The PGA Tour returned to Utah for the first time in over 60 years as several top players took on the Black Desert Championship.
Matt McCarty emerged victorious at the Black Desert Golf Course, in what was just his second start on the PGA Tour as a member.
Nick Taylor spotted an issue with the Black Desert Championship greens, but McCarty seemingly had no problems throughout the tournament.
He has now clinched a spot at the Masters with his fantastic victory, having started the year on the Korn Ferry Tour.
A first PGA Tour title arrived thanks to his 23 under in Utah, with McCarty beating Stephan Jaeger by three shots.
Smylie Kaufman confused by PGA Tour ruling after Black Desert Championship
The victory has delighted Smylie Kaufman, although he has been left confused by the PGA Tour ruling surrounding the event.
Speaking on The Smylie Show, he said of McCarty: “He is now in the winner’s category so he has no worries about his schedule now, he has no worries about a reshuffle that he may have had to deal with next year.
“He’s in a great spot now he’s won. He now has a Masters exemption. But what does he not have? He does not have access to the signature events. Is that correct? He is not in Pebble Beach, he’s not in Riv. So that is the confusing thing to me.
“We are having arguably one of the biggest tournaments in the professional game in the Masters awarding an exemption for a player winning this event in the fall, but also the PGA Tour isn’t rewarding players for winning this event for getting in their own big event.
“That’s where the disconnect is. I want to see Matt McCarty on the elite PGA Tour events and I want to see these new faces playing this fall, but we are in a tug of war right now trying to figure out where everybody fits.”
Matt McCarty wins controversial Black Desert Championship
Many players and fans will have been delighted to have welcomed back the PGA Tour to Utah after such a lengthy absence.
But the Black Desert Championship came under criticism before the event even got underway, with Jay Don Blake having been handed a sponsor’s exemption.
He missed the cut on his 500th PGA Tour start, with Kevin Kisner and recent Presidents Cup captain Mike Weir suffering the same fate.
Champion McCarty meanwhile will be over the moon with his week, having conquered the lava field in Utah.
He led by two shots going into the final round, never trailing at Black Desert, although Jaeger did push him all the way.
That battle was, however, ultimately brought to an end by McCarty with a superb 3-wood effort on the 14th that helped him clinch an eagle.
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