Chris

Smith

Smith made 6 birdies and an eagle en route to a 5-under final round. It’s his first Top 10 of the year and his best finish since winning the 2002 Buick Classic.

Smith is now just two shots back of the leaders. His last Top 10 was back in July of ’03.

Smith began his day on the back nine at Nicklaus GC at LionsGate and went to work with a birdie on his very first hole. In all, he would find birdies on five of the par 4s and one par 5 due in part to his laser precision. He split 12 (of 14) fairways and landed 15 GIR, ranking inside the top six in both categories.

Smith was an open qualifier for the event, and owns only Past Champion status on the PGA TOUR. The last time he made the cut in a PGA TOUR event was a T43 at the HP Byron Nelson Championship in 2010. He has successfully open qualified at the last two PGA TOUR events, offering hope that his game could be rounding back into form for the first time in years.

Smith submitted respective nines of 34 and 33 today. He covered three bogeys with six birdies, all of one of which from outside 12 feet! The set included a pair of 27'1" conversions at Nos. 6 and 11 as well as a five-yarder from off the green at the par-5 16th. At last check, he ranked third in the field with an aggregate strokes gained: putting clip of 6.856. Yesterday, we noted that Thursday’s 67 was his lowest round on the PGA TOUR since October of 2006, so that he backed it up with the same is a testament to his rededication.

He started the week as the 13th alternate, but snuck into the field of 156 when Louis Oosthuizen withdrew and Tommy Gainey passed on a spot in favor of the Rex Hospital Open on the Web.com Tour. Smith hasn’t played the PGA TOUR since missing the cut at the Valspar Championship where he gained entry on a top-10 exemption for a T10 in Puerto Rico. He’s 201st in the FedExCup standings, but that’s to be expected from a guy in the Past Champions category with only two paydays in four starts.

Smith was the first alternate when the field was released on Friday afternoon. He gained entry following three withdrawals. The one-time PGA TOUR winner has fared well in limited action on Past Champion status this season. Two of his three paydays in six starts are top 15s, so he’s 184th in the FedExCup standings. He’ll be gunning for his first paycheck at the JDC since a T27 in 2006, but his current form demands more respect than the mini-drought on TPC Deere Run.

Smith manufactured 13 scoring chances at TPC Southwind today. Five of his par breakers found the cup from outside 11 feet, including rolls of 24'10" and 33'4" at Nos. 18 and 1, respectively. He also poured in a par save from 19'11" at the par-4 10th hole where he began the day, but squared four bogeys, including a three-putt at the par-4 fifth holes, before signing his card sitting three swings off the pace of the clubhouse tri-leaders. At last check, his strokes gained: putting measured 3.633, good for fourth in the field. Believe it or not, this is Smith’s lowest aggregate on the PGA TOUR since an opening 67 at the old Chrysler Classic of Greensboro in October of 2006.

Smith went out in the first threesome off the first tee at Trump International Golf Club-Puerto Rico this morning. He raced out to bogey-free 4-under with four birdies through 10 holes before succumbing to a bogey-birdie-bogey roller coaster beginning at the par-4 13th hole. He totaled 15 greens in regulation. Smith is playing on Past Champion status again this season. The 45-year-old hasn’t played a full schedule since 2006.