PINE BLUFF -- In a short time, Little Rock's Miles Smith has built quite the match play resume.
Smith, about to begin his sophomore season at the University of Central Arkansas, used a scintillating back nine to beat Luke Cornett of Drasco 3-and-2 in the final of the 52nd annual Arkansas State Golf Association Men's Match Play Championship on Sunday morning at Harbor Oaks Golf Club.
The victory came a year after Smith won the ASGA Junior Boys Match Play Championship, a double believed to be unprecedented in organization history for the time span, Executive Director Jay Fox said.
Smith, 19, said he entered the Men's Match Play for the first time this year because he was too old for the Junior Boys Match Play, which is played at Eagle Hill Golf & Athletic Club in Little Rock.
"I love playing match play and I felt like almost this was my way of defending my title since I wasn't able to defend it as a junior," said Smith, a 2017 Little Rock Catholic graduate.
Smith spent much of the scheduled 18-hole final 1 down on the front nine before pulling even on No. 8 when Cornett missed a short par putt.
Smith went 2 up after birdies on No. 11, No. 13 and No. 14. The match ended on No. 16 -- a 429-yard par 4 -- when Smith made his fourth birdie on the back nine and Cornett was unable to chip in for birdie from just off the green. Smith had hit a towering 9 iron from 152 yards to about 15 feet.
"Luke, he's a great player," Smith said. "He hit some great shots today. I just felt like near the end, I just had a three- or four-hole stretch where I was able to make three birdies."
Cornett had a chance to take a commanding lead on the front nine, but he missed a short par putt to win No. 6 and a birdie putt from about 10 feet to win No. 9. He also missed a short birdie putt to win No. 15.
"I didn't make many today at all -- zero," said Cornett, 22, who recently completed his senior season at Arkansas Tech University. "Speed was fine today. Earlier this week, that was the problem. But I just couldn't get a good line. I never picked the right one, ever, today."
Cornett was the tournament co-medalist and No. 2 seed after shooting 3-under 69 in Thursday's qualifying round. Smith, who was seeded fifth after shooting 71, reached the final after beating ASGA legends Chris Jenkins -- the 1999 Men's Match Play Champion at Harbor Oaks -- and Beau Glover in Saturday's quarterfinals and semifinals, respectively.
"This is a once-a-year deal," Smith said. "I guess match play likes me, though. Just because of college golf, you don't get to play match play as much. But I will definitely play this event every single year. Next year, I'll be back to defend it."
In other championship matches Sunday, Trey Schaap of Maumelle beat Bill Burkhalter of Maumelle 5-and-4 in the Mid-Senior Division; Tracy Harris of Little Rock beat Fred Stamey of Hot Springs Village 5-and-4 in the Senior Division; and Glen Talbert of Sheridan beat Bill Wrentz of Cabot 1 up (21 holes) in the Super-Senior Division.
Sports on 08/06/2018