Utah hadn't seen a PGA Tour event in over 60 years. Then came the 2024 Black Desert Championship. It wasn't just another stop on the FedExCup Fall schedule; it was a surreal visual feast set against jet-black basalt and neon-red cliffs. If you watched it on TV, you know. The contrast was so sharp it almost looked like a video game. But for the guys on the ground in Ivins, the stakes were incredibly real.
Honestly, most people expected a mid-tier fallback event. They were wrong. What we got was the arrival of a legitimate new star and a golf course that might be the most photogenic spot on the entire tour.
The Matt McCarty Surge Was No Fluke
When Matt McCarty stood on the first tee on Thursday, he wasn't exactly a household name. By Sunday afternoon? He was the first player since Jason Gore in 2005 to win three times on the Korn Ferry Tour for a "battlefield promotion" and then actually snag a PGA Tour win in that same season.
He didn't just win; he sort of dismantled the place.
McCarty finished at 23-under-par. That’s a massive number. He shot a 62 in the opening round that basically set the tone for the entire week. While guys like Stephan Jaeger and Kevin Streelman hovered around, McCarty looked like he’d been playing out there for twenty years instead of three starts.
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The turning point? The 14th hole on Sunday. It’s a drivable par-4, just 308 yards. McCarty pulled a 3-wood and absolutely flushed it to within four feet. He made the eagle. It was essentially "game over" right then and there. He walked away with $1.35 million and, more importantly, a two-year exemption that keeps him on tour through 2026. He's also booked for the Masters and the PGA Championship now.
The Course: Tom Weiskopf’s Final Masterpiece
You can't talk about the 2024 Black Desert Championship without talking about the dirt—or rather, the lava. This was the final design from the legendary Tom Weiskopf before he passed away.
Black Desert Resort is built right into an old lava field. The fairways are bright green ribbons cutting through jagged, unforgiving black rock. If you miss the grass here, you aren't just in the rough; you're looking for a drop because your ball just vanished into a volcanic crevice.
- Total Yardage: 7,421 yards.
- Par: 71.
- The Greens: 007XL Bentgrass (they were fast, like, really fast).
- Unique Feature: A bunker in the middle of the 3rd green, inspired by Riviera.
Data Golf nerds pointed out something interesting: the "separation of skill" at Black Desert was much higher than your average Tour stop. This means the course rewarded the best ball-strikers and punished the mediocre ones significantly more than a standard flat resort course.
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Who Else Showed Up?
Stephan Jaeger pushed hard, finishing solo second at 20-under. He’s had a monster year himself, but he just couldn't quite catch the McCarty freight train.
Then you had the veterans. Lucas Glover and Kevin Streelman both finished T3 at 19-under. Glover actually shot a 62 on Sunday. Imagine shooting a 62 in the final round and still finishing four strokes back. That tells you exactly how high the ceiling was that week. Matti Schmid also went low with a 62 on Sunday to grab fifth place.
It was a weird mix of young guns looking for job security and older pros trying to prove they’ve still got the juice.
Why This Event Actually Matters for Utah
This wasn't just about golf. The local impact in the St. George/Ivins area was huge. For a long time, Utah has been this "secret" world-class golf destination with places like Sand Hollow, but the 2024 Black Desert Championship put it on the global stage.
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The tournament's charitable arm, the Bank of Utah, launched a major financial literacy program for local teens. They also hosted a "Liberty Lounge" that brought in over a thousand veterans, first responders, and teachers for free. It felt less like a corporate tent and more like a community party that happened to have world-class golf in the background.
Managing Partner Patrick Manning has been vocal about this being a multi-billion dollar project. It’s not just 18 holes; it’s a resort, a spa, and eventually a hub for the arts in Southern Utah.
Final Leaderboard Snapshot
- 1. Matt McCarty: -23 ($1,350,000)
- 2. Stephan Jaeger: -20 ($817,500)
- T3. Lucas Glover: -19 ($442,500)
- T3. Kevin Streelman: -19 ($442,500)
- 5. Matti Schmid: -18 ($307,500)
Actionable Insights for Fans and Players
If you're planning to follow the next iteration of this tournament or even play the course yourself, keep these things in mind:
- Don't ignore the Korn Ferry grads. The gap between the top of the KFT and the PGA Tour is shrinking. McCarty is living proof that momentum is a real thing in golf.
- Accuracy over distance at Black Desert. While it's a "big" course, the penalty for missing the fairway is a lost ball in the lava. If you play here, leave the ego in the bag and hit the club that keeps you on the short grass.
- Watch the FedExCup Fall. These events aren't "off-season." They are where the next generation of stars like McCarty get their start and where veterans fight to keep their cards.
- Visit Ivins in October. The weather for the 2024 Black Desert Championship was nearly perfect. If you're a golfer, this window is the "Goldilocks" zone for Southern Utah—not too hot, not too cold.
The 2024 event proved that Utah belongs in the professional golf conversation. It also proved that a 26-year-old lefty from Arizona can change his entire life in the span of four days in the desert.