A. Stacy Long
Montgomery Advertiser
Published 9:01 AM EDT Jun 23, 2019
Grant Smith
Catholic
sophomore
*Averaged 73.4 strokes on his 13 rounds with three tournament victories this year. Best round was a 65.
*Tied for seventh at the 4A state tournament with a 13-over 79-78—157. Shot a 69 at the 4A, Section 1 tournament, but lost by one stroke to Providence Christian’s Thomas Ponder, the eventual state champion and an Alabama signee.
*As a freshman, was fourth with a 2-over 146 at the 4A championships.
*Two-time All-Metro. Two-time All-Metro player of the year.
*Older brother Drew was a senior at Catholic this year and will play football at The Citadel, a military school in South Carolina with a Division I-AA football team.
More: 2019 All-Metro golf
In golf, do you show Drew any mercy?
He beat me once this year. Other than that, I beat him by, normally, 9-10 strokes. It depends on the day. He’s pretty good at football and he’s going to play in college, so we don’t get to play a lot.
How about backyard basketball?
No. I’ll get so much up. He’s so much bigger than I am, and he’ll start wearing me out physically. He’ll throw me on the ground. At that point, fouls don’t matter anymore.
When were you first interested in golf?
My dad used to be really good, and my brother started playing when he was like 4 or 5, so I did, too. I thought it was fun, so I started playing in tournaments when I was like 8. From there on out, I’ve played every summer.
What sports do you watch besides golf?
I love watching football and baseball, and I like watching golf, too, but I like watching football and baseball more than golf. I only watch basketball during March Madness because I make a bracket and have to see how it goes.
Who did you pick this year?
I picked Duke. It was not good. I had two brackets, and I had Virginia in the other one, so I did OK. I had Duke and Virginia in the Final Four, maybe Baylor, maybe North Carolina.
How far did you have Auburn going?
Round of 32 and then losing. I did not have them going to the Final Four. I did not expect that to happen.
How about Alabama?
The NAIA or whatever that tournament is called. That other tournament. (Known as the NIT.) I didn’t even know if they’d make that one. I don’t like Bama. I hate Bama.
I’m an LSU fan, and my dad went there. When you don’t beat them in football for eight years straight, it’s hard to like them. It’s tough being an LSU fan in Alabama.
As an LSU fan, what do you think of Mike the Tiger?
He’s a big cat, a big, scary cat. I used to think, when I was little, that they had special guys who went to India or something to grab a tiger, put him in a cage and fly him back over. That’s not quite how that works.
Are you looking forward to your brother leaving for college?
Once he’s gone, I get his car, which is great for me. I’m going to miss him, but I get the car, and I get his bed. That’s what I’m really excited about.
Is your brother’s hair prepared for The Citadel?
He’s already buzzed it. He was like, “If they’re going to buzz it when I get there, I might as well buzz it now.” He had a Mohawk for a while.
Will you show sympathy for him at your next haircut?
My hair? We used to when we were little. My dad used to do it to us. When you’re little, you all match. Every haircut you get is the exact same as your brother’s. My dad would take the shears and just start cutting our hair off.
Not anymore. No. I like my hair now. I have a lot of it.
What are you goals for Catholic golf in 2020?
Next year, I want us to win a state championship, obviously. Everywhere I go, I want to win. I don’t care where it is. I plan to win. If I don’t, I miss that goal. All I’m trying to do everywhere I go, every tournament I play in, I want to win. That’s how I look at it.
More: 2019 All-Metro golf
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