Hall of Fame pitcher John Smoltz secures spot in Final Stage of PGA TOUR Champions Q-School
2 Min Read
Written by Jimmy Reinman
Hall of Fame pitcher John Smoltz continues his incredible journey from the pitching mound to the tee box, with his latest move landing him a spot in the Final Stage of PGA TOUR Champions Q-School.
The Cy Young Award-winning pitcher demonstrated his skill this week at First Stage, navigating the challenging Buckhorn Springs site in Valrico, Florida, to secure a T14 finish with a score of 71-73-74-71, finishing at 1-over 289 for the week. (The site was contested Tuesday-Friday.) Smoltz's performance earned him one of just 18 spots available from Valrico into the Final Stage.
Smoltz hadn’t finished better than T54 in three prior appearances at First Stage of PGA TOUR Champions Q-School.
The 55-year-old former Atlanta Braves righthander will now shift his focus to TPC Scottsdale’s Champions course, where the Final Stage will take place from Dec. 5-8. With only five PGA TOUR Champions cards up for grabs out of a field of approximately 80 players, Smoltz faces stiff competition in Arizona.
While best known for his illustrious baseball career, Smoltz has been making waves on the golf course for years. Inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2015, Smoltz's baseball achievements include pitching in 41 postseason games, eight of which were in the World Series. He claimed a Cy Young Award and earned eight National League All-Star team selections.
John Smoltz plays 18 holes and then calls baseball game for FOX
Smoltz's golf prowess was further highlighted in 2018 when he qualified for the U.S. Senior Open. In 2022, he held a handicap index of +1.6 at Hawks Ridge Golf Club in the Atlanta area.
Smoltz hasn’t competed on PGA TOUR Champions since 2021, but he has competed in nine events overall and proven a capable player on the circuit. His dedication to the sport is evident, with nine starts on PGA TOUR Champions slightly surpassing his eight pitching outings in the World Series. He also qualified for the 2018 U.S. Senior Open.
As Smoltz prepares to face the challenges of the Final Stage at TPC Scottsdale, fans will be eagerly watching to see if the legendary pitcher can add another triumph to his already remarkable athletic journey.
Jimmy Reinman is a member of the PGA TOUR's digital content team. A native of Florida’s Space Coast, he is passionate about golf’s most emboldened characters and bizarre lore. He dreams of one day making center-face contact with a long iron.