On Sunday, October 4, Austin Smotherman won the Bank of Utah Championship at Black Desert Resort in Ivins, Utah. It was his first PGA TOUR victory, and it came in his 100th career start.
"We won on the PGA TOUR. That's insane," Smotherman said after his final putt dropped.
Everyone at Youth on Course is celebrating with him. Long before Austin was lifting trophies, he was a Youth on Course member in Northern California, playing rounds at courses near home for a few dollars at a time. Based on his outstanding academics, community service, and involvement, he went on to earn a Youth on Course scholarship as part of the class of 2012.
Smotherman shot 63-62-65 to open and finished at 26-under par, a tournament record, two strokes ahead of Doug Ghim. The win caps 10 years of bouncing between PGA TOUR Latinoamérica, the Korn Ferry Tour and the PGA TOUR. It also earns him a two-year PGA TOUR exemption, giving him room to breathe and build confidence at the highest level.
"One hundred starts out here is an incredible number," he said. "To lift a trophy at the highest level, it's something we've dreamed about since I was a kid."
He celebrated on the green with his wife, Jessie, and did it as a proud father of three.
Austin grew up in Loomis, California, outside Sacramento. He took his first swing at Haggin Oaks at age 3 and went on to play for Del Oro High School, graduating in 2012.
Through middle school and high school, Youth on Course kept him on the course. He played hundreds of rounds as a member.
"The number of rounds I've played as a Youth on Course member, I probably can't even total up," Austin said. "As I started playing golf more, … I'd get a bunch of my friends together and we were only going out and playing because we had the opportunity to play at a reduced cost at some unbelievable courses nearby." That reduced cost came from his Youth on Course membership.
Asked whether he would be a tour pro without Youth on Course, he didn't hesitate.
"Probably not. At that age to refine these skills that I'm able to showcase out here on Tour and being able to go to college and play college golf, it all comes down to the time spent with a golf club in your hand. For me, that time would have been reduced if it wasn't for Youth on Course."
In this 2023 video produced by TaylorMade Golf, Austin talks about the rounds, the courses and the people who shaped his game.
Austin's story is a Sacramento story. He took his first swing at Haggin Oaks, one of the City of Sacramento courses run by Morton Golf, a longtime Youth on Course partner. From age 7 to 18, he came up through First Tee of Greater Sacramento, one of the oldest First Tee chapters in the country. Morton Golf has invested heavily in that chapter and in kids on the competitive path. In 2012, Youth on Course awarded Austin a college scholarship.
"Access is everything in youth sports and development," said Michael Lowe, Head of Impact at Youth on Course. "The Sacramento golf community built a foundation that welcomes any kid who wants to play, and Austin is a perfect example of what can happen when you combine access to courses with the support of caring coaches. He is an incredible golfer, but more importantly, he’s a phenomenal person. Seeing him lift that trophy is the ultimate proof that youth sports are about building character, not just champions "
Today, thousands of Youth on Course members are where Austin was 15 years ago: a kid with clubs, a course nearby and a round that costs $5 or less. Most won't play on the PGA TOUR, but all of them get to experience the deeper gifts of the game: hours spent outdoors, friendships made on the fairways, and lessons that will serve them the rest of their lives - no matter where their paths lead.
Congratulations, Austin. We can't wait to see what comes next.