Smith yet another first time winner this year
BY Bruce Young | US PGA Tour | 2002 Buick Classic | Wrap | 10 Jun 2002
Chris Smith, yet another first time winner on the US PGA Tour this season, with his gutsy win at the Buick Classic.
Starting the last round one ahead of David Gossett and Loren Roberts, Smith got just the start he wanted with a birdie at the par three first hole. Despite an immediate bogey at the second he stayed calm under the pressure that the possibility of your first win can impose, and his round of 70 was outstanding under the circumstances. Smith is one of the many players to have benefited from the Buy.Com Tour being there as a back up when struggling to make it to the next level on the USPGA Tour. He has been back and forward three times between tours and each time, when making the step up, just not quite being able, until the last eighteen months, to mix it with the higher standard of play. He had been a prolific winner of money and titles on the Buy.Com Tour but that next level had been proving elusive.
His very good year in 2001 ($US930,000) no doubt convinced him that he belonged on the USPGA Tour. Despite a struggle at times this season, he had shown with his 7th place at the Kemper last week, that things were about to turn around. Smith’s greatest strength is just that, his strength. He is currently in 4th place in driving distance behind only Daly, Woods and Herron. It is however his greens in regulation stat, that is now starting to yield results, as he is currently 4th in that category. This week his putting came together, and so the combination proved lethal on such a demanding golf course as Westchester.
Gossett, who many feel will compete with Charles Howell as the next great US player, held second tied with Pat Perez and Loren Roberts. Both Gossett and Perez are also the beneficiaries of Buy.Com Tour experience and are both, highly credentialled amateurs. Gossett was the US Amateur Champion in 1999 and Perez the World Junior Champion in 1993 beating non other than Tiger Woods that year. Gossett has already won on Tour at the John Deere event last year, and looks likely to improve even further, now that his putting appears to be coming around.
Peter Lonard may well be working his way into contention for the rookie of the year award with yet another fine finish in ninth place. His solid tee to green game and improved putting this year must give him some sort of chance of a good finish at next week’s US Open. His cheque for $US94,000 has taken his earnings to $US750,000 in his first year.
Craig Parry, who will also line up at Bethpage, was 18th, along with Phil Tataurangi, Paul Gow, who seems to have rediscovered some lost form at 25th, Frank Nobilo 33rd, Steve Elkington 39th, Robert Allenby 73rd, Greg Chalmers 73rd and Adam Scott 79th.
