Latest news with #Smotherman
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
How Austin Smotherman won BMW Charity Pro-Am golf tournament on Korn Ferry Tour
GREER − The champagne went everywhere but Austin Smotherman's mouth. The 31-year-old pro golfer had just won his second Korn Ferry Tour title after making a birdie on the par-4 18th hole on June 18 in the BMW Charity Pro-Am. He couldn't contain his excitement, nor could his team, which drenched him with bubbly dripping from his hat to his game-winning golf club. Advertisement "My voice is probably slowly on its way out right now," Smotherman said. "I let out a couple of screams on that last putt. That'll definitely be a moment I never forget." Three of his five bridies in the fourth round at Thornblade Club came on the final four holes. Smotherman shot 4-under 71 to finish at 25-under 260 and a three-shot victory over Sebastian Cappelen, Pierceson Coody, and Carl Yaun. He won his first Korn Ferry Tour title in 2021 at the Simmons Bank Open for the Snedeker Foundation in Nashville, paving his way to the PGA Tour for the first time. And although his first win was important, this one resonated a tad bit more. Advertisement "This one's pretty special," Smotherland said. "I've never really made a putt like that to win on the last hole. It's so cool, and I wish I could recreate that moment every week. You don't always expect long putts like that to go in. But, I couldn't have drawn it up any better." Smotherland has a newfound appreciation for Greenville. The California native said Greenville is the place he'd visit "whenever we want him to." MORE: Here are celebrities coming to the 2025 BMW Pro-Am golf tournament including Clint Dempsey "I did a lot of walking downtown, got to be by the water," he said. "Greenville's been a great host, and it's incredible to win a championship like this in such a vibrant city." Advertisement Kamryn Jackson covers high school and college sports for the Spartanburg Herald-Journal, Greenville News, Anderson Independent Mail, and the USA TODAY Network. Please email her at KEJackson@ for story ideas and follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @KamxJack This article originally appeared on Greenville News: How Austin Smotherman won BMW Charity Pro-Am on Korn Ferry Tour
USA Today
03-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Serhiy Sidey vs. Cameron Smotherman prediction, pick, start time for UFC on ESPN 67
Serhiy Sidey vs. Cameron Smotherman prediction, pick, start time for UFC on ESPN 67 A bantamweight showdown between Serhiy Sidey and Cameron Smotherman lands on the UFC Des Moines main card. Does this one go the distance? Serhiy Sidey and Cameron Smotherman meet Saturday on the main card of UFC on ESPN 67 at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa. Check out this quick breakdown of the matchup from MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom. Last event: 2-4 UFC main cards, 2025: 37-33-1 Serhiy Sidey vs. Cameron Smotherman UFC on ESPN 67 preview Sidey (11-2 MMA, 1-1 UFC) will look to keep the momentum after picking up his first UFC victory. Both of Sidey's outings have resulted in split decisions, of which he has experienced the joy and agony. Sidey ended up on the wrong end in his debut against Ramon Taveras last January, while his second appearance under the UFC banner was a win over Garrett Armfield. ... Smotherman (12-4 MMA, 1-0 UFC) will aim to extend his four-fight winning streak. In October, Smotherman made a successful UFC debut in a unanimous decision win over Jake Hadley. Serhiy Sidey vs. Cameron Smotherman UFC on ESPN 67 expert pick, prediction In keeping with the spirit of solid card formatting, Des Moines' main card is blessed with more bantamweights in the form of Sidey and Smotherman. Although both fighters tend to operate out of orthodox stances, this matchup reminds me of Nate Diaz vs. Donald Cerrone from a stylistic perspective. Sidey, who is Cerrone in this analogy, is a kick-heavy kickboxer with some quiet submission threats (that I suspect we'll see more of as his career progresses). Whereas Smotherman, the Diaz analog, is the more "steady Eddie" type regarding the smothering pressure and punch count that he likes to put on his opponents. I think that Sidey will be able to find a finish early due to Smotherman's propensity to sometimes get stung in fights. However, I'll ultimately be siding with Smotherman to survive the early scares and pull away down the stretch with his straight punches and bodywork. 'A line beats a circle,' as the old martial arts adage goes, and I suspect that remains true here. The pick is Smotherman to edge out a decision that the local and traveling judges are likely split on. Serhiy Sidey vs. Cameron Smotherman UFC on ESPN 67 odds Despite the oddsmakers opening the American as the favorite, public money has flipped the line in the Canadian's favor, listing Sidey -142 and Smotherman +116 via FanDuel. Serhiy Sidey vs. Cameron Smotherman UFC on ESPN 67 start time, how to watch Sidey and Smotherman are expected to walk to the cage at approximately 10:40 p.m. ET. The fight broadcasts on ESPN 2 and streams on ESPN+.
USA Today
03-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Cameron Smotherman switched things up, trained with Diego Lopes for second UFC bout
Cameron Smotherman switched things up, trained with Diego Lopes for second UFC bout Cameron Smotherman has traveled outside of his comfort zone – and outside of the country – ahead of his UFC on ESPN 67 bout Saturday in Des Moines, Iowa. For the entirety of his career, Smotherman (12-4 MMA, 1-0 UFC) had trained in Texas. Initially training under the late Saul Soliz, Smotherman continued with his Metro Fight Club peers, including Adrian Yanez and others. However, ahead of his second UFC training camp, Smotherman switched things up and moved to Mexico to train with Diego Lopes. "When Diego fought at UFC 300 against Sodiq, they had to fly over there," Smotherman recently told MMA Junkie. "I felt like it was really good fit. I thought it was a lot of positive energy I needed that time in my life. Me and Diego have stayed in touch ever since. We were talking almost every day, three or four times a week. Whenever I found out he got the title fight, I was like, 'I'm nothing like Volkanovski, but I at least want to be in the room and say I helped in some way. A few days after that, I ended up getting a fight, so it was perfect timing." Smotherman helped Lopes with his preparation for his UFC 314 title challenge vs. Alexander Volkanovski and also got work with rising prospect Austin Bashi – all under the watchful eye of coach Francisco Grasso. "I would definitely say it gives me some more confidence. Knowing the level and knowing what it takes and seeing it first hand. I can compare myself to it with first-hand experience. I would definitely say that really since I've gotten in my confidence has just been growing. I'm not questioning myself or my decisions like I used to. ... It's very different. It's a brand new system. I've been with the same team my entire career from amateur to pro. Sometimes, it's different and it makes me use my brain differently. But I feel like at this point in my life, that really helps and I appreciate it." While some things change, other stay the same. His pal Yanez will still be in his corner Saturday at Wells Fargo Arena as he takes on Canada's Serhiy Sidey (11-2 MMA, 1-1 UFC) in a bantamweight prelim. Smotherman will look to remain unbeaten in the UFC following a short-notice, betting upset victory over Jake Hadley. Even with that big win, Smotherman enters the fight with a chip on his shoulder and something to prove. "I don't think I have any respect from the public still," Smotherman said. "It seems to me that everyone is just attributing it to that he fought a bad fight and lost to a scrub. I still have a lot to prove. But as far as my life, this is actually the one good thing about losing and having a hard path to get here. I'm still touching grass. I know who's real and who's not. I know who believes in me and who doesn't. It's easy to fall into the 100 DMs or 1000 DMs that you get. Everyone wants to hang out with you when you're winning but I remember what it's like to lose and trying to sell tickets when nobody comes."
