Smith registered an eight-under cumulative score at the Charles Schwab Challenge to finish tied with Justin Thomas and Hideki Matsuyama for 13th.
Analysis:
Smith was the clubhouse leader heading into the weekend after posting back-to-back, five-under 65 scores, carding just one bogey in the process. The Englishman was in a good spot for his maiden victory on the PGA Tour, but he was sunk by a four-over 74 score Saturday that included three consecutive bogeys from holes five to seven. He recovered slightly with a two-under 68 in the final round to crack the top-15, but it was a far cry from where he was after 36 holes. Smith was one of the better ball strikers at Colonial Country Club, ranking third in the field in SG: Off-the-Tee (including T2 in driving accuracy) as well as T8 in GIR, 13th in SG: Around-the-Green and 22nd in SG: Approach. His performance on the green let him down, particularly in the third round, when he lost 4.18 strokes with his putter. Smith is listed as an alternate for the Memorial Tournament next week.
