|
Paired with seven-time champion Sean Knapp in the
penultimate grouping, Nathan Smith and Knapp started the
back nine tied in the final round of the WPGA Amateur
Championship at Sewickley Heights Golf Club. Smith
duplicated his front nine 34 with two birdies and no bogeys
in route to a 4-under score of 68 to claim his fourth
straight title by three strokes. Smith's round was the
second lowest of the championship, bettered only by John
Popeck's first round score of 66, to finish at 7-under 209.
With the victory, Smith
joins Arnold Palmer and Bob Reilly with four straight
Amateur victories. All trail Knapp's six consecutive
victories from 1998-2003.
Smith has teamed with
Knapp to win the Fred Brand Foursomes Championships five
times since 2005.
Knapp followed scores
of 70 and 71 with a final round 71 to finish at 4-under 212.
Popeck started the
final round one shot clear of Smith, Knapp and David Brown.
Popeck shot 73 to finish at one-under par 213. The
University of Maryland golfer joins Rachel Rohanna of Ohio
State as recipients of the 2010 Frank B. Fuhrer, III Award
for outstanding collegiate performance.
Brown finished T-4
with a final round 75, and tied with Michael Klaric who
completed the final round with a score of 71. Both finished
at even-par 216.
2008 WPGA Junior
Champion Ryan Prokay finished sixth with scores of 74-72-72
for a 2-over score of 218..
The thirty-six hole
cut fell at 153 and 33 players competed in the final round.
Smith continued his
winning ways in the past year. In addition to his third
Amateur Championship at Allegheny Country Club in 2009,
Smith also won the WPGA Spring Invitational, the USGA
Mid-Amateur Championship, and was a member on the USGA State
Team champions from Pennsylvania with Knapp and Mike
VanSickle. He also won the Jay Sigel Match Play and Amateur
Championships conducted by the Pennsylvania Golf
Association.
In 2010, Smith also
won his fourth Spring Invitational and represented the USA
on the winning team in the Copa de las Americas in Argentina
with
Jennifer Song, Jessica Corda, and Peter
Uihlein. In April, Smith competed in his second Masters
Tournament.
|
