Austin Smotherman takes a one-shot lead into the final round of the Bank of Utah Championship after a third-round 65 at Black Desert Resort in Ivins, Utah. His 54-hole total of 190 is 23 under par and a tournament record.
Doug Ghim is one shot back at 22 under. The two will play together in the final pairing Sunday.
How Austin Smotherman built the lead
Smotherman has shot 63-62-65 this week. His Saturday 65 included a bogey at the 10th hole, and he answered with three birdies in four holes. He shot 31 on the back nine and made a 12-foot birdie putt at the 18th, according to Golf Channel.
The 190 beats the previous 54-hole mark at the tournament, 194, set by Matt McCarty in 2024, reported St. George News.
Ghim kept pace with a 64 and a back-nine 29. Smotherman matched his birdies on the back nine to protect the lead. “I think it’s good pressure. That’s what we work for. That’s the spot you want to be,” Smotherman said, according to Golf Channel.
Who is chasing Austin Smotherman
Trace Crowe, Ben James and Kevin Streelman share third place at 18 under, four shots back. James shot a bogey-free 64 on Saturday. Streelman fell back after a triple bogey at the par-4 13th.
Ghim has played 191 previous PGA Tour events without a win. His best finish is second at the 2024 Shriners Children’s Open.
What a win would mean
Sunday is Smotherman’s 100th PGA Tour start. He has never won on tour, and his best finish so far is a tie for second at the 2026 Cognizant Classic. He is 79th in the FedExCup Fall standings.
The winner earns $1.08 million and 500 FedExCup points from the $6 million purse. A win also brings a two-year exemption, including access to the 2028 Championship Series.
Golf Channel’s final-round coverage starts at 5 p.m. ET on Sunday. For more golf, see our recaps of Aaron Rai’s PGA Championship win and Cameron Young’s Doral victory, and the story on Tom Kim’s Asian Games gold.
Reporting from Golf Channel, St. George News and ESPN contributed to this story.
