Smotherman leads PGA Tour Utah event after third round, Doug Kim one back
In short
Austin Smotherman held the lead after the third round of the PGA Tour's Bank of Utah Championship, shooting a 6-under round to reach 23-under 190 at Black Desert Resort in Ivins, Utah. Doug Kim, a Korean-American player, was one stroke behind in second at 22-under 191 after a 7-under round. In the Korn Ferry Tour's Compliance Solutions Championship in Owasso, Oklahoma, Noh Seung-yul shot 1 over and stood tied 67th at 3-under 207.
Why it matters
The final round will decide whether Smotherman, who has not yet won on the PGA Tour, closes out the tournament, and how far Doug Kim can move in a FedEx Cup standing that governs access to next season's signature events. For Korean readers, Kim's position is the main local angle in the Utah event, while Noh Seung-yul's failure to move up the Korn Ferry leaderboard leaves his bid for a PGA Tour card unresolved.
Key facts
- Austin Smotherman led the Bank of Utah Championship after the third round at 23-under 190, carding a 6-under round with eight birdies and two bogeys. [ 1 ]
- Doug Kim was second at 22-under 191, one stroke behind, after a 7-under round with eight birdies and one bogey. [ 1 ]
- The Bank of Utah Championship has a total purse of $6 million and is played on a par-71 course at Black Desert Resort in Ivins, Utah. [ 1 ]
- Doug Kim, ranked 93rd in the FedEx Cup standings, has secured a PGA Tour card for next year but needs to raise his ranking in the fall series to enter signature events. [ 1 ]
- Doug Kim said he has wanted to win in his previous 191 events and has another chance tomorrow. [ 1 ]
- Noh Seung-yul shot 1 over in the third round of the Korn Ferry Tour's Compliance Solutions Championship in Owasso, Oklahoma, and stood tied 67th at 3-under 207. [ 1 ]
- Newsis reported in its headline that Smotherman's lead put a first PGA Tour title in reach. [ 2 ]
Confirmed by several sources
Still unclear
- The detailed third-round scores and Doug Kim's second place are reported only by Yonhap. Single-source detail; the other document carries only a headline on the same event.
- Newsis's article text discusses President Lee Jae-myung's remarks on reform, not the golf tournament. The text provided under that outlet does not match its headline on this event, so its golf coverage is limited to the headline.
- Whether Smotherman wins his first PGA Tour title, and where Doug Kim finishes, is not known. The final round has not been played according to the documents.
- Noh Seung-yul's remaining chances to secure a PGA Tour card are not stated beyond the third-round result. The documents give only his position and the fact that he has not secured a card.