SMITH NOW HAS MAJOR AMBITIONS
JORDAN SMITH will bank £192,000 for finishing ninth in his first Major – just two years after paying to play in the third division of European golf.
The 24-year-old from Bath is the same age as Jordan Spieth and new US PGA champion Justin Thomas.
But the former Walker Cup star, who named Justin Rose and Tiger Woods as his idols, has taken a slower route to the top.
He turned pro in 2014 to play on the EuroPro Tour in the UK and Ireland where competitors have to pay entry fees of around £300.
He won the Order of Merit and repeated the feat on the Challenge Tour last year to reach the European Tour. And his maiden win at the Porsche European Open last month gained him an invite to Quail Hollow and a US PGA debut.
“It’s a lot different than being back in my own car and driving around the UK for sure,” said the world No.69.
“The US PGA has been amazing. I’ve definitely learned that I’ve got the game to compete in the Majors so hopefully I’ll play a few more.”
Smith is already making a name for himself after finishing three shots clear of his fellow Jordan. “There have been a lot of cases of mistaken identity,” he laughed.
“The best was Oman for the Challenge Tour Grand Final. Their guy announced me as Jordan Spieth so it wasn’t the best start. But it was good to finish ahead of him at the US PGA.”