Players in Cook County are used to seeing the always-amiable Andy Smith walk off a green after carding par or better on his way to beating them in league or in a regional tournament. Lately, however, Smith has been taking his golf game nationally and the early results are promising. Smith is currently working in Arizona for a company that owns and manages six golf courses. When time permits he plans to get in some golf swings and work on his game. If he were still in Grand Marais his golf clubs would be put away and he would be getting practice swinging a snow shovel, which doesn’t help much on the putting green.
Andy Smith of Grand Marais tied for 28th place out of a field of 150 golfers on Sunday, November 4 at the PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, Florida, in the 36th National Car Rental PGA Assistant Championship.
Playing over four days, Smith finished with a score of 292 and tied with Chris Borgen of Eagan, Minnesota.
Jack Scott of Strongsville, Ohio posted a final round of 2-under-par 70 for a 271 total and won by seven strokes over Ryan Vermeer of Omaha, Nebraska, who finished second with a 278 tally.
The 24-year-old Smith was making his first appearance in the PGA Assistant Championship and playing the Wanamaker Course for the first time. Smith finished only two shots back of two-time defending champion Frank Bensel of Purchase, New York, who posted a final score of 290.
Smith played in an elite field that featured the top four finishers from last year’s championships as well as 122 players who advanced through their PGA assistant professional championships. Smith won the state PGA Assistants Championship held in Duluth at the Northland Country Club in September to get the chance to vie for the national championship.
Smith played well his first two days and had high hopes for a top 10 finish. Only 72 players were at or under the 6-over-par score of 150 that qualified them to play the last 36 holes, and Smith qualified easily.
“My goal was to finish even-par or better for the tournament,” Smith said.
But the third day didn’t go well.
“After I made the cut I shot my way out of contention. I was very disappointed with my play on the third day. I lost a lot of positions and I knew I couldn’t finish where I had hoped to finish.
“But the last day I did something that I have never done before. I shot a 68 and had the fourth best round of the day. I saw something in myself that I have never seen before. It was neat to see,” said Smith.
Smith was an assistant pro at Superior National golf course in Lutsen this summer. He is currently working at Desert Mountain Club in Scottsdale, Arizona in guest services. The company owns and operates six golf courses and keeps Smith very busy.
“I don’t have time to play golf right now, especially with the holidays coming up. But after Christmas I should have some time to get back and practice. I need to get more consistent, and that takes practice,” Smith said.
Several notable PGA tour players have either won or played in the PGA Assistant Championship. Among them is 1979 champion Loren Roberts; Fred Funk, who won in 1984, and Rich Beem, who placed third in 1998.
“Someday I would like to play golf professionally, and I’m looking at a couple of small mini-tours. Nothing’s definite. It costs a lot of money to enter the tournaments so I’ve got to figure that out. My dream is to play professionally, but if it doesn’t happen I will still work in the golf industry and that’s always been a goal of mine, so I won’t have any regrets if it doesn’t work out to make the tour.”
Smith said he would like to thank all of the people who have supported him over the years.
“There have been so many people over the years that have helped me either financially or just in their encouragement to me that I can’t name them all. I just want the whole community and my parents to know that I appreciate all they have done for me,” Smith said.
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