After a minor rule change a few years ago, defending champions are no longer exempted into match play at the Utah State Amateur golf tournament and have to survive stroke-play qualifying just like everyone else.
That should be no problem for 2018 champion Preston Summerhays this year, because the teenager from Scottsdale, Ariz., posted a 5-under-par 67 on Monday in the first of two rounds of stroke play at Soldier Hollow Golf Club in Midway. Summerhays posted his score on the Silver Course — considered a bit easier — and will play the Gold Course on Tuesday.