SEC champ NeSmith takes on U.S. Open

UNIVERSITY PLACE, Wash. -- Matt NeSmith has had a week most golfers can only dream of -- and that's before even teeing off at the U.S. Open. After capping his collegiate season in grand fashion with his first two victories at USC -- including the SEC Championship -- the North Augusta native blitzed the competition in U.S. Open qualifying to punch his ticket to his first major.

"It's been really, really cool," said NeSmith, who arrived last Friday in University Place, Washington -- home of Chambers Bay Golf Course. "I've never played a golf course quite like this before. ... I got to play with some really awesome people, some really cool guys. It's just been really fun."

Those "really cool guys" NeSmith has played with in practice rounds include PGA Tour pros like Jason Day, Matt Kuchar, Gary Woodland, and Wednesday playing partners Justin Rose, Hunter Mahan -- and world No. 1 Rory McIlroy.

NeSmith's strategy was to pick big-name professionals that would have large crowds following to help him get over his nervousness in a setting where it wouldn't penalize him. When the North Augusta High School alum saw a fourth spot open for Wednesday morning next to McIlroy, Rose and Mahan, he went for it.

"I figured they would either change their tee time or kick me out or something," he said.

LEADERBOARD: How is NeSmith doing? 

He introduced himself to them before Wednesday, and they were more than willing to have him in their group. If NeSmith wanted to play in front of a big gallery prior to teeing off in the tournament, that was his chance.

"(The crowds) were ginormous," he said. "They were huge."

NeSmith will hit his first U.S. Open tee shot today at 9:01 a.m. local time -- a minute after noon on the East Coast. He'll play with Brandon Hagy and Sebastian Cappelen the first two days, a grouping NeSmith called "comfortable" in part because he's played with both already in college and amateur events. It will also be much more comfortable a day after playing with the world No. 1.

"It'll feel like no one's following me, which is normal," he said with a laugh.

Chambers Bay, the 8-year-old public links-style home to this year's U.S. Open, has drawn mixed reviews so far from players and caddies. NeSmith said the course suits his game fairly well.

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"It's not a terribly difficult driving golf course. It's long, so that kind of plays into my strengths. My iron game is my strength. I hit a lot of greens and I drive it pretty straight. For me, it's just kind of a ball striker's paradise," he said, acknowledging that ball placement on the greens will provide a major test. NeSmith said he felt that the practice rounds, particularly with Day, were beneficial to him and his caddie Jay Jasmin -- "He's having the time of his life," NeSmith said -- in terms of figuring out the golf course.

This week's U.S. Open is NeSmith's third tournament against a field of professionals. He earned spots in the 2012 Wyndham Championship and 2013 FedEx St. Jude Classic. He missed the cut each time, but he's not the same player -- or person -- as he was then. Playing in front of a support group that includes family, friends and USC head coach Bill McDonald, NeSmith said he was comfortable heading into today's round, to date the highest level he's reached in golf.

"If I go out and play really well this week, it'll be the best week of my life," he said. "If not, it's still the best week of my life regardless of what I shoot."

This article was written by Kyle Dawson from Aiken Standard, S.C. and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network.