this fall, was going to be a name to follow during this week’s championship.
After shining on the PGA Junior Series, Summerhays made an impressive debut at the Utah State Amateur this summer pushing his way into the round of 32. The young amateur considers the past summer his most productive training period yet.
“It’s been definitely my best grind season,” Summerhays said. “I’ve been working really hard on my game and I’ve been hitting a lot of better long shots. It’s been really helping out.”
Striking “greens in regulation,” as Summerhays puts it, has been the biggest noticeable change to his game this season.
“My ball striking has gotten a lot better,” he continued. “Usually I’m just a really good putter and I can make a lot of putts, but I’ve been giving myself more birdie chances because I’ve been hitting a lot of greens.”
Carding 65 on Thursday, Summerhays led the way for a Farmington team that’s bringing a lot of depth into the 6A state tournament beginning Oct. 14 right back at Riverton.
Landon’s time at Davis quickly ending
The clock’s winding down for Davis senior Max Landon. In a month’s time, his prep career will be history and he’ll likely be flipping through college acceptance letters. Until then, the Darts star is soaking up the time he has — and picking up region runner-up honors in the process.
Landon, like many golfers on the course Thursday, had a busy summer schedule buzzing around to area tournaments. The Davis senior didn’t get off on the right foot, however, missing both the Utah Amateur and U.S. Junior Amateur by a single stroke.
The offseason tested Landon’s patience and it paid off. The senior Dart credits Bonneville alum Parker Bunn (Oklahoma State) and Farmington alum Cole Taylor (Utah Tech) for bringing out the best of his game this summer.
“I feel like I’ve worked harder than all these kids (last) winter,” Landon said. “I didn’t really have that good of a season at the beginning of the summer, but won a couple tournaments at the end and then just kind of carried that confidence into the high school season.”
Thursday’s performance saw Landon knock four strokes off his game (68) and slide into the second-place slot overall tying with Layton’s Jace Seaman at 140 total on the week. Joining Landon inside the top 10 were Jacob Merrill (T6) and Jack Christiansen (T10).
As the season winds down, Landon’s trying to set any and all examples he can before the state tournament.
“I think a lot of these kids, especially on my team, are super talented,” Landon said. “It’s busy being a high school golfer. You’re trying to manage school. But I think the work ethic that I’ve shown to the kids on my team and also the just the mental game, playing practice rounds, seeing (us) go through trials and tribulations … that’s the thing a lot of kids need to see.”
Reflecting on his time at Davis, Landon said he’ll always remember, as an eighth grader, watching former Davis star Jack Sargent’s memorable finish at the 2018 state championship.
“I learned a lot,” Landon said. “I think (Sargent) shot something like 4-over on the front nine but then came back and shot like 5-under on the back or something like that. Just seeing that resilence and him being able to turn it around, that was pretty cool.”
Landon is currently considering options to continue his playing career and hopes to later become a professional instructor.
Seaman, Lancers pull together for runner-up honors
As a team, Layton played within a hair of Farmington down to the final hole. Junior Jace Seaman led the final push, gutting out 70 through the second round to match Davis’ Max Landon for second overall.
Seaman and three more Lancers — Ryan Liechty (T6), Madden Barnes (T9) and Krew Conrad (T9) — bounced into overall top 10 overall finishes.
Seaman said the region tournament is another reminder of just how depdendent this game can be.
“We all help each other,” Seaman said. “These team sports, they’re singularly but these (tournaments) are big-time where everybody’s score matters. I think it’s really important we realize everyone counts and I’m glad I finished the way I did.”
Seaman, in third after Tuesday, said his final round at Riverbend was a welcomed change of pace.
“First day, (I) hit the ball really great, made a couple doubles unfortunately and that (probably) kept me from the lead,” Seaman said. “Then today it’s really tight course that we played and hit the driver really well. (I) didn’t miss a fairway all day and then I holed for a couple off the green a couple times, and that was huge.”
Looking ahead, Seaman said the next stretch before state will be some of their most intense practices.
“We just gotta keep at it,” Seaman said. “We have a week in between to work really hard and do the best we can. That’s going to be key.”
TOP INDIVIDUAL FINISHES
1. Jack Summerhays, Farmington – 136
T2. Max Landon, Davis – 140
T2. Jace Seaman, Layton – 140
4. Landen Green, Syracuse – 141
T5. Jace Nielsen, Fremont – 146
T5. Cohen Colquitt, Syracuse – 146
7. Luke Stanger, Syracuse – 148
TEAM TOTALS
1. Syracuse – 588
T2. Farmington – 590
T2. Layton – 590
4. Davis – 593
5. Fremont – 598
6. Weber – 608
Connect with prep sports reporter Conner Becker via email at cbecker@standard.net and X @ctbecker.
