Smith misses the cut

Camiko Smith endured a baptism of fire at last week’s Arizona Stroke Play Championship.

The 25-year-old amateur failed to make the cut on his tournament debut after carding 79 and 77 during the opening two rounds at the challenging 7,057-yard, par 70 TPC Scottsdale Champions Course.

Smith’s two round total of 156 left him five shots shy of the cut that saw 64 players at 151 or better progress to the final 36 holes of the Arizona Golf Association’s second major championship of the season.

With more accuracy on his final approach to the green and execution with the putter, Smith feels things might have panned out entirely different for him.

Tough

He said: “The conditions were great for scoring, but I just made too many mistakes.

“I missed a few greens and could not get up and down. The course was pretty tough and narrow.”

Smith will now turn his attention to what will be a busy year of overseas competition for the Belmont Hills employee.

As well as lead Bermuda’s charge at the Island Games in the Isle of Wight, he will be involved in US Amateur Championship and US Open qualifiers.

Smith narrowly missed out qualifying for the US Amateur Championships by a single shot two years ago in Maryland. But this year he hopes to finally get over the hump and join compatriot Terrance Daniels, who has already qualified for the premier amateur event.

Polish

Next month will see the nephew of veteran distance runner Kavin Smith tee off in US Open qualifiers either at Pinewild Country Club in Pinehurst, North Carolina or Pinehills Golf Club in Boston, Massachusetts.

But in the meantime Smith intends to polish up his game.

“I plan on working on my short game to prepare for the US Open qualifiers in mid–May,” he said.

“I should do pretty good if I can get some practice in.”