NORTH BERWICK, Scotland – A hole-in-one on Friday didn’t just help Jordan L. Smith get in contention at the Genesis Scottish Open. It also earned a car for both him and his caddy, Sam Matton.
Smith hit a 6-iron into the hole on the 193-yard, par-3 17th as part of a second-round 69 at The Renaissance Club. Smith’s 36-hole total of 3-under 137 matched the best score among players on the tougher half of the draw. Xander Schauffele, Matt Fitzpatrick and Kurt Kitayama also shot 3 under par after starting the tournament in Thursday afternoon’s tougher conditions.
“We’ve been chatting about it during the week saying that pin over there could be a good chance for a hole-in-one. Just happened today,” Smith said. “Hit 6-iron and the wind was howling off the right. Anything right of the pin would catch the slope and lucky enough that it did. Even though we couldn’t see it, the crowd went nuts.”
Smith was awarded a Genesis Electrified GV70, a luxury mid-size SUV, and Matton won a Genesis GV60, an electric cross-over vehicle.
Smith and Matton are friends since growing up in Wiltshire, England, which is best known as the home of Stonehenge. Matton was an usher in Smith’s wedding, as well.
Smith, 29, owns one win on the DP World Tour, at the 2017 Porsche European Open. He was a member of Great Britain & Ireland’s 2013 Walker Cup team before winning the Order of Merit on the EuroPro Tour in 2015 and European Challenge Tour in 2016. He is 13th in this year’s DP World Tour Ranking thanks to two runner-up finishes and is 122nd in the world ranking.
