Craig Czerniejewski was the caddy of Mick Smith, who had a question to ask him as he walked away from the 11th-hole after a bogey on his U.S. Senior Open qualifying round at Stevens Point Country Club.
Smith asked, “How are we?
What is the response?
Smith said that “he said, ‘We are tied for the first’.” “That surprised me, but it gave me some fire in my stomach and the feeling that I could still win.”
Smith, an Australian living in Summit, saw his lead grow to two strokes when he birdied two of the par-5s. He learned not long afterward that he won the qualifier for his first major at the 43rd U.S. Senior Open, held at SentryWorld Golf Course Stevens Point.
Smith stated that it was “one of the highlights in my life.” “It’s a moment that I will never forget, and I am still excited about it.” “I have been waking up at dawn every day for the past week and this was my first thought.”
Smith changed from tennis to the game of golf when he was a teenager
Smith, 50, was raised in Sydney, Australia playing tennis. By the age of 15, he had realized that he was not good enough to be a professional tennis player, and so he switched sports.
Smith explained, “My uncle had given me some clubs. We lived near a course so I would sneak out before and after class to play.” “I was addicted to golf and I got pretty good very quickly.
Smith, aside from his early success in the sport, said that it was the independence the game provides.
Smith explained, “My dad was very strict and he played tennis well. He would watch me play and if I did not do well he would give me a little rousing.” “But he was not that good at playing golf. So when I started to play golf it was just me. “I enjoyed that part of it.”
Smith moved to the United States for the first time in 1997, to play golf at Wallace State Community College (Hanceville, Alabama).
“A friend of mine received a scholarship at Colorado State, and the guy who arranged it asked him if any of his friends, who were decent players, wanted to come and play?” A junior college in Alabama is looking for a player ,”” Smith stated.
“I always wanted to go to America so I said ‘Yes, I will do it’. Two weeks later, I was on my way to a junior university in Alabama.”
After his time at Wallace State University, Smith spent a year in Australia, including some time playing on the Australian PGA Tour.
Smith stated, “I did not do anything good there so I returned to America and have been here since.”
Smith will receive dual citizenship later this year.
Smith stated, “I feel at home in both Australia and America because I’ve lived half my life there.” “My children have grown up in Australia, so it’ll be awesome to get.”
TrackMan, an analytical software that tracks golf performance, keeps Smith sharp
Smith began teaching golf and working on golf courses after he returned to the United States. In 2014, his coaching career took off when he purchased a home in Summit.
Smith explained that he built a golf room at the back of his garage. “It helped me keep my sanity during the winter, and it probably improved my golf game as well.”
Smith’s company was unique in that it used TrackMan, an analytical radar system using Doppler technology. This system records 3D characteristics and tracks the movement of a ball.
Smith said that the TrackMan simulates a golf ball’s travel on a course with near-perfect precision, a feature which has helped him to keep his game “finely tuned.”
How to prepare for the biggest stage in your golf career
Smith has had a hot streak in recent Wisconsin PGA Section tournaments, winning the WPGA Championships in 2020 and 2021 as well as the WPGA Matchplay Championship in 2022.
He says it’s moments like these and qualifying for his major that makes him happy he stuck to the sport.
Golf is a fickle sport. Smith explained that one day you could be great, and the next you could be terrible. As I grew older, I dealt with it better and didn’t let it affect me as much. I’m always working hard, doing what is right and believing that things will work out. It’s wonderful when they do.
He is at a slight advantage in the U.S. Senior Open, having only played a practice round at SentryWorld Golf Course a few weeks back.
Smith stated that the course was immaculate because no one had played there for many years. “The rough was thick but, as they said, you can cut it down but not make it grow.
It was thicker than they had said it would be. I was pleased to hear that. It was nice to see the pictures and have them in my head of what I need to do.
Smith believes that a good drive will be the key to his success. After watching the U.S. Open this year on television, Smith has begun to grasp what he’s about to do.
Smith said, “You can see how difficult it can be.” Smith said, “Now that I am 50 and have played a lot of tennis, I pay attention to the things I would like to do. I don’t build walls or worry about how difficult it can be. I focus on what I want.”
Smith’s preparation halted abruptly two weeks ago when he stopped all practice due to back problems. After several chiropractic visits, he resumed his golfing activities on June 16.
Smith added that, despite the setback, he still believes that he’s in a strong position heading into Thursday’s first round.
Smith, one of the two local players in the 156 player field along with Hortonville’s Brad Lanning said that he would have many family and friends watching the event. His brother Mark is also flying in from Sydney to attend.
Smith joked, “He’s older than me so it will be nice to see his younger brother do something decent.” “But no, I’m excited to share this moment with him.”
Smith, an Ernie Els enthusiast, is excited to compete with one of the professional players and meet him.
He said that once he steps on the course and starts to play, the switch will flip and all he’ll be thinking about is winning.
Smith stated, “It is not my responsibility to be concerned about what others are doing.” My job is to play golf in my own style and get the ball as close to the hole as possible. “If I play my style of golf, everything will fall into place.”
