Teen amateur Cooper Jones wins Southern Utah Open
November 15, 2021 | by Utah Golf Association
see also: Cooper Jones, View results for Southern Utah Open, Bloomington Country Club
Cooper Jones, 17, finishes first in a field full of professionals at the Southern Utah Open
In a year where Cooper Jones' trophy case must have added another shelf, making room for the Utah Golf Association's Player of the Year award, the 17-year-old amateur added more hardware from the Southern Utah Open over the weekend at SunRiver Golf Club in St. George.
Jones, a junior at Lone Peak High School in Highland, Utah, finished at 10-under 132 (66-66) to win the event by three-strokes over St. George resident and first-round leader Caden Hamill (photo below), who finished 7-under 135 for low-pro honors and the $1,800 first-place pro check.
"The putter felt really good this week," said Jones. "I haven’t had a tournament for a while so I was excited to come down here. Feels good to play well.”
Jones carded 11 birdies and only one bogey for the event.
Jones won the Salt Lake City Amateur in July at Bonneville Golf Course with an eagle on the first playoff hole to become the youngest winner of the historic event in at least a half-century.
At the age of 17, he is also the youngest player ever to win the Utah Golf Association's Player of the Year Award. He also picked up Utah's Junior Golf Association Player of the Year Award.
Southern Utah Open Top 10
Of his play low professional Caden Hamill said, "It was fun! I’ve been practicing a lot and sharpening up my game. I played well, driver was great and my short game was really solid. I think I only made like three bogeys and that was kind of my strategy, just play smart and make it easy."
Rounding out the tournament’s championship division top 10: junior Boston Bracken finished in third place at (-6) 136, professionals Tommy Sharp and Jayne Backos T4 (-4) 138, Taft Lewis (a) and professionals Casey Fowels and Zach Johnson finishing T6 (-3) 139. Amateurs Davis Heslington, Joshua Pehrson, Tyler Jones and last week’s Arctic Circle High School Invitational playoff champion Kihei Akina carded T9s at (-2) 140.
Senior amateur Randy Hicken’s (-5) 137 won the senior division with low senior pro honors going to Joe Summerhays at (-2) 140. Amateur Michael Hacker (-3) 139 won the super senior division with the recently inducted Utah Sports Hall of Fame member Jay Don Blake taking low super senior pro honors at (-2) 140.
In the regular flight (handicap indexes of scratch and up) Corner Canyon’s Bowen Mauss, runner-up to Akina in the Arctic Circle event, took the top spot at (+1) 71-72 - 143.
by Fairways Media
"The putter felt really good this week," said Jones. "I haven’t had a tournament for a while so I was excited to come down here. Feels good to play well.”
Jones carded 11 birdies and only one bogey for the event.
Jones won the Salt Lake City Amateur in July at Bonneville Golf Course with an eagle on the first playoff hole to become the youngest winner of the historic event in at least a half-century.
At the age of 17, he is also the youngest player ever to win the Utah Golf Association's Player of the Year Award. He also picked up Utah's Junior Golf Association Player of the Year Award.
Southern Utah Open Top 10
Of his play low professional Caden Hamill said, "It was fun! I’ve been practicing a lot and sharpening up my game. I played well, driver was great and my short game was really solid. I think I only made like three bogeys and that was kind of my strategy, just play smart and make it easy."
Rounding out the tournament’s championship division top 10: junior Boston Bracken finished in third place at (-6) 136, professionals Tommy Sharp and Jayne Backos T4 (-4) 138, Taft Lewis (a) and professionals Casey Fowels and Zach Johnson finishing T6 (-3) 139. Amateurs Davis Heslington, Joshua Pehrson, Tyler Jones and last week’s Arctic Circle High School Invitational playoff champion Kihei Akina carded T9s at (-2) 140.
Senior amateur Randy Hicken’s (-5) 137 won the senior division with low senior pro honors going to Joe Summerhays at (-2) 140. Amateur Michael Hacker (-3) 139 won the super senior division with the recently inducted Utah Sports Hall of Fame member Jay Don Blake taking low super senior pro honors at (-2) 140.
In the regular flight (handicap indexes of scratch and up) Corner Canyon’s Bowen Mauss, runner-up to Akina in the Arctic Circle event, took the top spot at (+1) 71-72 - 143.
by Fairways Media
About the Southern Utah Open
36-hole stroke play championship for professionals and amateurs, with Championship, Senior and Super Senior Divisions
Most Popular Articles
FINAL RESULTS: 2026 Australian Men’s Amateur Championship
Feb 6, 2026Billy Dowling pulled away with a closing 7-under 63 to win the 2026 adidas Australian Men’s Amateur Championship at 18-under.
Yunseo Yang Wins Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific at Royal Wellington Golf Club
Feb 15, 2026Yunseo Yang makes history as Korea’s first WAAP champion, earning major exemptions with a dominant win.
U.S. Open Qualifying 2026: Local & Final Qualifying Sites for Shinnecock
Feb 19, 2026The road to Shinnecock Hills begins in April as 110 local qualifying sites and 13 final qualifying venues are set.
FINAL RESULTS: Gasparilla Invitational 2026
Feb 21, 2026Hayes Brown wins Gasparilla at 2-under, edging Peyton White by one, while Jeff Frazier claims the Senior title at Palma Ceia.
2026 Genesis Invitational Collegiate Showcase Canceled Due to Heavy Rain at Riviera
Feb 16, 2026Heavy rain forced cancellation of the 2026 Genesis Invitational Collegiate Showcase at Riviera Country Club on Feb. 16.