Young Stars Shine at Bank of Utah Championship in Utah Desert

Four players aged 25 or younger—Johnny Keefer, David Ford, Ben James, and Kihei Akina—all shot bogey-free rounds on Saturday to move into the top 20 at the Bank of Utah Championship, while veterans Austin Smotherman and Doug Ghim still lead the tournament. Keefer, 25, tied his career low with a 9-under 62 to reach 17 under, six shots back of Smotherman's lead. James, 23, birdied the 18th to tie for third at 18 under, while Akina, a 20-year-old amateur, and Ford, 24, also posted strong scores. The group's performance highlights a youth movement on the Korn Ferry Tour, with Keefer leading the points list and James finishing runner-up at the Biltmore Championship. Jackson Koivun, 21, sits T-61 at 7 under after a 2-under 70 on Saturday.