​Trace Crowe, David Ford and Doug Ghim at the Bank of Utah Championship.Getty ImagesDoug Ghim smiled as Austin Smotherman gazed into the Utah sky after winning his first PGA Tour event in 100 starts. There was no pain in Ghim’s face after his attempt to win his first title in 192 starts came up short. There was just gratitude that he’s still grinding and chasing his dreams on the top golf circuit in the world. “It’s what we play for; it’s what we practice for,” Ghim said after finishing two shots behind Smotherman on Sunday at the Bank of Utah Championship. “Obviously the money and the points are great, but as a little kid trying to win a PGA Tour event, just a chance to do that is a dream come true. … We used to get really excited just to play courses that pros played at, and to think that as a 30-year-old, to have done this for my seventh season and to get an opportunity like today and what I’ve had in the past and hopefully more in the future, it’s such a privilege.“Today was Austin’s day. I did everything that I could, and hopefully I’ll learn from some of the mistakes and be a little bit more comfortable next time. But always grateful.” Now 30, Ghim has been grinding towards a PGA Tour win since he earned full-time privileges for the 2020 season. A maiden victory has eluded him, but he’s made 116 of 192 cuts in seven seasons and earned over $10 million on the course. While Smotherman left Utah with a trophy, a two-year PGA Tour exemption, and a spot in the 2028 Championship Series, Ghim’s week wasn’t for naught. He entered the week 89th in the FedEx Cup Fall standings, but his second-place finish vaulted him into the top 60, putting him in position to keep his card and earn spots in the first two Signature Events of 2027 if he finishes strong. The dream is still alive and well for Doug Ghim.As the Bank of Utah Championship concluded on Sunday, one thing was on full display. These months on the PGA Tour are different. The world’s best are mostly either at home or teeing it up in Europe, leaving the rest to chase a different grind with different goals. Winning is still the biggest prize and can be career-changing if you can get it over the line as Smotherman did. But for many, the goals are smaller and more nuanced than the all-or-nothing title chase. For many, it’s about keeping some sort of status on the PGA Tour for 2027. For some, like Ghim, who entered the fall inside the top 100, it’s about setting up a strong start to 2027 while chasing a trophy. But just behind Ghim on the leaderboard in Utah were two other players hunting something different — a reprieve and a feeling. David Ford was a college star at North Carolina who earned his PGA Tour card by finishing No. 1 in the PGA Tour University standings last season. But Ford struggled after earning his card last year and then battled tendonitis and an impingement in his ankle earlier this season, which caused him to miss three months. Ford returned