Austin Smotherman ousts Seamus Power in Bermuda playoff for second straight win

Austin Smotherman captured his second straight tournament on the PGA Tour by defeating Seamus Power in a three-hole playoff Monday morning at the Butterfield Bermuda Championship.

The 32-year-old Smotherman, who earlier this month won the Bank of Utah Championship, two-putted from 14 feet on the oceanside par-3 16th at Port Royal Golf Course after Power failed to get up and down from a gnarly lie in the rough.

“I’m still shaking,” Smotherman said after converting the 2-foot comeback for par. “That putt was not easy.”

The PGA Tour announced Sunday evening that the final round, already postponed earlier that morning, had been canceled because of high winds, including gusts exceeding 40 mph. That left Smotherman and Power, both at 16 under, to face off in the second Monday playoff this season; Viktor Hovland defeated Scottie Scheffler at the Travelers in late June.

It was Smotherman who missed the green on the first extra spin around a blustery No. 16. But Smotherman was able to scramble for par to match Power, who failed to make his 21-footer for birdie.

On the second playoff hole, still No. 16, Smotherman found the front portion of the green before cozying a 75-foot lag putt to tap-in range. Power found the left greenside bunker but was able to blast out and tie the hole, which was then re-cut for the third frame of overtime.

By virtue of his victory, Smotherman, who’d already locked up a two-year winner’s exemption and membership on the new Championship Series in 2028, now is exempt through 2029 on that top tier. Power, 39, was trying for his third career PGA Tour title, first since Bermuda in 2022. He also captured the 2021 Barbasol Championship in a six-hole playoff over J.T. Poston.

This was just the second playoff in Bermuda Championship history and the first since Brian Gay beat Wyndham Clark in 2020.

Both Smotherman and Power have already withdrawn from the upcoming VidantaWorld Mexico Open, which begins Thursday.