2026 Bank of Utah Championship Round 1 Tee Times at Black Desert

There's something about Utah that makes you believe in transformation. The red rock formations that punctuate the horizon, the way the light shifts across the high desert in late afternoon—it's a landscape that rewards patience and punishes complacency. Much like the game itself.

This week, Black Desert Resort welcomes the PGA Tour for the 2026 Bank of Utah Championship, and the first round tee times have officially been released. The tournament gets underway Thursday morning, and if the setting alone doesn't capture your imagination, the storylines certainly will.

The Moment Belongs to Koivun

Jackson Koivun is 21 years old, has played exactly seven tournaments as a professional, and somehow already feels inevitable. The PGA Tour rookie won the 3M Open in July and has notched two additional top-10 finishes in his brief career. Last week, he was a captain's pick for the U.S. Presidents Cup team—and delivered, helping America secure yet another title.

Now he returns to regular Tour action as the betting favorite, a designation that would feel premature for most players with such limited experience. But Koivun possesses that rare quality: he makes everything he touches feel consequential.

He'll tee off Thursday at 10:08 a.m. ET from the first tee, paired with Michael Brennan and Ben James. It's a grouping of hungry young talents, the kind of threesome that tends to bring out aggressive, attacking golf. At Black Desert, where the course winds through volcanic terrain and demands precision off the tee, that approach will be tested early.

Marquee Afternoon Wave Features Homa, Finau

The afternoon wave brings its own star power. Max Homa, always a fan favorite and never short on personality, tees off at 3:03 p.m. ET alongside Nick Taylor and Maverick McNealy. Homa's creative shot-making should translate beautifully to Black Desert's visually dramatic holes, where options abound but so do hazards.

Shortly after, at 3:14 p.m. ET, Tony Finau takes the first tee with Aldrich Potgieter and Eric Cole. Finau, playing in his home state, knows Utah golf as intimately as anyone in the field. The elevation, the dry air, the way distances play longer than you'd expect in the morning chill and shorter once the afternoon sun warms the desert floor—these are variables Finau has internalized over a lifetime.

International Flavor and Rising Talents

The field offers compelling international representation as well. South Africa's Christiaan Bezuidenhout and Erik van Rooyen are grouped together at 2:52 p.m. ET, a pairing that should produce solid, consistent play. Japan's Takumi Kanaya, Argentina's Emiliano Grillo, and Korea's Seamus Power (who actually represents Ireland, but grew up playing across continents) add to the global texture.

Among the emerging names to watch: Luke Clanton tees off at 3:58 p.m. ET, while amateur Seonghyeon An joins the morning wave at 11:14 a.m. ET. These are the players building résumés in real time, learning how to compete on golf's biggest stages.

How to Watch

Golf Channel will broadcast Thursday's action from 5-8 p.m. ET. For those who want the full experience, PGA Tour Live on ESPN+ offers featured group streaming coverage beginning at 10 a.m. ET—meaning you can follow Koivun from his very first swing. Simulcasts are also available on Golfchannel.com and the Golf Channel app.

The Course Awaits

Black Desert Resort remains relatively new to the Tour rotation, but it's already established a reputation as one of the most visually stunning venues in professional golf. The contrast between manicured fairways and ancient lava fields creates an almost otherworldly atmosphere—the kind of place where you find yourself pausing mid-round just to take it all in.

The course demands thought. The greens are receptive but well-protected. The par-5s offer scoring opportunities, but only for those willing to take calculated risks. It's a layout that rewards players who can see shots before they hit them, who understand that golf in the desert is as much about strategy as it is about power.

Key Takeaways

Jackson Koivun is the betting favorite and tees off at 10:08 a.m. ET with Michael Brennan and Ben James
Tony Finau plays his home state at 3:14 p.m. ET alongside Aldrich Potgieter and Eric Cole
Max Homa headlines the 3:03 p.m. ET group with Nick Taylor and Maverick McNealy
Coverage begins at 10 a.m. ET on ESPN+ with Golf Channel broadcasting 5-8 p.m. ET