Ivins, Utah — It was day two of the PGA Tour’s Black Desert Championship in Ivins, and everyone from here and out of town said the same thing.
It will be the first time in 61 years for Utahns to see top men’s golf professionals compete in the Beehive State.
It was a chance for people from other parts of the country and the world to watch the sport Red Rock County is known for in its beautiful location.
For Arizona resident Steve Shafer, this was the place for his bachelor party with his father, Jeff. But what about the person you will marry next month?
“My fiance likes to play, but definitely not as much as I do,” Schafer said. “I get to watch and play golf and spend time with great friends.”
“It’s hard to watch golf when there’s so much scenery around you,” Jeff Schaefer said.
The scenery is fit for an artist, and St. George artist Tommy Starland was admiring the picture-perfect landscape with his son Harvey.
“It’s great to have a PGA event in my hometown,” Starland said. “It’s a combination of black rock, red rock and desert, and there’s probably nothing that looks like this anywhere else in the world.”
Starland was commissioned to create a painting commemorating St. George’s Jay Don Blake, who made his 500th appearance on the PGA Tour. Although Blake was unable to continue playing in this weekend’s final round, he was finally able to play in his hometown for the first time in his long career.
“He’s a local legend,” Starland said.
Teigen Jukes, a golf fan from Elmo, Emery County, population 418, never thought she would see a PGA event in person.
“It’s just a different way of flying the ball, controlling the ball, etc. It’s a different experience.”
As for Steve the Bachelorette, he has a message for his fiancée
“I can’t wait to get married next month!” he exclaimed to the camera as he marched to enjoy golf, views and a bachelor party.
