Solid start for Smylie
Smylie Kaufman was in uncharted territory, playing in his first golf tournament as a pro – the U.S. Open, one of golf’s majors, no less – at Pinehurst Resort and Country Club in North Carolina in June.
But the 22-year-old former Vestavia Hills High golfer had plenty of emotional support and friendly faces to make things a bit easier.
And it resulted in a strong performance for Kaufman, who just wrapped up his college career at LSU.
Kaufman shot a two-day total of 149, missing the cut by just four strokes. He was in the hunt to make the cut on the second day but inconsistency with his putter and short game cost him.
Only three players, led by winner Martin Kaymer, shot under par for the tourney.
“It obviously was a little frustrating I didn’t hit the cut and get to play on the weekend, but overall it was a great experience and I wouldn’t trade anything in the world for it. I’d do it all over again,” Kaufman said.
Still, Kaufman could look back at a double-bogey on No. 5 in the second round and some other missed chances for birdies that could have made up those four shots and landed him among the top 60 scores and ties that made the weekend cut.
The double-bogey – his only one of the tournament – especially irked him.
“I was 30 feet away from making an eagle,” Kaufman said. “and then I make 7. I just didn’t make the putts I needed to get my momentum going. “I was four strokes from the cut, but it felt a lot closer than that.”
After a 3-over-par 73 in the first round, Kaufman opened the second round with a birdie and looked to be building toward a solid round. But a pair of bogeys and the double over three of the next four holes set him back. A birdie followed on No. 9, but four bogeys over the next seven holes sealed his fate. He finished strong with two pars on the demanding course for 9-over-par for the tournament.
“I set high expectations for myself,” Kaufman said. “Unfortunately this time I didn’t meet them, but I’ll take the experience and get back out there and get better next time.”
Kaufman, who said he thinks he’s playing the best golf of his career after a stellar senior season at LSU, had lots of support, both on and off the course.
After squeaking into the field through a sectional qualifier at Roswell, Ga., Kaufman was able to arrange practice rounds with former U.S. Open winner Graeme McDowell – who not coincidentally was coached by Smylie’s grandfather Alan Kaufman at UAB – and former PGA champion David Toms, who played with Smylie’s father, Jeff, at LSU.
“I got to play practice rounds with a lot of good players and it was a great experience. I think I learned a lot.”
He takes that experience gleaned from playing in a major to focus on qualifying for Web.com Tour events and getting on that tour, which is the developmental tour for the PGA Tour.
Meanwhile, Kaufman reiterated his gratitude for the support back home. As he tweeted after the tournament:
“A big shoutout goes to my friends and family that were out there cheering me on! It was very cool having them all out there. I’ll be back.”