The fine line that splits success from failure makes golf the most exciting yet frustrating sport there is. For an emerging talent it’s a hard slog to fulfil the hopes of completing the arduous journey through the various tiers all the way to the pinnacle of the elite level of the European Tour. Having secured your Tour card, the next mountain to climb is to keep it! That was the ordeal facing one of the most talked-about up-and-coming potential stars, 24-year-old Jordan Smith. Having made the grade in inspiring style, Smith, as he tells Scott Grayston in an exclusive interview, is enjoying a fairytale rookie season on the Tour.
His outstanding performances thus far have proved convincingly that the hype is totally justified. With an impressive debut victory in the Porsche European Tour Open in July followed by a majestic Major performance in finishing tied-ninth as the best-placed Brit in the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow, he has hit the ground running.
For a likeable, modest young man Smith has taken the transition in his stride. Did he think his meteoric success would occur so soon? “What can I say, this season’s gone completely above and beyond my expectations,” he says after surging into the world’s top 70.
“I came into the year with a lot of confidence for finishing top on the Challenge Tour’s Road to Oman. I had set myself the goal of keeping my card the following year which I have managed to do surprisingly quickly. I merely reset the goals and made winning an event my main objective – and now that’s been achieved, too!”
2015: 🏆 on the @PGAEuroProTour
2016: 🏆 on the @Challenge_Tour
2017: 🏆 on the @EuropeanTour pic.twitter.com/fFn9cWoaqf— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) July 31, 2017
Smith sealed his maiden European Tour title in dramatic fashion defeating the reigning champion, Alexander Levy, in a play-off to lift the 2017 Porsche European Open, shooting a flawless third round when the pressure was on. It required immense composure and ability for Smith to overcome his highly experienced well-established opponent to reach the pinnacle of his burgeoning career.
The Bath-born Smith faced a career-defining situation with a play-off against one of France’s finest. But it was his family who were struggling to handle the heat of the moment. “My dad had to get out of the house to take his mind off things,” says Smith who earned a staggering €333,334 for his victory.
“He could only bear to watch the last two holes in regulation and the play-off holes. He just couldn’t take all the tension. “I knew I only had one guy left to beat,” he continues. “I was full of confidence with my game so I wasn’t as nervous as I thought I’d be in the situation.”
Having a vast amount of aptitude and the right attitude isn’t enough in professional golf. Success demands consistency, patience and the ability to strive under pressure which Smith has constantly displayed in abundance throughout his brief career.
ROUTE TO THE TOP
He took the conventional route on his journey to the European Tour. Having turned professional in 2014, he won both the EuroPro Tour, the third tier of European golf, and then, 12 months later, topped the fiercely competitive Challenge Tour’s Road to Oman, to secure his full playing rights on the main Tour for the 2017 season.
It was only a couple of seasons ago when he had to lead a frugal lifestyle in order to survive and this year he has teed it up alongside Rory and Co. enjoying the finest hospitality imaginable. So he appreciates all aspects of the professional game.
“The big difference between the EuroPro and the European Tour is the standard of players, the course set-up and everything that goes on behind the scenes that make the tournaments so special.
“My success this season has proven that the Challenge Tour is the ideal preparation for the top flight. It got me used to travelling around the world, living out of a suitcase for weeks on end and being away from home for over a month at a time. It was a good experience because it didn’t have large sums of money, big crowds and TV cameras, so this season hasn’t been as daunting as it might have been.”
Smith’s ability to remain relaxed and confident in front of the cameras and colossal crowds was put to the test last month when he competed in the US PGA Championship, the first Major of his career. Many rookies might have quivered at the thought of competing at the highest level but that’s not Smith’s mindset, which was evident in his one-under-par performance, finishing a stroke ahead of both world No.1 Dustin Johnson and the Iceman Henrik Stenson. “Getting my first win and then appearing in my first Major are definitely the best two weeks I’ve ever known,” says Smith.
“Just to compete in a Major was an unbelievable experience. When I landed in the States they had a car there waiting for me to have all week and drive where I want. The hospitality was incredible with everything being much bigger and better than I had been used to. The crowds were louder as well, which I really enjoyed.”
It was another young golfer who won the final Major of the season, Justin Thomas, who ironically pitched up against Smith and 2016 DP World Tour Championship winner Matthew Fitzpatrick four years ago in the Walker Cup. Very few would have predicted the success these three would go on to achieve. It’s baffling to believe that they are all aged only 24 or younger.
With the way the European Tour and PGA Tour schedules are set up, many top players like Stenson, McIlroy, Rafa Cabrera-Bello and Patrick Reed compete on both Tours. The newly introduced Rolex Series has helped to entice several stars to play European Tour events but Smith would like to mix the two Tours into his roster in the forthcoming years.
GOLFING IDOL
“I could definitely see myself playing in the States in the future. There’s no doubt I want to still be based in Europe but I’d definitely like to have a card on both Tours at some point.”
The temptation of playing in the States doesn’t come as a huge surprise to those who know Smith. It was his idol Tiger Woods who convinced him to pick up a golf club in the first place when Smith was aged 12.
“I remember my Dad and I watching The Masters on TV when Tiger won in groundbreaking style. At the time, we had just moved to Wiltshire with the Bowood Golf Resort and Spa right on our doorstep about a 100-yards away so I thought I’d give it a go! I would walk up to the Golf Club after school and at weekends and practice as much as I could, hoping that one day I’d hit it like Tiger.”
Smith has enjoyed phenomenal success in such a short stint as a professional golfer but he’s quick to acknowledge the enormous support he has received from his family and friends, including members at his local golf club.
“I’m eternally grateful for the number of people who have sacrificed so much to help and support me in my career. My dad didn’t want me to get a job, just so I could play golf full time and my mum even had two jobs. There were also around a dozen members of Bowood Golf Club who helped me out so I had the chance to play in big amateur events and go to Tour School. Without these people I wouldn’t be where I am today so I owe a lot to them and their generosity.”
This season Smith has only missed two cuts in 22 tournaments played and, more importantly, has one title, five top 10s and lies 16th in the Race to Dubai. His spot in the prestigious season-ending DP World Tour Championship on the Earth course at Jumeirah Golf Estates is already secured, which is testament to his imperious form.
“At the start of the year I had achieving a spot at the DP World Tour Championship in the back of my mind because you know you’ve had a good year if you get into the event. Now I can’t wait for it. It’s the biggest tournament of the year, apart from the Majors, so it will be a massive week for me. But I’ll go into it without any expectations and hope to enjoy myself and round off a great year in style.”
LOCAL FLAVOUR
Playing tournaments and practicing in the UAE is something Smith enjoys and his game has flourished as a result, becoming the inaugural champion of the Ras Al Khaimah 2016 Golf Challenge on the Challenge Tour.
“My victory in RAK was massive,” says Smith, “and it secured my spot as the leader of the Road to Oman which was a huge confidence booster for me. The tournament was absolutely awesome. I loved playing on the course, situated on the seafront in perfect weather conditions. The facilities in the UAE are the best in the world and there are so many excellent courses in such a small area.”
It may seem preposterous, given his rapid rise to fame, but with the way Smith is performing, a rookie Ryder Cup berth in Thomas Bjorn’s European team isn’t out of the question. “There’s definitely a chance of me making the squad, that’s for sure,” says Smith. “It’s every golfer’s dream to play in that tournament.”
With the speed at which his career has progressed so far, he could well add another chapter to this astonishing fairytale story by featuring in the 2018 or 2020 Ryder Cup and perhaps including a Major trophy to put on his mantelpiece at some point as well.
