Brief
Austin Smotherman fires career‑low 62 to lead Bank of Utah Championship
The 100th‑appearance PGA Tour player posted ten birdies and a 62 to sit atop the leaderboard Friday.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Austin Smotherman recorded a 9‑under 62 on Friday, matching the lowest round of his PGA Tour career and moving one shot ahead in the Bank of Utah Championship at the Black Desert Resort in Ivins, Utah, the Associated Press reported.
What happened
Playing his 100th PGA Tour event, Smotherman made ten birdies, nine of them from within ten feet, and finished with a 62. The round gave him a one‑shot lead over Kevin Roy, who opened with two rounds of 63 and was five shots behind his own best 36‑hole total. Doug Ghim also posted a bogey‑free 62, leaving him two shots off the lead, while Kevin Streelman carded a 65. Other notable scores included Nick Taylor (68) of Abbotsford, B.C., A.J. Ewart (67) of Coquitlam, B.C., and Sudarshan Yellamaraju (69) of Mississauga.
What the reports add
The AP noted that Smotherman’s 62 matched his previous best set at the Cognizant Classic in February and at the Bermuda Open four years earlier. It also highlighted that his 62 came in perfect conditions, with “a lot of greens, a lot of fairways, a couple tight wedges,” a quote from Smotherman himself. Kevin Roy’s performance was described as a “pair of 63s” that broke his best 36‑hole score by five shots.
What was said
“It was just very steady — a lot of greens, a lot of fairways, a couple tight wedges,” Smotherman told the Associated Press. He added that such conditions are “what you’ve got to do to shoot 9 under.”
How it came about
Smotherman entered the tournament seeking his first PGA Tour victory. Earlier in the season he led after 36 holes at the Cognizant Classic, where he also posted a 62 and finished tied for second. The Bank of Utah Championship, held at the Black Desert Resort, has seen birdies as the primary way to gain ground on the leaderboard, a factor that amplified the impact of Smotherman's ten‑birdie round.
Key facts
- Austin Smotherman shot a 9‑under 62, matching his career‑low round. (winnipegfreepress.com)
- The 62 gave Smotherman a one‑shot lead over Kevin Roy. (winnipegfreepress.com)
- Smotherman made ten birdies, nine from within ten feet. (winnipegfreepress.com)
- Doug Ghim also posted a bogey‑free 62, two shots behind the leader. (winnipegfreepress.com)
- The round was played at the Black Desert Resort in Ivins, Utah. (winnipegfreepress.com)
Sources
- [1] winnipegfreepress.com — originally reported as “Smotherman has career-low 62 and takes a one-shot lead in Bank of Utah Championship”
