IVINS, Utah (AP) — Austin Smotherman recovered from his lone blunder with two great shots and was able to cruise home to a 3-under 68 on Sunday to win the Bank of Utah Championship, his first PGA Tour victory in his 100th career start.
asserted
Smotherman → recover → start
Smotherman came into the week at No. 79 in the FedEx Cup — the top 100 keep full PGA Tour cards for 2027 — and picked up some immediate rewards.
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100 → come → rewards
He now has a two-year exemption, which includes the lucrative “Championship Series” when the new competitive model starts in 2028.
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model → have → 2028
“We won on the PGA Tour.
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We → win → Tour
That’s insane,” he said.
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he → ’ → ?
Smotherman never trailed at the Black Desert Resort, and he quickly built a three-shot cushion with a pair of tap-in birdies and a 35-foot birdie on the par-4 fifth.
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he → trail → par-4
But right when it looked as though the 32-year-old Smotherman would eliminate all drama on a beautiful afternoon in southern Utah, it changed quickly.
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it → look → Utah
His approach to the par-4 13th came up short and plugged near the lip of a bunker.
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approach → come → bunker
The best Smotherman could manage was to advance it to a flatter lie in the sand, he blasted out to 10 feet from there and missed the putt to make double bogey.
uncertain
he → manage → bogey
Suddenly, his lead was down to one shot over Trace Crowe, who in the group ahead made a 40-foot eagle putt on the reachable par-4 14th.
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who → make → 14th
Smotherman responded with a tee shot with the perfect line and distance on the 14th, landing short of the green and rolling out to 6 feet.
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Smotherman → respond → feet
He missed the eagle putt, but restored his lead to two shots.
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He → miss → shots
On the next hole, his approach got a good kick and rolled out to 6 feet again.
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approach → get → feet
He missed another short birdie putt, but converted from just inside 12 feet on the 16th, giving him a comfortable lead with two holes to play.
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He → miss → holes
A bogey-birdie finish put him at 26-under 258, easily breaking the 72-hole record at the tournament only in its third year.
“It didn’t have to be pretty,” Smotherman said.
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Smotherman → put → year
“I got some nice bounces.
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I → get → bounces
Made some poor swings, but this game doesn’t have to be perfect.”
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game → make → swings
Along with the two-year exemption, Smotherman moves to No. 51 in the FedEx Fall and is likely to stay among the top 60 to get into a pair of $20 million signature events at Pebble Beach and Riviera next year.
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Smotherman → move → Beach
Doug Ghim, also seeking his first PGA Tour victory, three-putted from 30 feet on the 13th and missed a 6-foot par putt on the 15th, which hurt his chances.
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which → seek → chances
He birdied the final hole for a 69 that allowed him to finish alone in second, moving him from 89th to 58th in the FedEx Cup.
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him → birdie → Cup
“Today was Austin’s day,” Ghim said.
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Ghim → say → ?
“I did everything that I could, and hopefully I’ll learn from some of the mistakes and be a little bit more comfortable next time.
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I → do → mistakes
Crowe (66) and David Ford (64) tied for third.
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Crowe → tie → third
Of the top 12 finishers, Kevin Streelman and Steven Fist were the only players who had won on the PGA Tour.
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who → win → Tour
Streelman closed with a 67 and tied for fifth with Ben James (67), the top PGA Tour University player who turned pro in June.
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who → close → June
A.J. Ewart of Coquitlam, B.C., finished as the leading Canadian with a 69 on the day to be eight shots back of Smotherman.
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Ewart → finish → Smotherman
Sudarshan Yellamaraju of Mississauga, Ont., had a 72 and was six shots back of Ewart.
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Yellamaraju → have → Ewart
Nick Taylor (70) of Abbotsford, B.C., and Adam Svensson (68) of Surrey, B.C., finished seven and eight shots behind Ewart, respectively.
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Taylor → finish → Ewart
The Aporia
