Futures Tour? Tick. Now Smith eyes LPGA

BY Liz White | 11 Nov 2008

Life is good right now if your name happens to be Kristie Smith.

After turning pro in July this year, the 20-year-old set her sights on making a tour for 2009.

Just four months later she’s already ticked the first box by making next year’s Duramed Futures Tour. The American Futures tour acts as a feeder to the world’s richest golfing stage, the USLPGA. Its alumni include Karrie Webb, Lorena Ochoa and Laura Davies.

This week, Smith finished T9 in the Futures Tour qualifying tournament at the Cleveland Heights Course in Lakelands, Florida. It was a strong 3 under finish, after a not so promising start. Her two round score was three over 147 thanks to an errant putting stroke.

“I wasn’t putting very well at all for the first two rounds and went and saw a friend that is over from Australia and he sort of fixed me a bit,” she said.

“I went out and shot 68 in the third and then 70 in the final round, so it obviously helped a bit.

“I hit the ball really well all week and was pretty happy with my game.”

Smith was the only Australian to earn her card, with the Gold Coast’s Priscilla Duffield finishing in 53rd position. Other Australians in the field, including Sunny Park, Polly Travica and Jody Fleming, missed the cut.

With the Futures security behind her, it gives Smith a tremendous boost before she takes on the big one – the USLPGA Tour final stage of qualifying next month.

“It’s nice to know I have a job next year and I have somewhere to play, but obviously the main goal is the LPGA,” she said.

“Hopefully all will go well with me and I can play full time on that, but Futures is a great back up and a great learning experience, so I am looking forward to it.”

Smith has set herself up nicely for next season. But rewind back to June this year and it’s testament to her mental strength that she has been able to bounce back from some pretty sobering disappointment.

After finishing leading Amateur during the Australian golfing season, Smith headed to the UK Amateur with high hopes. Instead she was bundled out in the first round of match play.

A trip across the Atlantic to catch up with fellow travelling amateurs, Stephanie Na and Stacey Keating, did not help her confidence.

Smith was left to cheer on her roommates after failing to qualify for the world’s toughest amateur, the US Amateur Championship.

But she steeled herself and practiced harder. One month later and the teenager was holding one of the world’s most prestigious amateur titles, The North and South Amateur. Smith agrees that following her biggest amateur win, her game moved up a notch.

“I guess a little bit, I have been working hard with my coach and my all round game is sort of coming together more and more,” she said.

“The more tournaments I play I am starting to shoot better scores for four rounds and I am getting a bit more confident with everything and working hard with the putter and trying to get some putts to drop.”

Smith, who is the daughter of former pro Wayne, is staying with one of her dad’s mates in Florida and she says just staying with people she knows, has made her transition to playing in America that much easier.

“I am enjoying it. I have been here for over a week, I am living with Ian Baker Finch that is a really good base at the moment, ” she said.

“It’s nice to be around people that I know and have that family life as well.”

Before Smith knuckles down to some serious pre Q school practice, she is heading off to visit her Mum’s relatives in Atlanta and then over to Oregon to be kitted out by her sponsor, Nike.

Having your clothes pre determined is just one of the big changes to Smith’s short pro career but she is not fazed. She is clearly revelling in it and excited by the promising future ahead.

“There are a few expectations on me for that week, but I am confident that I am going to do well,” she said.

“It is just another experience and it’s not the end of the world if I don’t get my card.

“I can always go to Europe and try there and I have this Future card now so there is a little bit of pressure taken off.”

Standing on practice mats next to seasoned tour pros doesn’t concern Smith either.

“It is definitely not an issue at all.

“I know I belong out there and it is just a matter of time out there, so we’ll see.”