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Utah Four-Ball: Former champs Cottle-Hastings rally to earn semifinal spot

A third trip to the semifinals of the Utah Four-Ball seemed highly unlikely for Andrew Cottle-Peyton Hastings after 12 holes Tuesday. 

That’s when Cottle got hot to force extra holes, and then Hastings did his share with a finishing birdie. The 2022 champions went from 3 down to claim a 19-hole victory over Steven Croft-Noah Schone at Talisker Club.

Cottle-Hastings, who first appeared in the semifinals in 2021, will meet Colton Dallimore-Zachary Dallimore on Wednesday morning. Steele Dewald-Kenny Palmer will face Luke Crapo-Bret Parker in the other semifinal match, then the 18-hole final will be contested in the afternoon. 

Cottle, 46, became acquainted with the recent University of Utah alumnus when  Hastings’ parents lived near him in North Salt Lake. Cottle sparked the team’s comeback with an eagle on the par-5 No. 13 and a birdie on the par-3 No. 14. Cottle’s par was good enough to win No. 16, then Hastings birdied the par-4 No. 1 to complete the rally.

The result was a tough loss for Schone. But when the Utah Golf Association’s 2025 Player Performance Rankings are updated after this event, Schone will stand No. 1 in the Men’s Player of the Year race. Austin Shelley (with Jack Summerhays) lost to Dallimore-Dallimore in the round of 16, unofficially ending his bid.

Dewald’s birdie on the par-3 No. 17 made the difference for him and Palmer in a 1-up win over Isaac Calderon-Ryan Martinez. Crapo-Parker led most of the way and held on for a 1-up defeat of Andrew Barton-Brady Machin. Dallimore-Dallimore went 4 up after seven holes in a 2-and-1 win over Simon Chamness-Oscar Maxfield. 

SENIOR

Eight players qualified to play Talisker Club in the Senior quarterfinals Tuesday morning, followed by semifinal duels that lasted well into the twilight. 

Make that darkness, in the case of Darrin Overson-Shane Brady vs. Matthew Isbell-Larry Waldron. That match was suspended after 19 holes, with the outcome to be determined Wednesday morning. The final match will follow soon afterward. 

Overson-Brady, the 2022 runners-up in the At-Large division, were 3 down after seven holes. They earned a tie through 12 holes, then Overson birdied No. 16 for a 1-up lead. Waldron’s birdie on No. 17 produced another tie.    

Defending champions Jon Wright-Brigham Gibbs never trailed in a 2-and-1 victory over Jon Morgan-Gregg Oliphant, although the match was tied through 13 holes.   

SUPER-SENIOR 

In the Super-Senior semifinals last September, Randy Hicken-Mike Jorgensen won the longest match in UGA history, as measured by the number of extra holes. This time, their match lasted barely more than half that long. 

Hicken-Jorgensen needed only 15 holes to end their semifinal duel, a year after going 28 holes at Gladstan Golf Course in Payson. The next day, they lost to Rick Lloyd-Paul Cannon in the finals for the second straight year. 

In their latest finals appearance, Hicken-Jorgensen will face Dana Nelson-Craig Wilson. That duo needed only 13 holes to advance Tuesday, as four Super-Senior teams competed in the Talisker Club phase of the event.

Opening round recap of the Utah Four-Ball Championship written by Fairways Media senior writer Kurt Kragthorpe. Photography by Fairways Media/Garrit Johnson.