Chris Smith (golfer)

Chris Smith
Chris Smith
Personal information
Full name	Christopher McClain Smith
Born	April 15, 1969 (age 55); Indianapolis, Indiana
Height	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight	190 lb (86 kg; 14 st)
Sporting nationality	United States
Career
College	Ohio State University
Turned professional	1991
Former tour(s)	PGA Tour; Web.com Tour; Hooters Jordan Tour
Professional wins	15
Highest ranking	56 (June 23, 2002)
Number of wins by tour
PGA Tour	1
Korn Ferry Tour	5 (Tied-7th all-time)
Other	9
Best results in major championships;
Masters Tournament	DNP
PGA Championship	T29: 2001
U.S. Open	T60: 1997
The Open Championship	71st: 2003
Achievements and awards
Big Ten Freshman of the Year
Big Ten Freshman of the Year	1988
Big Ten Player of the Year	1991
Nike Tour; money list winner	1997
Nike Tour; Player of the Year	1997

Christopher McClain Smith (born April 15, 1969) is an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour and the Web.com Tour.

Early life

Smith was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, graduating from Rochester Community High School; during his sophomore season (1985), he was the Boys State High School Champion, in his senior season (1987), he finished as the state runner-up in the boys state golf championship.^[2] He was awarded the Fred Keesling Award following his high school career.^[3]

Amateur career

He attended Ohio State University, where he completed a successful collegiate career. He won seven individual titles, including the 1990 Big Ten Championship, the 1991 Robert Kepler Intercollegiate and 5 other events. He was a four-time All-Conference selection in the Big Ten from 1988 to 1991; his other Big Ten Awards include the 1988 Freshman of the Year, the 1990 Player of the Year and the 1990 Les Bolstad Award for lowest stroke average. He was named an All-America selection in 1990 as a junior (honorable mention) and in 1991 as a senior (first team). Smith won the Indiana State Amateur Championship in 1990 and competed in the Sun Bowl Golf Classic in 1990. He was inducted into the Ohio State Varsity O Hall of Fame in 2000.

Professional career

In 1997, Smith became the first golfer on the Nike Tour to immediately move up to the PGA Tour by way of the "battlefield promotion," which is awarded to a player who wins three tournaments in one Nike Tour season.^[4] He was named the Nike Tour Player of the Year in 1997 and also led the money list.

Smith has won one tournament on the PGA Tour, the 2002 Buick Classic.^[5] Smith struggled on the PGA Tour after the win. Smith's best result on the PGA Tour since his sole win in 2002 was when he finished 3rd place at the 2004 Chrysler Classic of Greensboro.

In 2013 Smith was inducted into the Indiana Golf Hall Of Fame and has been quite successful in the Indiana Golf Association.^[6]

Smith held a share of the 54-hole lead at the 2015 Puerto Rico Open, but stumbled with a final-round 73 to finish T10. It was his first PGA Tour top-10 in ten years.

In 2018, Smith collected several professional wins on the Indiana Tour becoming the Indiana PGA Player of the Year. He also won the 2020 Indiana PGA Championship.

Personal life

On June 21, 2009, Smith's wife was killed in an automobile accident. His two children were also critically injured.^[7]

Amateur wins

1985 IHSAA Boys State Championship^[2]
1985 Indiana (Boys) State Junior
1986 Indiana (Boys) State Junior
1988 Western Junior
1990 Indiana State Amateur, Big Ten Championship (individual)
1991 Robert Kepler Intercollegiate
1988-91 Six additional intercollegiate events

Professional wins (15)

PGA Tour wins (1)

No.	Date	Tournament	Winning score	Margin of victory	Runners-up
1	Jun 9, 2002	Buick Classic	−12 (66-69-67-70=272)	2 strokes	David Gossett, Pat Perez, Loren Roberts

Nike Tour wins (5)

No.	Date	Tournament	Winning score	Margin of victory	Runner(s)-up
1	Jul 23, 1995	Nike Gateway Classic	−13 (68-65-70=203)*	Playoff	Glen Hnatiuk
2	Aug 6, 1995	Nike Dakota Dunes Open	−16 (70-69-66-67=272)	1 stroke	Greg Hamilton, Clarence Rose
3	Jun 1, 1997	Nike Upstate Classic	−21 (66-64-67-70=267)	3 strokes	Terry Price
4	Aug 3, 1997	Nike Dakota Dunes Open (2)	−20 (66-67-68-67=268)	2 strokes	Glen Hnatiuk
5	Aug 10, 1997	Nike Omaha Classic	−26 (63-65-64-66=258)	11 strokes	Barry Cheesman

*Note: The 1995 Nike Gateway Classic was shortened to 54 holes due to rain.

Nike Tour playoff record (1–3)

No.	Year	Tournament	Opponent	Result
1	1995	Nike Gateway Classic	Glen Hnatiuk	Won with birdie on first extra hole
2	1997	Nike Wichita Open	Ben Bates, Jeff Brehaut, Carl Paulson	Bates won with birdie on first extra hole
3	2000	Buy.com Richmond Open	Steve Runge	Lost to birdie on first extra hole
4	2000	Buy.com Dayton Open	Ian Leggatt	Lost to birdie on first extra hole

Hooters Jordan Tour wins (1)

No.	Date	Tournament	Winning score	Margin of victory	Runner-up
1	Jul 10, 1994	Coca-Cola Classic	−20 (67-67-67-67=268)	1 stroke	Bryan Gorman

Other wins (8)

1990 Indiana Match Play
1992 Ohio Open
1994 Ohio Open
2018 Indianapolis Open, Monticello Open, Indiana Section Tournament Series, Southern Open
2020 Indiana PGA Championship

Results in major championships

Tournament	1997	1999	2001	2002	2003	2004
U.S. Open	T60	T62	CUT		CUT	CUT
The Open Championship				T75	71
PGA Championship			T29	T53

Note: Smith never played in the Masters Tournament.

Did not play

CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" = tied

Results in The Players Championship

Tournament	2002	2003	2004	2005
The Players Championship	CUT	CUT	CUT	CUT

CUT = missed the halfway cut

Results in World Golf Championships

Tournament	2002
Match Play
Championship
Invitational	T55