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# Double Bogey? Steal Austin Smotherman's Comeback Playbook
- URL: https://divotersgc.com/2026-10-05-smotherman-comeback-playbook/
- Published: 2026-10-05T08:12:52.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-05T08:12:52.000Z
- Author: Richard McCreery
- Tags: DivotersGC, Tour Take

Austin Smotherman waited 100 starts for his first PGA Tour win. Then, with the trophy basically engraved, he tried his best to give it away — and showed the rest of us exactly how to survive a blowup hole.

Sunday at the Bank of Utah Championship, Smotherman rinsed his third shot on the par-4 13th, left it right where it started (in the sand, because golf is fair like that), and walked off with a double bogey. Four-shot lead, suddenly very much not four shots. Most of us know what happens next: the red mist, the hero 3-wood, the triple.

Smotherman birdied two of his next three holes, signed for a 68, finished at 26-under, and beat Doug Ghim by two. First trophy. Ninth first-time winner this season. Ice in the veins.

So here's the weekend-hacker version of the comeback playbook, stolen directly from the man himself:

**1\. Give yourself ten seconds.** Be furious, say the word, then it's done. The hole is over. The next tee box doesn't know what you just did unless you tell it.

**2\. Club down, not up.** After a double, your brain wants to win it all back in one swing. That's how doubles become triples. Take the safe target, the extra club, the boring par. Boring is underrated.

**3\. Play the next three holes, not the last one.** Smotherman didn't eagle 14\. He just stacked good swings until the scoreboard fixed itself. Your card works the same way — one dumb hole only ruins the round if you let it invite friends.

We at DivotersGC have donated more double bogeys to the game than we can count. The difference between a blowup hole and a blowup round is about ten seconds and one smart club choice.

Look like a pro. Swing like a hack. Recover like Smotherman.