Ogden natives Howe and Schow excited to compete in hometown at 2026 Utah Championship
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- Connor Howe of Ogden hits a shot out of the sand during a practice round at the Ogden Golf and Country Club in Ogden on Tuesday, July 28, 2026. (Jared Lloyd, Standard-Examiner)
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- Mitchell Schow (left) and Connor Howe, both of Ogden, pose for a photo during a practice round at the Ogden Golf and Country Club in Ogden on Tuesday, July 28, 2026. (Jared Lloyd, Standard-Examiner)
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- Mitchell Schow of Ogden watches his tee shot during a practice round at the Ogden Golf and Country Club in Ogden on Tuesday, July 28, 2026. (Jared Lloyd, Standard-Examiner)
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- Connor Howe of Ogden watches his shot during a practice round at the Ogden Golf and Country Club in Ogden on Tuesday, July 28, 2026. (Jared Lloyd, Standard-Examiner)
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- Mitchell Schow of Ogden watches his putt during a practice round at the Ogden Golf and Country Club in Ogden on Tuesday, July 28, 2026. (Jared Lloyd, Standard-Examiner)
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- Connor Howe of Ogden watches his tee shot during a practice round at the Ogden Golf and Country Club in Ogden on Tuesday, July 28, 2026. (Jared Lloyd, Standard-Examiner)
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- Mitchell Schow of Ogden hits a show from the fairway during a practice round at the Ogden Golf and Country Club in Ogden on Tuesday, July 28, 2026. (Jared Lloyd, Standard-Examiner)
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- A Utah Championship sign sits at the first hole at the Ogden Golf and Country Club in Ogden on Tuesday, July 28, 2026. (Jared Lloyd, Standard-Examiner)
SOUTH OGDEN — Professional golf can be a tough, lonely road.
In trying to reach the highest levels of the sport, golfers must frequently travel hundreds of hours while facing uncertain outcomes and unclear futures.
But that is what Mitchell Schow and Connor Howe are doing as they chase their dreams.
For this one weekend, however, they get to come home. That’s because the 2026 Utah Championship, a stop on the Korn Ferry Tour, will take place in their hometown at the Ogden Golf and Country Club.
“It’s town that I grew up in and my dad still lives here,” Schow said during media day at the course on Tuesday. “I come up here during summer and spend time here as much as I can. It’s nice to be close to family and friends.
“Ogden Country Club’s always been great to me. I was never a member here, but I would always be able to come out and play with friends and family that were. But I grew up playing up at Mount Ogden and I still keep in touch with a bunch of the guys up there. So it’ll be fun to kind of see them come out and support me for a little bit if they have time. It’s always a good time to be out in Ogden.”
Howe agreed, and said having the tournament in Ogden is great for both him personally and for the community.
“I come back to Utah a few weeks a year and always play out here,” he said. “Just from the members I’ve talked to at this course, they’ve just been super-excited to have some of the best players in the world here playing and get to showcase their course.
“The support just from the members and from the city of Ogden last year, I thought, was unbelievable. There were a ton of people out here on the weekend, and I expect the same this year, especially now where it’s not the first year and maybe more people know about it. I think it’s cool to showcase Ogden a little bit and just show off a course that I love and grew up playing.”
Howe is a Weber High grad who played college golf at Georgia Tech, while Schow also grew up in Ogden but played high school golf for Park City and college golf at the University of Utah.
Since they graduated from college (Howe in 2023, Schow in 2021), both have been pursuing professional golf with all the ins and outs that come with it.
“It’s been fun,” Schow said. “I wouldn’t change it for the world. I met a bunch of great people, and there’s people here that I wouldn’t have met without golf. It’s definitely a grind, especially not knowing when your next paycheck’s coming and having a consistent income. But thankfully, I have a great wife now who is backing me 100% and wants to see me succeed in this.”
The former Ute golfer has focused on playing Monday qualifiers, looking to get hot at the right time and make strides toward reaching the PGA Tour.
“I’m kind of in a position where I feel like finishing well on a Monday and then parlaying that will give me a better opportunity to advance to where I want to be versus going up to Canada or Latin America and finishing 21st or 11th on the money list and basically being in the same position,” Schow said.
Howe, however, is finding success in the PGA Tour Americas and is currently 17th on the points list, including nearly winning the last event.
“I was in the final group but had a tough hole coming in and missed a playoff by a shot,” Howe said. “I still had a chance to get in there. But it was still a great week, with lots to build off of. I feel like my game’s been trending all year. It was good to see.”
Both Howe and Schow have their sights set on making a run at the Utah Championship, hoping to be aided by their familiarity with the course.
“I’ve played this course a thousand times,” Howe said. “Even with some of the changes they’ve made in recent years, I still feel like I know it like the back of my hand.”
Schow hasn’t played it quite that many times, but he knows the track. He said the key is to stay poised throughout the tournament.
“It’s just playing golf,” Schow said. “There’s nothing special to it. It’s a Korn Ferry event, so the rough is a little thicker and things like that. But you just play golf the best that you can play and see what happens after that.”
Both Schow and Howe talked about the boost they got from the home crowd in 2025 and said they are looking forward to the same experience this weekend.
“It was awesome last year,” Schow said. “It’s great for Ogden in general. This is a city I would love to raise kids in, if I have kids one day. It’s just turned into all-around great spot to be. I think the community here loves it (the Utah Championship). Everyone at the club is excited for the tournament to be put on here, and talk about how they wish they could have it forever.”
The 2026 Utah Championship gets underway on Thursday with four rounds going through Sunday.
Other golfers with Utah ties who will be participating include former BYU golfers Zac Jones, Carson Lundell and Daniel Summerhays, Farmington’s Preston Summerhays and Sandy’s Barry Schenk.
For complete details and updates from the tournament, go online to utahchampionship.com.
