Smotherman earns second PGA Tour title in Bermuda playoff; Power’s runner-up reshapes 2027 plans

Austin Smotherman captured his second PGA Tour title in a weather-shortened Butterfield Bermuda Championship, beating Seamus Power on the third hole of a sudden-death playoff. The result not only solidified Smotherman’s place on tour through 2029 but also gave Power a crucial runner-up finish that overhaul’s his outlook for 2027.

Smotherman seals Bermuda win and extends PGA Tour status

Smotherman clinched the victory over Power on the third hole of a playoff after Monday’s play concluded a weather-shortened event. The Utah native, who needed 57 holes to claim his first Tour title, earned his second career win in Bermuda and immediately extended his full-time PGA Tour exempt status.

Following the win, Smotherman rose to No. 51 in the FedEx Cup Fall standings, according to tournament reports, and his success reportedly improved his chances of earning starts in early Signature Events for 2027. The Bermuda triumph also extends the exempt period he secured with the Bank of Utah Championship, now stretching through 2029, after that earlier victory had already guaranteed him a spot in the PGA Tour’s Championship Series in 2028.

Smotherman reflected on his surge, saying, “We knew we were doing a lot of good stuff and just wanted to go play golf. We were excited for the fall season. We had our best FedEx Cup finish ever and the fall we felt was just going to be bonus golf and do things like this, and to have it come true and live this out now not once but twice in that short time frame is, I mean, I couldn’t have drawn it up. It’s a fairy tale, really.”

Background: Smotherman’s ongoing rise to stability on tour

Smotherman’s path back to full-time status on the PGA Tour has been gradual and persistent. He advanced from PGA Tour America (then PGA Tour Latinoamérica) to the Korn Ferry Tour, earned full status for the 2021-22 season, lost his card after finishing 169th in the FedEx Cup standings in 2024, and rebounded with two Korn Ferry Tour wins in 2025 to return to the PGA Tour.

Upon returning to the circuit in 2026, Smotherman displayed consistent form, nearly capturing the Cognizant Classic in March before breaking through at the Bank of Utah Championship in his 100th start. The Bermuda victory in gusty conditions—with winds reaching around 40 mph at Port Royal—confirmed the momentum he carried through the fall schedule.

Power’s runner-up provides crucial status in a uncertain season

Seamus Power, the 2022 Bermuda champion, was unable to seal a second Bermuda title after bogeying on the third extra hole. Yet the runner-up finish carried significant weight for his status on the PGA Tour. By moving up 35 places in the FedEx Cup Fall standings, Power climbed to No. 68, positioning him to reclaim full-time status for 2027.

Power described how the uncertainty of 2026 affected his scheduling. He said earlier in the week, “I played a full schedule, but it was the unknowns and not knowing where I was going to get in and when I was going to get in was the tough part. So for me, trying to get back into that top 100, get yourself back to full status, and then I just feel like you’re in a better, more comfortable spot starting off in January.”

Following Sunday’s conclusion — the final round was canceled due to weather, with the playoff moved to Monday — Power added, “That’s nice. That was a big goal for the fall to get a top 100 locked up. Now I’ll have a look at the list and see if I can maybe move into that top 60 or 70, whatever that cutoff is for the first couple [Signature Events]. But really big strides for me forward in the fall — three events, two top 10s, almost winning here, so a lot of good stuff.”

What comes next for Smotherman and Power

Smotherman’s back-to-back titles underscore his current form and influence his schedule in the coming years. The Bermuda win extends his exempt status through 2029 and strengthens his position in the Fall FedEx Cup standings, potentially shaping his access to higher-profile events and early-2027 Signature Event starts.

For Power, the improved fall finish offers stability after a period of uncertainty. The move to No. 68 in the FedEx Cup Fall standings places him in a better position to defend or restore full-time status for 2027, with his focus likely on climbing higher on the fall list to secure additional opportunities.

Officials and updated FedEx Cup standings on pgatour.com will determine each player’s full 2027 calendar in the coming weeks.

Source: Original report