Cup runneth over
In what is shaping up to be a phenomenal year for Nathan Smith, things just got better.
Smith, a member of the St. Jude Golf Club in Chicora, was selected as one of eight golfers for the U.S. Walker Cup team, which will face a squad representing Great Britain and Ireland Sept. 12 and 13 at Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pa.
The Walker Cup, which is contested every two years, is the amateur version of the Ryder Cup.
Smith will be the first from Western Pennsylvania to make the Walker Cup team since Frank Fuhrer III and Dick Von Tacky did so in 1981.
Butler native and Knoch High graduate Jim Simons made the team in 1971.
"To represent your country in anything is an honor," said Smith, who lives in the North Hills. "It's the pinnacle of amateur golf. It's up there with the U.S. Amateur. It's as high as you can get. It really is an honor."
By nine years, Smith, 31, is the oldest player on the U.S. team, which includes Bud Cauley, Rickie Fowler, Brendan Gielow, Brian Harman, Morgan Hoffmann, Adam Mitchell and Drew Weaver.
He believed this could be his last chance to make the team. Previously, he thought his best opportunity was in 2005.
"I wanted to give it a shot, one last shot," said Smith. "I was lucky enough to do it."
Smith earned his way onto the team with his performances this season, especially those in July.
He captured the West Penn Amateur two months ago, then followed up with a title in the Frank Fuhrer Jr. Invitational at the Pittsburgh Field Club in Fox Chapel in July.
If that wasn't enough, Smith tied for 13th at the Porter Cup in Lewistown, N.Y. — Gielow was the eventual winner — before capturing the Pennsylvania Amateur title at Waynesborough Country Club in Paoli.
"Winning the state amateur at Waynesborough, which is near Merion, helped me to make the team," said Smith. "I've had a lot of good finishes on the national level. I'm sure it helped. I've hung around a lot."
He's also had top-10 performances at the Sunnehanna Amateur (tied for fourth), the Northeast Amateur (t-seventh) and the Southern Amateur (t-seventh).
His performance at the Western Amateur at Conway Farms in Lake Forest, Ill., last weekend might have been what locked up a spot for Smith.
"There were different formats," said Smith. "After 36 holes, the cut was to 45, then after another round it was cut to 15, then it became match play. I managed to get to the final eight and that probably put me over the top.
"All parts of my game have been consistent all year," Smith added.
With the U.S. Amateur at Southern Hills in Oklahoma slated for Aug. 24, followed by the U.S. Mid-Amateur in early September, Smith will have two more tuneups before the Walker Cup.
Smith is familiar with the Merion course, which is just outside Philadelphia.
"I've played there a couple of times," said Smith. "The U.S. Amateur in 2005. I did well and got into match play." Next month, though, Smith will return to Merion looking to keep his season rolling.
