Former Ras Al Khaimah Golf Challenge winner Smith shares JGE lead with Otaegui

Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images
Jordan Smith plays his third shot from a bunker en-route to a closing birdie on the 18th hole during day one of the DP World Tour Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai.

By Kent Gray
What a difference a week makes.

This time last Thursday Jordan Smith was chewing on an opening 79 at the Nedbank Golf Challenge in Sun City. To his immense credit, the 26-year-old Englishman fought back with rounds of 69-72-67 to etch out a T-21 placing in the penultimate event of the European Tour season.

Fortunately Smith won’t have to come from so far back at the 10th DP World Tour Championship after firing an opening 66 at Jumeirah Golf Estates to share the first round lead in the Race to Dubai decider with Spaniard Adrian Otaegui.

The six-under circumnavigations of Earth were two shots shy of the lowest opening round in 10 years at the tour championship, set by Peter Hanson in 2011. While Adrian Otaegui went bogey free, Smith roared home six under in his last six holes after birdies on 9th and 10 were wiped out by dropped shots on the 1st and 12th.

“I struggled at the start last week but bounced back and ended up finishing tied 21st after a 5-under in the last round. So I’ve come in with a lot of confidence and just went out there and didn’t have any pressures or anything. Just went out and enjoyed it,” said Smith.

The boy from Bath is no stranger to season-ending success in the UAE after he won the Ras Al Khaimah Golf Challenge at Al Hamra Golf Club to top the 2016 Challenge Tour money-list and earn promotion to the main tour. He cashed in too, capturing his maiden European Tour title at the Porche European Open en-route to finishing 24th in the Race to Dubai with €1.28 million.

Smith admits the rookie success altered his game plan at the start of this season, to his detriment. But he’s rebounded in the second half of the year and came into Dubai on the back of a T-3 finish at the British Masters, a share of 55th in Turkey and last weeks commendable comeback in South Africa.

“It’s very close to my best,” Smith said when asked where his game was at.

“The first half of the year, I came out after a good year last year, just put too much pressure on myself, expecting too much rather than going out and just enjoying it and letting what happens, happen, which is what I’ve been doing the last couple of months which has been working. It’s been nice to finish the year on a high.”

Even par through 12 holes, Smith started his run with a birdie on 13 before an eagle on the par-5 next as his previously cold putter got hot.

“I hit a lot of good shots on that front nine. Just couldn’t quite find the hole. Hit a lot of good putts, all burning the edge and then something clicked on that back nine and they started going in.

“I think you can just take a lot of confidence into the next few days [off the back of the 66]. Me being 44th in The Race to Dubai, I can go out and go for it, not too much pressure. Just enjoy it, enjoy the next few days and carry on with the same play that I had today.”

Otaegui was understandably pleased with his opening day’s work.

“It’s always very good to have a good start. It’s more important to have a good finish, as well. But it’s obviously a very good feeling to have a good start like this, especially the way I played today,” said the 25-year-old, world No.76 who won the new Belgian Knockout earlier this year to go with his maiden European Tour win in the Paul Lawrie Match Play the previous season.

“It’s never easy but it’s true I played really well. I was solid from tee-to-green. I left myself lots of birdie chances. I thought I putted well. Six birdies, no bogeys, it’s always a very good start.”