June 29, 2021
Pro golfer Camiko Smith played strong in his debut in The John Shippen National Invitational at the historic Detroit Golf Club in Michigan.
Finishing sixth among a field of 21 players, Smith, born and raised on the beautiful island of Bermuda where he enjoyed eating his mom’s homemade banana pancakes and codfish with potatoes, carded an even-par 144 over two rounds.
“It wasn’t my best ball-striking by far, but I managed and I’m pleased with my score,” Smith said.
“I’m feeling good but need to get off the tee better, hit more fairways and sharpen up my iron shots into the greens to give myself a chance at more birdie putts.”
Smith was two shots behind the leader and eventual winner Tim O’Neal after shooting an opening-round 73 at the PGA Tour Rocket Mortgage Classic.
He got off to a flying start after rolling in back-to-back birdies on the 2nd and 3rd holes.
However, Smith could not maintain his momentum and dropped shots at the 7th and 9th holes, making even par at the turn.
His situation got even worse when he bogeyed two of the first four holes on the back nine after missing the fairway to move to two over.
Smith did manage to play the remaining five holes at one under after refocusing and gaining a better hold of his ball-striking, His garnered a third birdie of the round at the penultimate hole.
“Unfortunately none of the players were able to get a practice round in due to the course being flooded, so we basically played the first round blind,” Smith said.
Close, but not close enough, Smith, just two shots off the lead, remained in the hunt going into the second round.
He got off to another good start after making birdie at the first hole.
However, he lost momentum after carding bogeys at the 2nd and 7th holes before a birdie at the par-four 8th left him at level par at the turn for the second straight day.
His fortunes then took another turn for the worst when he bogeyed two of the first four holes on the back nine after missing the fairway to move to two over.
But after refocusing and tightening up his ball-striking, Smith managed to play the remaining five holes at one under, rattling in a third birdie of the round at the penultimate hole.
“Unfortunately none of the players were able to get a practice round in due to the course being flooded, so we basically played the first round blind,” Smith said.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: GET TO KNOW CAMIKO SMITH
At just two shots off the lead, Smith remained in the hunt going into the second round. He got off to another good start after making birdie at the first hole.
Smith sunk to two under after rolling in back-to-back birdies at the 13th and 14th. He dropped a stroke at the par-four 16th but was able to sustain his way to end with a one-under 71. This left him at even par for the tournament.
Tim O’Neal won reigned as the winner of the 36-hole event named after John Shippen Jr, the first American-born golf professional and first Black golf professional. O’Neal pulled if off by two shots grabbing the sole spot up for for an exemption into the Rocket Mortgage Classic to be held at the same venue June 27-28.
“With all the rain and flooding that Detroit has had, there is some standing water on the course,” Smith said.
“Other than that, the course is in great condition and I’m sure it will be in greater shape for the [tournament].
“Sommer Woods and Jason Langwell with their team have done an amazing job with organizing and getting this event off the ground.”
