SOUTH OGDEN — Perhaps the person most surprised that Derek Hitchner won the Korn Ferry Tour’s Utah Championship on Sunday at Ogden Golf & Country Club was Hitchner himself. “I’ve been floundering all year,” the 26-year-old from Minnesota said on the 18th green after winning a five-way playoff on the first playoff hole with a 6-foot birdie putt. “This is kind of a surprise, and a huge blessing.” It was the first tournament win as a professional for Hitchner, a Pepperdine graduate who turned pro in 2023. “This is as good as it gets,” he said. The five-man playoff tied for the largest playoff field in Korn Ferry Tour history. After Hitchner and four others — Tommy Morrison, Cole Hammer, Mason Anderson and Travis Trace — tied at 21-under through 72 holes in blistering hot conditions in South Ogden, the fivesome headed out to the 18th tee in the sudden-death playoff. All f…

17 to get back in it. He almost won it with his birdie on No. 18 in regulation, but left a 15-foot putt inches short after backing off it to re-examine his line. “Well, the (playoff) putt was a little bit closer, so that was helpful, obviously,” he said. “But yeah, I knew I had to make it. It feels good to win it with a birdie.” Hitchner said he has “no idea” what the victory will do for his career, but said it goes to show that hard work does pay off. “I have been working as hard as I can to try to get better, and the results have not reflected that,” he said. “I am just truly grateful.” Golfers with Utah ties usually make their presence felt at the Korn Ferry Tour’s annual stop in Utah, but that didn’t happen this year. Seven golfers with Utah ties entered the 156-player event, but only Farmington’s Daniel Summerhays made the cut. Summerhays shot rounds of 68-63-69-…