Seamus Power missed out on a second Butterfield Bermuda Championship victory after being beaten on the third play-off hole of Monday’s sudden death showdown by Austin Smotherman.
Power, who won his last PGA Tour event in this tournament in 2022, was pitched into a play-off with Smotherman after Sunday’s final round was cancelled due to severely inclement weather.
Due a further unfavourable weather forecast on Monday, the PGA Tour took the decision to shorten the tournament to 54-holes, meaning that Power and Smotherman, tied for the lead on 16-under par, would contest a play-off for the title.
The play-off was conducted on a sudden death basis on the 16th hole, a perilous par-3 overlooking the Atlantic, with high winds playing havoc with the approach.
The Irishman looked to have the upper hand after finding the green on the first attempt, but Smotherman’s pitch from the rough left him stone dead. Power was unable to sink the 25-footer for birdie meaning they had to head back to the tee box.
The pair both parred the hole at the second attempt, Power making an excellent sand save after finding the left bunker.
At this stage, there was a prospect of a marathon play-off akin to the one which delivered Power’s first PGA Tour victory at the Barbasol Championship in 2021, when he defeated JT Poston on the sixth sudden death hole.
For the third attempt, the pin was moved to the front of the long green.
Smotherman piled the pressure on with an excellent approach to the left front of the green. Power, meanwhile, again missed left, the ball submerged in heavy rough.
Smotherman reacts after his par at the second play-off hole
His pitch from a poor lie only just crept onto the green, leaving him with a long par putt and drawing a disappointed groan from the Irish contingent on the balcony overlooking the green.
Power chased his par putt by the hole, leaving Smotherman only needing to two-putt from inside 20ft for victory. The American’s birdie putt ran uncomfortably past the hole, giving Power a glimmer of hope.
The Waterford man rattled in a bogey putt to keep hope alive but Smotherman held his nerve on the par putt to secure his second PGA Tour of the month, having claimed his maiden tour triumph at the Bank of Utah Championship three weeks ago.
As a result, Power narrowly missed out on tour exemption for the 2028 season, though his strong second place finish does secure him a full tour card for next year.