With his two wins this fall, Smotherman has earned a spot on the PGA Tour's Championship Series debuting in 2028, exemptions into the 2027 PGA Championship and 2027 U.S.Open, and a touch more than $1.1 million.
He also moved to No.54 in the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR), and now, moving up at least four spots and inside the Top 50 by year's end has understandably become the focus."No doubt, no doubt," Smotherman began when asked if getting inside the Top 50 was now the top priority.
"Everything for next year is already pretty firm as far as where things are going to be, but I still have majors that need to be put on the schedule.That’s the one thing that’s really shifted."Austin Smotherman of the United States reacts to a putt on the sixth hole during the third round of the Butterfield Bermuda Championship 2026 at Port Royal Golf Course on October 24, 2026 in Southampton, Bermuda.
(Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) (Mike Stobe/Getty Images)PGA TOUR IS FINALLY BRINGING MATCH PLAY TO ITS POSTSEASON BEGINNING IN 2028 IN NO-BRAINER DECISIONPlayers inside the Top 50 in the final edition of the world rankings in 2026 earn a spot in next year's Masters.Smotherman's lone major championship start in his career is a missed cut at the 2026 PGA Championship."That’s why we wanted to go play Bermuda," Smotherman explained.
"I got asked that question a lot last week, and my caddie did as well.From Monday through Friday, people were asking, 'What are you doing here? Why do you want to go to Bermuda? Why do you want to do this?'"My wife and I talked about it, and she’s got things handled at home.
We’re in a good routine, and I didn’t go to Japan, so I got that extra week off.That’s what we were playing for.
I’m going to play Austin and the RSM Classic to try to move inside the top 50."If we’re 51st, we’re 51st.It’s not necessarily the end of the cutoff, because there are still other ways to get in and a little bit of time left, but having that certa...