They say Oakmont is one of the toughest tests in golf.
So why not make it a little easier by taking an iron completely out of the equation?
With 122 yards to the pin during his practice round on Tuesday, former BYU golfer Zac Blair decided he’d have a better chance putting it to the green.
Halfway through the shot, he was still worried he put too much on it. But he ended up within about 10 feet of the hole, with U.S. Open champ Bryson DeChambeau tipping his hat.
The former Cougar standout is preparing for his second straight U.S Open appearance. He advanced in a marathon four-hole playoff to get the final qualifier spot in Ohio last week.
He ended it by hitting his approach shot inside 3 feet for a tap-in birdie.
He’s had a difficult year on the PGA Tour, missing six of nine cuts.
But Blair made the cut and shot a 6-under to finish T-52 at the Royal Canadian Open last weekend, netting a $23,000 payday for his troubles.
You’ll have to get up early to catch Blair on Thursday. He tees off at 4:45 a.m. MDT along with Scott Vincent and Alistair Docherty.
You can stream coverage on Peacock.
If you’re not following Blair on the course this week, you should at least be following him away from competition.
The 34-year-old has become a notable figure in the golf world for his passion for architecture and course design. He opened his own course in South Carolina, called The Tree Farm.
He still hopes to build a course in Utah, where he grew up and currently lives.
The Big Thing
(Bethany Baker | The Salt Lake Tribune) BYU athletic director Brian Santiago speaks to the media following the announcement of Santiago as the new BYU athletic director at Brigham Young University in Provo on Wednesday, May 14, 2025.
Kevin Young is staying in Provo.
It’s a significant first win for new athletic director Brian Santiago, who said that keeping his basketball coach from going back to the NBA was his first order of business after getting the AD job.
Now Santiago has both football and basketball coaches locked in.
Kalani Sitake signed a “long-term” extension after last season. Young’s new contract also a “long-term deal,” BYU said, declining to give specifics on the number of years.
Santiago will need to guide one new coach in women’s basketball this year, a sport he’s directly overseen for several years. Lee Cummard, a former player himself, is taking over for Amber Whiting after a dismal three-year run.
Other than that, Santiago has plenty of stability at the head coaching spot. Women’s soccer coach Jenifer Rockwood has been at BYU for over three decades. Volleyball coach Heather Olmstead is approaching a decade on the job.
Fourth down
1. QB1?
BYU has been recruiting five-star quarterback Ryder Lyons for years.
And his recruitment just took another step in BYU’s direction.
Lyons canceled his USC visit last week. Now he will visit Oregon and BYU in the next month. The Cougars also recruited his brother, Walker Lyons, but he ended up at USC.
2. Puka’s offseason
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua (17) celebrates after the Los Angeles Rams score a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Former BYU player Puka Nacua has had a busy offseason filming commercials with Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford. And now he can add one more thing to his resume: being named in a Lil’ Wayne song. The rapper shouts out the former Cougar star on his new album.
The infamous holding call in Salt Lake last year has a definitive answer.
If quarterback Jake Retzlaff doesn’t play this year, who could replace him?
— Kevin Reynolds
