Austin Smotherman was crowned champion of the Butterfield Bermuda Championship for the first time after upstaging 2022 winner Séamus Power on the third play-off hole at a windswept Port Royal Golf Course yesterday.

The American nailed his par putt at Port Royal’s signature 16th hole to seal victory and make it two wins in an as many starts after winning the Bank of Utah Championship three weeks ago.

Smotherman was delighted to come away with the trophy from the PGA Tour event, which was reduced to 54 holes after the final round on Sunday was cancelled owing to high winds.

“It feels pretty special to be crowned champion here in Bermuda. This is an island I’ve enjoyed coming to a couple of times now,” he told The Royal Gazette.

“Getting to stay at the [Hamilton Princess & Beach Club] is beautiful and then just walking into town every day is just a nice break up to what we normally do on the road, driving around everywhere. Our shuttle drivers are great and coming here to play Port Royal in whatever conditions we get is always a treat.”

With a strong wind gusting off the South Shore left of the green, Power missed a 20-foot birdie putt for the win on the first extra hole.

Both players made par twice before the hole location was moved to the front of the green for the third extra hole.

Smotherman’s eight-iron tee shot left himself with a birdie chance just inside 15 feet while Irishman Power’s tee shot landed deep in the rough left of the green.

Power chopped his second shot to just outside 15 feet and missed the par putt, leaving his rival two putts for the win.

Smotherman’s birdie attempt rolled just past the hole and left him with a tricky uphill putt to save par and avoid heading back to the 16th tee box for the fourth time.

“I would’ve loved to hit it a little closer, but it runs by about three and a half feet and that was a little nervy,” he said.

“Two-putt for the win, but you don’t want to leave yourself that one every time, especially in the wind. It’s a fast putt downwind; I just needed to get it started, but you don’t want to leave those putts short. It’s one of those things and it just gets going a little bit.”

With the title there for the taking, the 32-year-old held his nerve when it mattered most, rolling in his par putt with laser precision to clinch victory and pocket $1.08 million in prize money.

“I could feel my hands but they weren’t the same and just rattled it, it goes in and is done. It’s pretty surreal,” said Smotherman, whose back-to-back victories assures him a spot in the 2027 US Open at Pebble Beach.

Things might have panned out differently had Smotherman not converted a ten-foot par put at the 18th and Power converted a birdie attempt at the same hole during Saturday’s third round.

“Would’ve loved to maybe have a birdie look on 18 to have a chance to press it one more, but making par there from where I hit my second shot was special,” said Smotherman, who was tied with Power at 16 under after 54 holes.

“That putt doesn’t go in we don’t even have a Monday finish. Séamus would’ve been named outright winner and we would not have gotten all this fun drama on a Monday.”

Smotherman squandered a two-shot advantage with three holes to play after making bogey at the 16th and Power birdied the par-five 17th during the third round.

“Nice to have that cushion and have played on the front nine like I did, but it’s not an easy golf course,” he said. “You’re one swing away from bogeys happening, and I was okay with the finish.”

The consolation for Power, who was attempting to become the first multiple winner of the Butterfield Bermuda Championship, was retaining his tour card for next year.

He arrived in Bermuda at No 103, with the top 100 at the end of the autumn swing keeping full status.

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