Leading Named Players
Jackson Koivun, Michael Brennan, Ben James, Matt McCarty, Maverick McNealy, Max Homa, Chris Kirk, Nick Taylor and Tony Finau are among the field names.
115 named entrants
2026 Bank of Utah Championship Fantasy Golf Picks
The Bank of Utah Championship returns to Black Desert Resort in Ivins, Utah, from October 1-4. The Tom Weiskopf-designed par-71 course is framed by black lava fields, red-rock cliffs and the high-desert landscape of Southern Utah.
Black Desert offers generous visual width but punishes careless misses into lava and desert trouble. Altitude can add distance, while wind, wedge control and putting can separate contenders in a low-scoring week.
The Monday board below moves from current results to a Black Desert rerank, then the Top 15. All named picks appear on the tournament field page; the four open-qualifier spots and one sponsor spot await confirmation.
What Matters for Bank of Utah Championship Fantasy Picks
1. Aggressive Driving with Control
Altitude rewards confident driving, but lava-lined misses can turn aggression into penalty strokes. The best profiles combine distance with playable dispersion.
DistancePosition
2. Wedge and Approach Control
Players who create short approaches and control wedges into exposed desert targets should produce the steadiest birdie volume.
GIRApproach control
3. Altitude and Desert-Wind Adjustment
Changing wind, dry air and elevation can alter club selection throughout the round, rewarding players who adjust quickly without losing scoring intent.
Distance controlAdaptability
4. Recovery and Conversion
Players must save pars around missed greens and convert enough birdie chances to keep pace in a full-field fall event.
ScramblingPutting
Bank of Utah Championship Field Watch
The tournament lists 115 named entrants for 120 places. Four Monday qualifiers and one sponsor place are still open; alternates are outside the field.
Black Desert Returners
Brennan won in 2025, McCarty won in 2024 and finished T3 in 2025, Rico Hoey was second in 2025, and Stephan Jaeger was second in 2024.
Course results
Utah Connections
Kihei Akina, Zac Blair, Boston Bracken, Tony Finau, Patrick Fishburn, Zach J. Johnson and Bowen Mauss are listed with Utah ties.
Seven local ties
Still Open on Monday
Four open-qualifier names and one sponsor place remain to be filled. Wednesday brings the final field and tee-time check.
Five places pending
Bank of Utah Championship Recent-Form Top 20
Monday current-field order. The Asheville result supplies the latest individual-event finish for many of these players; Koivun and Brennan also have recent PGA TOUR wins.
| Form Rank | Player | Recent High Finish | Bank of Utah Read |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jackson Koivun | 3M Open winner; Asheville T5 | Win plus fresh top five |
| 2 | Michael Brennan | Wyndham winner | Defending Black Desert winner |
| 3 | Ben James | Asheville 2nd; Wyndham T3 | Two top threes in recent starts |
| 4 | Neal Shipley | Asheville T3 | Fresh podium finish |
| 5 | Johnny Keefer | Asheville T7 | Strong latest-start scoring |
| 6 | Seamus Power | Asheville T7 | Recent top ten and 2024 Black Desert T11 |
| 7 | Zecheng Dou | Asheville T7 | Recent birdie volume |
| 8 | Chris Kirk | Asheville T10 | Established player with current top ten |
| 9 | Marco Penge | Asheville T10 | Recent top ten and scoring upside |
| 10 | Max Greyserman | Asheville T10 | High finish in latest TOUR stop |
| 11 | Haotong Li | Asheville T10 | Latest-start top ten |
| 12 | John VanDerLaan | Asheville T10 | Latest-start top ten |
| 13 | Jackson Suber | Asheville T15 | Also T15 here in 2025 |
| 14 | Ben Kohles | Asheville T15 | Recent top twenty |
| 15 | Doug Ghim | Asheville T17 | Short-iron and GIR watch |
| 16 | Peter Malnati | Asheville T17 | Scoring momentum into Utah |
| 17 | Austin Smotherman | Asheville T17 | Recent top twenty |
| 18 | Steven Fisk | Asheville T22 | Near top twenty in last start |
| 19 | John Parry | Asheville T22 | Near top twenty in last start |
| 20 | Eric Cole | Asheville T24 | Close to another top twenty |
First Five Outside the Recent-Form Top 20
| Player | Current Support | Why He Remains Close |
|---|---|---|
| Mackenzie Hughes | Asheville T24 | One spot outside the latest-event top twenty tier |
| Kevin Yu | Asheville T24 | T15 at Black Desert in 2025 |
| Austin Eckroat | Asheville T24 | Useful current scoring, just below this cut |
| Kevin Roy | Asheville T24 | Late 64 in Asheville final round |
| Zach Bauchou | Asheville T24 | Another close recent finish |
Bank of Utah Championship Black Desert Course-Stat Top 20
Monday course-fit order. Actual Black Desert finishes and current scoring move the form board; the tee/GIR and recovery/putting columns identify each player’s key course test ahead of Wednesday’s final setup.
| Re-Rank | Player | Recent Form | Black Desert Record | Tee / GIR Lens | Recovery / Putting Lens | Black Desert Read |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michael Brennan | Wyndham win | 2025 winner | Power / scoring wedges | Avoid lava misses | Defending winner remains first |
| 2 | Jackson Koivun | 3M win; Asheville T5 | First start here | Length / GIR upside | First-look green reads | Top current-form challenger |
| 3 | Matt McCarty | 2026 field return | 2024 win; 2025 T3 | Two-year scoring proof | Repeatable four-round conversion | Biggest course-history lift |
| 4 | Ben James | Asheville 2nd; Wyndham T3 | First start here | Approach and GIR test | Desert recovery test | Recent form earns top-four place |
| 5 | Rico Hoey | Asheville T39 | 2025 runner-up | Repeat last year’s tee-to-green path | Convert chances again | Course result lifts him |
| 6 | Stephan Jaeger | 2026 field return | 2024 2nd; 2025 T11 | Two years of scoring proof | Protect par after misses | Reliable Black Desert record |
| 7 | Neal Shipley | Asheville T3 | First start here | Maintain recent scoring | First-look green reads | Podium form carries |
| 8 | Pierceson Coody | 2026 field return | 2025 T3 | Repeat 2025 scoring path | Keep the card clean | Top-three course returner |
| 9 | David Ford | 2026 field return | 2025 T3 | Repeat 2025 scoring path | Short-game check | Course history over form rank |
| 10 | Jackson Suber | Asheville T15 | 2025 T15 | Current scoring and prior fit | Continue birdie conversion | Both signals point up |
| 11 | Max Homa | 2026 field return | 2025 T9 | Keep drives in play | Putting conversion | Proven player with a top ten here |
| 12 | Chris Kirk | Asheville T10 | No top-ten course result | Approach precision | Four-round conversion | Form and experience |
| 13 | Johnny Keefer | Asheville T7 | First start here | Aggressive scoring path | Desert saves | Latest form survives rerank |
| 14 | Seamus Power | Asheville T7 | 2024 T11 | Recent scoring and course return | Around-green protection | Two-source support |
| 15 | Ben Silverman | 2026 field return | 2025 T3 | Repeat 2025 tee-to-green week | Finish chances | Last year’s top-three returner |
| 16 | Max Greyserman | Asheville T10 | No top-ten course result | Current scoring profile | Putting check | Fresh top-ten form |
| 17 | Justin Lower | 2026 field return | 2025 T3 | Repeat 2025 scoring path | Recovery check | Prior top three earns a spot |
| 18 | Marco Penge | Asheville T10 | First start here | Power / GIR test | New-green adjustment | Upside from latest form |
| 19 | Zecheng Dou | Asheville T7 | First start here | Sustain birdie volume | Desert saves | Top-ten form carries |
| 20 | Lucas Glover | 2026 field return | 2024 T3 | Driving / iron control | Putting conversion | 2024 top-three anchor |
Up and Down for the Money
Course-history risers and first-look tests from the Monday rerank. Black Desert recovery and putting remain decisive when a player misses into the lava-lined margins.
| Player | Up-and-Down Read | Fantasy Effect | Black Desert Outlook |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matt McCarty | Winner in 2024, T3 in 2025 | Up from recent-form bubble to No. 3 | Two straight top threes outweigh the missing latest-event result |
| Rico Hoey | 2025 runner-up, Asheville T39 | Up to No. 5 on course history | Needs last year’s conversion again |
| Stephan Jaeger | 2024 runner-up, 2025 T11 | Up to No. 6 on repeat-course results | Stable venue record is his separator |
| Ben James | Asheville 2nd; first Black Desert start | Holds No. 4 despite no venue result | Desert saves are the new test |
| Haotong Li | Asheville T10; no leading course result | Down from form board to outside course Top 20 | Recent scoring still keeps him close |
Monday CaddyBytes Bank of Utah Championship Top 15
Named-field picks as of September 28. Late qualifiers, withdrawals and the Wednesday tee-time and weather check can alter the order.
| Rank | Player | Why He Ranks Here | Fantasy Tag |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michael Brennan | 2025 champion and 2026 Wyndham winner | Top pick |
| 2 | Jackson Koivun | 3M Open win and Asheville T5 | High ceiling |
| 3 | Matt McCarty | 2024 champion and 2025 T3 at Black Desert | CB Caddie Hunch |
| 4 | Ben James | Asheville runner-up after Wyndham T3 | Form leader |
| 5 | Rico Hoey | 2025 runner-up at Black Desert | Course returner |
| 6 | Stephan Jaeger | 2024 runner-up and 2025 T11 | Course returner |
| 7 | Neal Shipley | Asheville T3 | Current form |
| 8 | Pierceson Coody | 2025 T3 at Black Desert | Course returner |
| 9 | David Ford | 2025 T3 at Black Desert | Course value |
| 10 | Jackson Suber | Asheville T15 and Black Desert T15 in 2025 | Balanced read |
| 11 | Max Homa | Established TOUR winner; Black Desert T9 in 2025 | Proven player |
| 12 | Chris Kirk | Asheville T10 and established TOUR wins | Steady pick |
| 13 | Johnny Keefer | Asheville T7 | Recent form |
| 14 | Seamus Power | Asheville T7; Black Desert T11 in 2024 | Balanced read |
| 15 | Ben Silverman | Black Desert T3 in 2025 | Course value |
First five out of the Top 15: Max Greyserman, Justin Lower, Marco Penge, Zecheng Dou and Lucas Glover.
Black Desert Resort Course-Fit Lanes
Four named lanes for the Monday field.
Complete Fits
Michael Brennan and Matt McCarty own wins on this course, and McCarty followed with a T3 last year.
Past winners
Power and Playable-Dispersion Fits
Jackson Koivun brings a 3M Open victory and Asheville T5; he faces Black Desert for the first time.
Koivun
Wedge, Approach and GIR Fits
Ben James arrives off a runner-up finish, while Chris Kirk posted an Asheville T10.
James / Kirk
Recovery and Putting Fits
Rico Hoey, Stephan Jaeger and Max Homa have all delivered top-eleven Black Desert finishes.
Course returners
Bank of Utah Championship Value Plays and Sleepers
Established Value: Lucas Glover
The multiple TOUR winner was T3 here in 2024 and sits just outside the Monday Top 15.
Course-history value
Black Desert Returner: Justin Lower
T3 in 2025; another past top-three finisher waiting just outside the main picks.
Black Desert T3
Recent-Form Riser: Marco Penge
Asheville T10 puts him in the course-fit Top 20 with a first Black Desert start ahead.
Asheville T10
Course-Stat Riser: Pierceson Coody
His 2025 Black Desert T3 lifts him above several players with stronger latest-start finishes.
Top 15 pick
Bank of Utah Championship Risk Flags
Low-Scoring Demand
Both Black Desert winners reached at least 22-under; a quiet putter can lose ground quickly.
Scoring pace
Final Tournament Setup
Tee positions, firmness and wind may change which driving and wedge lanes offer the best chances.
Wednesday check
First-Look Desert Test
Koivun, James and Shipley have strong recent form, but no Bank of Utah start on the course.
Course debut
Course History Versus Latest Form
Hoey and McCarty climb on Black Desert results without a fresh Asheville top twenty. Their first-round scoring will test that call.
Returner watch
CB Caddie Hunch: Matt McCarty
McCarty won at Black Desert in 2024 and finished T3 in 2025. That two-year course record earns him the proven-contender hunch and No. 3 on the Monday Top 15.
Watch: Wednesday's field and weather review, then whether he converts the same scoring chances in Round 1.
Bank of Utah Championship Fantasy Update Schedule
| Update | What Changes | Page Status |
|---|---|---|
| Advance page | Event and course profile established | Complete |
| Monday field and picks | 115 named entrants; recent-form 20, course-fit 20, Top 15, value and hunch | This version: September 28 |
| Wednesday final check | Qualifiers, sponsor place, withdrawals, tee times, weather and any pick-order changes | Before Round 1 |
| 36-hole update | Original Top 15 against the official cut and weekend field | After Round 2 |
| 54-hole update | Sunday contenders and original-board movement | After Round 3 |
| Post-event grades | Original Top 15, value plays, risks and hunch | After final round |
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