Mitchell Schow grew up hitting balls at Park Meadows Country Club with his Park City High School teammates. On Thursday, July 30, the 29-year-old will tee off at 2:30 p.m. in the Korn Ferry Tour's Utah Championship at Ogden Golf and Country Club, chasing a share of the tournament's $1 million purse.

Schow earned a sponsor's exemption into the 35th-year event, according to KSL. The winner takes home $180,000 on Sunday. Golf Channel will broadcast all four rounds, with coverage beginning at 4 p.m. MDT Thursday.

The PCHS graduate, whose last name is pronounced "Skaw," attended the University of Utah, where he earned a sports management degree. He won the 2020 Utah state amateur title and the Salt Lake City Open in 2023. At last year's Utah Championship, he made the cut as a Monday qualifier and finished tied for 54th.

These days, Schow works for his father at Mitchell Hardwood Flooring in Park City while grinding through Monday qualifiers and state open tournaments to keep his professional path alive.

"If you get hot and play well on a Monday, you can parlay that into some type of status, which will ultimately push you towards the goal," Schow said during a Tuesday, July 28, practice round at Ogden Golf and Country Club, where he sank a 55-foot putt.

A Tony Finau Foundation grant covering $30,000 to $45,000 per year in expenses has kept Schow's competitive schedule afloat. He said without Finau's support, he would likely only be playing in Q-school at the end of the year. Recipients must commit to the program for at least two years.

The Park City connections run deep. Several of Schow's former PCHS golf teammates stood in his recent wedding party. His caddie attended high school with his father. He remains in close contact with his former PCHS golf coach, whose program won the Utah state championship in October 2024 at Meadow Brook. Park Meadows Country Club, where the Miners practiced during Schow's era, became a sponsor after he qualified for a PGA Tour event.

Schow said the pressure he feels comes from hoping a strong finish could help him and his newlywed wife Kennedy buy a house.

The Korn Ferry Tour's administrative office is based in Park City. At season's end, the top 20 players earn PGA Tour cards.

The Utah Championship runs Thursday through Sunday, August 2, at Ogden Golf and Country Club. Schow's Round 1 tee time is 2:30 p.m.