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Brett Hess earns a major title at the Senior Stroke Play Championship

For Brett Hess, it was the biggest golf victory of his life when he came from behind to defeat defending champion Brigham Gibbs and former State Amateur champion Darrin Overson at the Utah Senior Stroke Play Championship.

Hess, a 54-year-old from Vineyard, who has only been playing golf seriously for a couple of decades, fired a final-round 69 Friday to defeat Gibbs by a stroke and Overson by two. Hess finished with a 1-over-par 217 total in the 54-hole event at Stonebridge Golf Club in West Valley.

“It feels amazing – this is a big one for me,” said Hess, a real estate agent, who is originally from Ogden.

Following rounds of 75 and 73, Hess went into the final round four shots behind Overson, Gibbs and Matthew Lyons, who were playing together in the final threesome. After nine holes, Hess was still five shots behind Overson and four behind Gibbs.

However birdies at 11, 12 and 16 brought him within one of Overson, who had led throughout the tournament up to that point. At the par-5 18th hole, Hess hit his second shot onto the green 15 feet behind the hole and two-putted for a birdie and a final-nine 32.

Overson needed a birdie to win and par to tie, but his downwind 8-iron from 190 yards drifted slightly to the right and ended up in some thick mud right of the green. He took off his shoes and socks and was only able to move the ball about six feet. His next shot rocketed across the green, ending his hopes for a playoff as he ended with a double-bogey 7.

But wait, Gibbs had a chance to tie after putting his second shot just six feet from the flag. However his eagle putt slid past the hole and his birdie left him one short.

Overson shook off the disappointing finish in his first Senior Stroke Play tourney after turning 50 last fall. He said he is looking forward to playing the local senior circuit and has already won senior events at The Ledges, Winterchamps and Spanish Oaks and finished second twice.

St. George’s Mark Gardiner won his second straight Super Senior (age 60-69) title with a 213 total, edging Randy Hicken by two shots and Craig Wilson by six.

Another St.George golfer Michael Hacker won the Legends Division (over 70) with a 224 total. Bill Probst was second at 230, followed by Rob Bachman at 231.

Click here for 2025 Senior Stroke Play Championship leaderboard.

2025 Utah Senior Stroke Play Championship recap feature written by Mike Sorensen. All photos provided by Fairways Media/Garrit Johnson.