Former Gamecocks golfer displays on third PGA season

Matt NeSmith (2012-2016) could also be considerably of a veteran on the PGA Tour, however as the previous South Carolina golfer wraps up his third full yr on the TOUR, he’s nonetheless invigorated to enhance his sport.

“It is at all times about attempting to get higher,” mentioned NeSmith, who was South Carolina’s first ever PING First Crew All-American as a senior in 2016. “Everyone is getting higher. It’s a must to work out methods to do it with out messing up different elements of your sport and taking issues away out of your sport that you simply already do properly. I’ve at all times hit my irons properly, however I struggled with the driving force the primary two years, so I am attempting to determine the way to marry these collectively the place you do not lose one and get higher within the different. Simply studying the steadiness between getting higher and retaining the mindset collectively is a giant a part of it.”

The North Augusta, S.C., native at the moment lives in Aiken, and was again in Columbia lately to play in South Carolina soccer coach Shane Beamer’s “Birdies with Beamer” golf event. Whereas he enjoys being near Augusta Nationwide, there are different locations on the Tour that excite him as properly.

“I really like Pebble Seaside,” NeSmith mentioned. “It is wonderful. My spouse loves it. We go on the market and it is a spot that we have loved probably the most.”

At present 77th within the FedEx Cup rankings, NeSmith clearly enjoys taking part in the sport he loves for a dwelling, however there may be at all times stress to be amongst these elite who keep on the PGA Tour.

“It is an excessive grind,” NeSmith mentioned. “My first couple of years on Tour, I checked out it extra as stress. I used to be a bit extra nervous going about it. I have been on the market for 3 years now and going into my fourth. I do know I am ok to play on the market. I simply must maintain doing the issues that I have been doing. You do not have to reinvent the wheel.”

NeSmith earned a pair of high 5 finishes this yr and completed tied for twelfth on the RBC Heritage. He additionally completed T-Thirty seventh on the U.S. Open after being in competition after 36 holes. It was his finest profession end in a significant.

Whereas some PGA professionals have lately opted to look into taking part in for the brand new LIV Tour, NeSmith mentioned he isn’t fascinated with such a change and is grateful for the place he’s.

“There is not any curiosity for me to go over there,” NeSmith mentioned. “I am stable with the PGA Tour. I’ve liked the chance that they current to have the ability to play on a tour that is established and really properly related. We’ve got nice tournaments that go all over the world. It is at all times what I’ve dreamed of, so I am completely happy to be there.”

Though skilled golf is so much totally different than the crew ambiance that’s school golf, NeSmith is glad that he got here to South Carolina the place he continues to get pleasure from an incredible relationship with Gamecocks coach Invoice McDonald.

“I completely liked it at South Carolina,” NeSmith mentioned. “Billy Mack continues to be an incredible good friend of mine. He was an exquisite coach whereas I used to be right here. It actually meant so much. We went to quite a lot of locations that have been totally different than what we see elsewhere. I at all times thought that the golf round Columbia actually ready me for faculty golf, whereas the place I am at now prepares me for skilled golf. I wager I discuss with Billy Mack about as soon as each two weeks. We nonetheless discuss a very good bit. I actually get pleasure from retaining related and watching the crew each time I get an opportunity.”

NeSmith wraps up the PGA Tour common season this week in Greensboro, N.C., and will not have a lot time earlier than the subsequent season begins.

“We go to the FedEx Cup playoffs for 3 weeks, after which after that it is two weeks off and we begin the brand new season,” NeSmith mentioned. “There’s actually no offseason.”

He would not have it every other manner.