Why Smith’s DP World Tour record won’t count
By Alex Perry
Jordan Smith put on a shot-making masterclass at the Portugal Masters to not only win his second DP World Tour title but to put himself firmly in Luke Donald’s Ryder Cup plans.
The Somerset-born star carded rounds of 62, 67, 62 and 63 around Dom Pedro’s Victoria course to finish on a whopping 30-under-par – though still just three ahead of second-placed Gavin Green – and end a five-and-a-half-year wait to return to the winners’ circle.
Smith’s score in his wire-to-wire victory beats Ernie Els’ previous record score of 29-under-par, which he achieved at the 2003 Johnnie Walker Classic, by a single stroke.
But the DP World Tour confirmed after the result that it will not enter the record books due to preferred lies being in play after heavy rain in the Algarve.
You may recall a similar situation when both Jorge Campillo and Colin Nell carded 11-under-par rounds of 59 at the 2013 Nelson Mandela Championship, but neither could be credited with being the first to go sub-60 on the European Tour for the same reason.
Oli Fisher remains the only player to officially record a 59 on this side of the Atlantic, which, as it happens, was also at Dom Pedro.
But while Smith won’t officially enter the record books, it won’t take away what this victory means to him.
“It’s just amazing,” he said. “It’s been a long grind for those five seasons, just pushing it out and finally getting over the line today. I’m over the moon.
“I knew there would be a lot of good scores out there and guys trying to catch me. Gavin was trying to get there and he was getting closer and closer but I managed to hold him off.
“It’s nice getting the first win but then it’s great knowing you can do it again. It’s more down to the pressure I put on myself to get the win and now I’ve got my second one we can push on for a couple more.”
Smith can console himself in the fact he is very much on the Ryder Cup captain’s radar…
Incidentally, Green’s 72-hole score of 27-under-par would have been enough for second in the lowest tournament scores in DP World Tour history, alongside Jerry Anderson (1984 Ebel European Masters), Louis Oosthuizen (2012 African Open), Richard Sterne (2013 Joburg Open), and Andy Sullivan (2020 English Championship).
Alex Perry
Alex has been the editor of National Club Golfer since 2017. A Devonian who enjoys wittering on about his south west roots, Alex moved north to join NCG after more than a decade in London, the last five of which were with ESPN. Away from golf, Alex follows Torquay United and spends too much time playing his PlayStation or his guitar and not enough time practising his short game.
