Fans will have to wait another day to see whether Austin Smotherman or Seamus Power can convert their 54-hole tie into a victory at the Butterfield Bermuda Championship. Both golfers sit at 16-under par, but wind gusts exceeding 40 mph at Port Royal Golf Course in Southampton forced officials to cancel Sunday’s final round.
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The PGA Tour shared the decision through its official X account, citing the worsening forecast: “With no improvement to the current weather conditions and anticipated further deterioration, there will be no play today,” the statement read. Officials added they would provide an update on Monday’s schedule by 5 p.m. local time on Sunday.
Tournament organizers had already moved tee times forward, with the final group scheduled to start at 8:46 a.m. ET. However, at 6 a.m., they announced a 30-minute delay. Two hours later, the PGA Tour confirmed that play would not resume that day.
The postponement leaves Smotherman and Power tied at the top, with Corey Conners, Taylor Moore, and Ben Silverman two shots behind at 14-under par.
Smotherman has built his position through three rounds of steady scoring and composure. The American, a former PGA Tour winner and three-time Korn Ferry Tour winner, opened with a bogey-free 6-under 65. Playing under a shotgun start, he made birdies on holes 12, 17, 2, 4, 5, and 7 to establish an early foothold on the leaderboard.
He followed that performance with a 5-under 66, making three birdies on each nine. A bogey on the 18th prevented another blemish-free card, but he maintained his momentum into Saturday’s third round.
On Moving Day, Smotherman capitalized on the par-5 seventh, setting up a nine-foot eagle putt to move to five under for the round. The back nine, however, demanded greater caution as the gusts intensified.
At the par-3 16th, his 7-iron chip aimed at a front pin sailed into a bunker behind the green. He recovered to the fairway and got up and down for bogey. Smotherman then resisted the temptation to force a birdie at the par-5 17th, prioritizing control over aggression.
“Once we turned, I felt like the wind just kept picking up,” Smotherman said. He recalled the tee shot on the 11th as the point when conditions noticeably changed, forcing him and his playing partners to simplify their approach to the remaining holes.
Smotherman closed with a 66, saving par from 10 feet to remain firmly in contention. His ability to limit mistakes could prove crucial when the final round begins.
Power, meanwhile, has drawn on his experience in challenging weather. The Irishman, a two-time PGA Tour winner who claimed the Bermuda Championship in 2022, opened with a 5-under 66. Seven birdies put him in a strong position, although bogeys on holes 15 and 16 dented his score.
He responded with a bogey-free 7-under 64 in the second round to take the clubhouse lead. On Saturday, Power carded a 4-under 67 to erase a two-shot deficit and join Smotherman at the top.
His round featured one of the tournament’s standout moments: a spectacular 74-yard hole-out for birdie on the 14th, which earned PGA Tour Shot of the Day honors.
Even for Power, who grew up playing in Ireland’s often demanding conditions, Saturday presented a unique challenge.
“Today was proper wind, at least for me,” he said, explaining that elevated tees and uphill lies made it difficult to produce the low trajectory needed to control the ball.
The delay leaves the title race unresolved. Power will pursue his third PGA Tour victory and a second Bermuda Championship crown, while Smotherman could add another significant win to his career.
The contenders must now wait for Monday’s schedule to be confirmed. When play resumes, Power and Smotherman will lead to protect, but the chasing trio remains close enough to capitalize on any mistakes.