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Ute golfers move to the front in the opening round of the State Amateur

Blake Tomlinson and Mitchell Schow have the edge in medalist race.<br>

Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune Mitchell Schow, shown in this 2015 fie photo as a Park City High School golfer, shot a bogey-free 65 at Oakridge Country Club in Monday's first round of the State Amateur.

  | June 12, 2018, 2:25 a.m.

The University of Utah golf team produced a strong start Monday in the 120th State Amateur.

Blake Tomlinson shot a 7-under-par 64 at Davis Park Golf Course in Fruit Heights and Mitchell Schow matched him – in relation to par – with a 7-under 65 at Oakridge Country Club in Farmington to begin the stroke-portion of the tournament. Kyler Dunkle, another Ute, shot a 67 at Oakridge and is in sixth place.

After Tuesday’s play, with a late-evening playoff at Oakridge likely to be required, the field will be reduced from 288 golfers to 64 for match play. Defending champion Kelton Hirsch of BYU is in good position to advance after opening with a 68 at Davis Park. The cut is projected to come at 2 over par.

Tomlinson, a Skyline High School graduate, won the 2017 Utah State Junior Amateur, with the semifinal and final matches staged at Oakridge. He made eight birdies and one bogey at Davis. Schow, from Park City High School, posted no score higher than “4” in a bogey-free round at Oakridge. He’s coming off a victory in the Salt Lake City Amateur, considered Utah’s most prestigious amateur event other than the State Am.

Davis High School star Cole Ponich, an Oakridge member who won the Junior Am last week on his home course, shot a 65 at Davis Park. Southern Utah University golfer Fidel Concepcion also posted a 65 at Davis, making two eagles (including one on the par-4 No. 18) and five birdies, along with three bogeys.

Utah Valley University’s Carly Dehlin, the third woman ever to qualify for the State Am, shot a 77 at Oakridge.

First-round results of the 120th Utah State Amateur at Oakridge Country Club and Davis Park Golf Course:<br>64 – Blake Tomlinson.<br>65 – Mitchell Schow, Cole Ponich, Fidel Concepcion.<br>66 – Tyler Savage.<br>67 – Kyler Dunkle.<br>68 – Kyler Dearden, John Owen, Kelton Hirsch, Curtis Cook, Daniel Meaders, Darrin Overson, Kirk Siddens.<br>69 – Dan Horner, Jayce Frampton, Andy Hess, Hunter Howe, Chandler Thompson, Jason Hargett, Randy Hicken, Alex Smith.<br>70 – David Jennings, Marty Jacks, Jon Wright, Bob Mitchell, Carl Jensen, Braydon Swapp. Noah Schone, Colton Dallimore, Jesse Henderson, Austin Jaramillo, Cody Anderson.<br>71 – Ryan Brimley, Jack Sargent, Eric Ashcroft, Reed Nielsen, Blake Murray, Zack Neff, Boston Watts, Nathan Ouimette, John Ward, Rand Sargent, Thomas Young, Nick Nelson, Preston Richards, Brandon Hargett, Preston Summerhays, Cameron Tucker, Mark Beese, Greg Law, Rich Tripp, Zach Jones, Christopher Romney, Zach Markham, Christopher Odom.<br>72 – Cannon Robison, Riley Bunker, Clayton Brown, Brandon Lyon, Jason Boudreaux, Andrew Cottle, Denny Job, Dane Nelson, Robert Tomsick, Justin Brimley. <br>73 – Mike Jorgensen, Cameron Howe, Luke Crapo, Tanner Taft, Grant Wilson, Mike McRae, Todd Kartchner, Brennan Coburn, Aaron Robbs, Caden Hamill, Logan Skalka, Zach Bachman, Paul Winterowd, Dexter Edwards, Braden Price, Steve Poulson, Patrick Murphy.