Smith preps to play in U.S. Amateur

Ever since May, University of North Georgia (UNG) men's golfer Hunter Smith has been hitting milestones on a consistent basis.

First, he won the individual NCAA Division II national championship at PGA National Resort in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, in late May. Then he finished off that week by helping the Nighthawks wrap up their season as a national semifinalist.

He competed in the North & South Men's Amateur Championship in Pinehurst, North Carolina, in late June, finishing ninth.

Smith followed that up by qualifying for the upcoming U.S. Amateur with a strong performance at the Standard Club in Johns Creek, Georgia. The U.S. Amateur is set for Aug. 11-17 at the Olympic Club in San Francisco, California. He also played at the Western Amateur in Glenview, Illinois.

"Hunter is incredibly even-keeled. Whether he’s playing great or facing adversity, his emotions stay in check. That level of emotional maturity and discipline gives him an edge," Bryson Worley, UNG men's golf head coach and director of golf, said. "He doesn’t chase results. He stays committed to the process. That kind of mindset breeds consistency and long-term success. He is learning to believe in himself, which, with his talent, makes him a special player."

Through it all, Smith has remained both humble and grateful. His parents, David and Christina Smith, and his grandparents Mike and Vicki Kuczmarski were able to attend the Division II national championship and watch firsthand as he became only the second UNG student-athlete to ever win an individual national title.

That was made even sweeter for Smith by the fact that he and his grandfather are so close and regularly talk about his game. The pair had even talked in the weeks and months leading up to the national championship about how Smith would eventually break through for his first collegiate victory. That dream came to fruition at PGA National Resort as Smith shot a three-round score of 6-under-par, powered by a second-round 5-under 67.

"Having him there for that moment was really special," Smith said.

Smith is an Athens, Georgia, native and Prince Avenue Christian School graduate. He was on the Georgia State University men's golf team as a freshman before transferring to UNG ahead of the 2023-24 academic year.

Since the 2024-25 season wrapped up, Smith has been named a Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) NCAA Division II PING first-team All-American and a GCAA Cobalt Golf All-American Scholar.

Now, he's excited to show his skills in the upcoming U.S. Amateur ahead of his senior year.

"It means a lot. It shows that I'm able to play with the best. It's special. I'm very blessed to be given the opportunity," Smith, who is pursuing a degree in management, said. "Most people who play college golf don't get to play in the U.S. Amateur."

Worley, likewise, looks forward to seeing Smith play in another prominent event.

"We're extremely excited for Hunter. The U.S. Amateur is one of the biggest stages in amateur golf, and it's a great opportunity for him to showcase his talent and represent our program again at the highest level in amateur golf," Worley said. "He's earned the right to be there, and I think he'll thrive in that environment like he has in the North & South Amateur and Western Amateur."