Chris Smith - Media Guide

the second straight season had five top-10s, but this time was able to punch through for his first TOUR victory at the Buick Classic in his 148th TOUR start...After opening 66-69 at the Buick Classic, grabbed sole possession of 54-hole lead at 11-under-par with a third-round 67. Sewed up first-place check of $630,000 with a 1-under-par 70 in the final round, two strokes ahead of runners-up David Gossett, Pat Perez and Loren Roberts. Jumped from 149th in World Ranking to 57th...Fired career-low 63 during third round of the Buick Challenge. 2001: Best finish of career prior to win was a T3 at the BellSouth Classic. Was T41 heading into the 36-hole Sunday finish...Recorded five top-10s. 2000: Established a Nationwide Tour record with five runner-up finishes and finished in the top-25 in 13 of his 20 starts...Sixth-place finish on money list earned his PGA TOUR card for 2000 season...Tore tendon in left wrist at Omaha Classic in August which sidelined him for seven weeks...Finished season as No. 1 on Nationwide Tour career money list with $605,332. 1999: Ranked sixth in Driving Distance (287.2) and had the longest drive on TOUR that year, a 427-yard effort in the final round of the Honda Classic. That drive is the longest recorded drive at a PGA TOUR event since such record keeping began in 1980. 1997: Earned three of his five Nationwide Tour victories, making him the first player to take advantage of a three-win promotion that awards PGA TOUR membership to any Nationwide Tour player who wins three times in a year. Won the Dakota Dunes Open and the Omaha Classic in back-to-back weeks, becoming only the third player in TOUR history to accomplish that feat. Win at Dakota Dunes made him the first player in TOUR history to win the same tournament twice (1995, 1997). Victory in Omaha was a record-setting affair. Set TOUR scoring records for 72-hole score with a 258, strokes-under-par at 26 and winning margin (11 strokes)...Week prior to his consecutive wins, lost to Ben Bates in four-man playoff at Wichita Open...Defeated Terry Price by three strokes at the Upstate Classic for first victory of season...Named Player of the Year after finishing No. 1 on the money list with $225,201 in just 17 events...After earning PGA TOUR spot on Aug. 10, made cut in all five of his TOUR appearances in the fall and finished in top-20 three times. 1995: Finishes seventh on Nationwide Tour money list to graduate to PGA TOUR for first time...Two-time winner, earning wins at the Gateway Classic and the Dakota Dunes Open in a three-week period. Amateur: All-American at Ohio State in 1991 and Big-10 Conference Individual Champion...1990 Indiana State Amateur Champion and Player of the Year.

top 150 (No. 195) on the 2006 PGA TOUR money list for the second straight season. Made cut in 12 of 21 starts with one top-25, a T24 at the B.C. Open presented by Turning Stone Resort. Made cut in two of five Nationwide Tour events in 2005 with his only top-10 of the season, a T4 at the Chitimacha Louisiana Open. Posted just one top-10 for the third straight season, a T5 at the 2005 U.S. Bank Championship in Milwaukee. His consistent play late in the 2004 season secured a spot in the top 125, after falling out in 2003. Captured first TOUR victory at the 2002 Buick Classic in his 148th TOUR start. Had sole possession of 54-hole lead. Sewed up first-place check of $630,000 with a one-stroke victory over David Gossett, Pat Perez and Loren Roberts. Fired career-low 63 during third round of the Buick Challenge. In 2000, established a Nationwide Tour record with five runner-up finishes. Sixth-place finish on money list earned his TOUR card for 2001 season. Tore tendon in left wrist at 2000 Omaha Classic in August which sidelined him for seven weeks. In 1999, had a 427-yard drive in the final round of The Honda Classic, which at the time was the longest recorded drive at a TOUR event (surpassed by Davis Love III's 476-yarder in 2004). Earned three of his five Nationwide Tour victories in 1997, making him the first player to take advantage of a three-win promotion to the TOUR. Won the Upstate Classic, Dakota Dunes Open and the Omaha Classic. Named Player of the Year. Finished seventh on 1995 Nationwide Tour money list to graduate to PGA TOUR for first time. Two-time winner, at the Gateway Classic and the Dakota Dunes Open, in a three-week period. All-American at Ohio State in 1991 and Big Ten medalist. 1990 Indiana State Amateur Champion and Player of the Year.