The Bank of Utah Championship returns to Black Desert Resort in Ivins, Utah, for another stunning shootout, and my top Bank of Utah Championship picks are centered on a quartet of proven worldwide winners.
Maverick McNealy headlines my top golf picks ahead of Round 1 on Thursday, Oct. 1
📇 Bank of Utah Championship top picks
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📊 Bank of Utah Championship odds
The Bank of Utah Championship runs at Black Desert Golf Course from Thursday, Oct. 1, through Sunday, Oct. 4.
| Golfer |  Probability |
|---|---|
| Jackson Koivun | 7.6% |
| Benjamin James | 5.1% |
| Michael Brennan | 5% |
| Maverick McNealy | 4.3% |
| Marco Penge | 3.3% |
| Doug Ghim | 3% |
| Matt Wallace | 3% |
| Jordan Smith | 2.9% |
| Kevin Yu | 2.9% |
| Jackson Suber | 2.9% |
| Davis Thompson | 2.5% |
| Beau Hossler | 2.2% |
🔍 What I'm looking for at the Bank of Utah Championship
The Bank of Utah Championship returns to Black Desert Resort in Ivins, Utah, for another stunning desert shootout.
Carved directly through a field of black lava rock, this Par-71, 7,421-yard layout features wide, sweeping fairways and massive 7,000-square-foot bentgrass greens designed for birdies in bunches. The Phil Smith-Tom Weiskopf design sits at 3,000 feet above sea level, so it plays far shorter than the scorecard suggests, especially in the thin desert air.
The manageable rough and flat greens complexes mean you want to target players who can maximize their driving accuracy and dial in their short irons.
Finally, a hot putter is always critical when the winning score from past champions Matt McCarty (-23) and Michael Brennan (-22) has been so low.
Key stats
- True strokes gained approach, true strokes gained tee-to-green
- Birdie-or-better percentage
- Par-4 scoring/Par-5 scoring
- Total driving, true strokes gained off the tee
🏆 Bank of Utah Championship picks to win
Best bet to win: Maverick McNealy
Pair a T25-T19-T7 run across his past three events with pacing this field in true strokes gained putting in 2026, and Maverick McNealy has my attention. The Las Vegas resident doesn’t have a long commute to Black Desert, either.
- Course fit: The player-friendly layout rewards elite putting
- Recent form: Excellent T25-T19-T7 run leading in
- Key stat: 24th on PGA Tour in birdie-or-better percentage
Outright pick: Matt Wallace
The Englishman hits Utah on a worldwide heater with six consecutive Top 15s while gaining true strokes across the board, including ranking fifth in this field in tee-to-green play and eighth on approaches during the run.
- Course fit: Current tee-to-green game will dissect Black Desert
- Recent form: Fourth in field in true strokes gained total during six-event run
- Key stat: 18th on PGA Tour in Par-5 scoring
💣 Bank of Utah Championship long-shot picks
Best long-shot pick: Billy Horschel
A proven worldwide winner, Billy Horschel finished T11 in this event last year in spite of a poor ball-striking display.
It’s a different story this time around, with Horschel heading back to the Black Desert ranked 13th in this field in true strokes gained tee-to-green and third on approach across his past eight events.
- Course fit: Solid T11 here in 2025 without his best tee-to-green work
- Recent form: Plenty of indicators Horschel's close to putting it all together
- Key stat: 10th in field in true strokes gained putting through past three events
Best long-shot pick: Haotong Li
With three consecutive Top 20 finishes, Haotong Li has found his game ahead of this event. Of course, he’s also a four-time DP World Tour winner and has flashed multiple times in major championships, so there’s potential for Li in this watered-down field.
- Course fit: Forgiving layout makes Li a boom-or-bust flier
- Recent form: True strokes gained across the board across past three events
- Key stat: 24th on the PGA Tour in Par 4 birdie-or-better percentage
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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