Southampton, Bermuda — 24 October 2026. Chan Kim, a Korean-born professional representing the United States, produced one of the standout rounds of the Butterfield Bermuda Championship on Saturday. He carded a seven-under-par 64 at the par-71 Port Royal Golf Course, jumped 39 leaderboard positions and ended the third round tied for sixth.
From 72 back to 64. Kim opened with an impressive 64 but slipped to a one-over 72 on Friday. He then responded with another 64 on Saturday. His rounds of 64, 72 and 64 added up to 200 strokes through 54 holes, 13 under par. The official PGA TOUR leaderboard recorded a rise of 39 places to T6. That is a notable recovery, but it is neither victory nor a guaranteed top-ten finish with 18 holes left.
Three shots from the leaders. Ireland's Seamus Power and American Austin Smotherman shared first place at 16 under, 197 strokes, through three rounds. Taylor Moore, Corey Conners and Ben Silverman were at 14 under. Kim belonged to the chasing group on 13 under. A three-shot deficit can be overturned in a final round, particularly on a course exposed to the elements, but it would be premature to call him the likely winner.
Why Saturday's 64 stands out. Conditions at Port Royal were difficult. Third-round notes described northeast winds of 17–23 mph and gusts reaching 33 mph. On a seaside course, such winds complicate club selection and the flight of approach shots. Kim delivered one of the day's strongest scores while many competitors were focused on avoiding mistakes. More severe winds were forecast for Sunday, prompting organisers to schedule early final-round tee times.
A career spanning three golfing cultures. The 36-year-old was born in Suwon, South Korea, grew up in Hawaii and represents the United States on the PGA TOUR. His résumé includes eight Japan Golf Tour wins and two Korn Ferry Tour titles in 2023. His birthplace and successful years in Japan make this performance especially relevant to golf fans across Asia. Despite those achievements, he had not won on the main PGA TOUR before this event.
An important result for future playing status. The official leaderboard listed Kim as starting the week 183rd in FedExCup Fall standings, with a provisional projection of 156th after Saturday. Those are snapshots, not final season rankings. Every strong finish may affect access to next season's tournaments, with the top-100 threshold particularly important for full playing status.
What happens next? The final 18 holes were scheduled for Sunday, 25 October. This story deliberately describes the standings after Saturday's completed third round; it does not claim to know Sunday's result or the eventual champion. Official updates are available from PGA TOUR.
Photo: Chan Kim in 2021, by 江戸村のとくぞう, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. An archival photograph, not taken at the 2026 Bermuda Championship.
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