July 12, 2021 | BY AAGD STAFF
Although he was the only African American in the field for 41st U.S. Senior Open, July 8-12, at Omaha Country Club, Omaha, Neb., Tony Smith was undaunted, knowing that he has done his best to prepare for the event. It is the second time competing in the tournament for the 57-year-old, lifelong Fresno, Calif. resident.
Smith was first being exposed to the game at age four by his father who worked as an OBGYN. “Dad delivered over 20,000 babies in his 40-year career and still found time to build four golf holes in our backyard. That’s where I started learning,” says Smith who today is a licensed Funeral Director for three of his family-owned funeral homes.
However, in high school Smith was an avid basketball player, as golf was not a popular sport among his schoolmates. He got back into golfing in college. “It’s hard to really get good at this game if you are not consistent. It’s not something that you an easily master, and it so hard to learn if you are not exposed as a child.” Today, Smith plays at a +4 handicap and says that almost all of his buddies play golf now.
Smith was thrilled to have all of his children, a son (age 12) and two daughters (ages 15 and 16) watching him compete for the very first time in tournament play at the U.S. Open. “They went with me to the qualifier as well, where I got a 68, won that by 3 and was presented with a medal for low qualifier,” said Smith of that special moment.
Smith was sponsored by Agriglobe, the leading agricultural asset management firm in California. It was Smith’s caddy, Slater Christensen’s father (Phil Christensen), the owner, who took care of making sure Smith had all he needed.
After missing the cut on Friday, Smith is forging ahead and preparing for the Shaw Charity Classic, August 13-15 at Canyon Meadows G&CC in Calgary, Alberta, Canada where the purse is $2,100,000.
