Matt McCarty and Henrik Norlander share the lead in Utah’s return to the PGA Tour after 61 years

IVINS, Utah (AP) — Henrik Norlander and Korn Ferry Tour alumnus Matt McCarty each played bogey-free for a 9-under 62 and shared the lead in the Black Desert Championship on Thursday, the PGA Tour’s first returned to Utah for 61 years.

The Black Desert Resort had a beautiful day to make its debut, with a design by Tom Weiskopf cut through an ancient field of black lava and surrounded by red rock mountains about 30 miles from Zion National Park.

Norlander couldn’t have asked for much more. He hit all 14 fairways and every green, posting his best round on the PGA Tour.

“I believe that anyone on this tour, if they play well, will do well on any course and vice versa,” Norlander said. “I really like it here. It’s a fun course with a lot of options, but you have to hit good shots because the greens are a little tight and you have to hit them in the right areas to play well.”

Keith Mitchell, who missed the playoffs last week because of a three-putt bogey on the final hole in Mississippi, and 65-year-old Jay Don Blake were among the late starters. Blake, a Utah native, received an exemption for his home state’s first PGA Tour event since 1963. Blake is making his 500th career start on the PGA Tour.

McCarty began his year on the Korn Ferry Tour and won three times, earning him immediate promotion to the PGA Tour. He had to wait until the FedEx Cup fall to compete and this is his second tournament.

He had four 2s on his card, including an eagle on the reachable par-4 fifth when he hit his tee shot to 35 feet. The hallmark of a Weiskopf course is reachable par 4s, and Black Desert Resort has one on every nine.

The fairways are generous, but the penalty for missing is high – often black lava rock, not 4-inch rough.

“It’s very important to hit the fairways out here because if you don’t, I think you have to re-tee, so to speak, so that was helpful,” said McCarty, who essentially only missed one fairway – two others were on short par 4 – and that was it in a bunker.

Black Desert is new for everyone. It might help that McCarty grew up playing desert golf in the Phoenix area. Lack of fairways in the desert sometimes means that only desert plants stop the ball from rolling as it leaves the fairway.

“You kind of feel like you’re at home,” he said.

Kevin Streelman had a 64, while the group at 65 included Ben Kohls, who had a hole-in-one on the 17th hole that played 130 yards with a front pin and a backstop. Several other players came within inches of an ace.

Other players who were 65 at the start of the draw included Houston Open winner Stephen Jaeger and Harry Hall, who won the ISCO Championship in Kentucky. This win did not get Hall into the Masters as it was held in the same week as the Scottish Open.

There is a Masters invitation to the Black Desert Championship. The focus this time of year is primarily on finishing in the top 125 to retain a full PGA Tour card through 2025.

Norlander came into Utah ranked 131st, so it could be a big week for the 37-year-old Swede.

“I would be lying if I didn’t think about it,” Norlander said. “But I’ve been really trying to hit better one shot at a time all year. I know it’s boring, but I feel like I’m getting better at it and I need to keep getting better at it.”

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