| Taylor Smith | |
|---|---|
| Personal information | |
| Full name | Richard Taylor Smith |
| Born | June 28, 1967 Pensacola, Florida, U.S. |
| Died | July 21, 2007 (aged 40) Houston, Texas, U.S. |
| Height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) |
| Weight | 185 lb (84 kg; 13.2 st) |
| Sporting nationality |  United States |
| Career | |
| College | Augusta College |
| Status | Professional |
| Former tour(s) | PGA Tour Ben Hogan Tour U.S. Golf Tour |
| Professional wins | 7 |
| Number of wins by tour | |
| Korn Ferry Tour | 1 |
| Other | 6 |
| Best results in major championships | |
| Masters Tournament | DNP |
| PGA Championship | T53: 1997 |
| U.S. Open | DNP |
| The Open Championship | DNP |
Richard Taylor Smith (June 28, 1967 – July 21, 2007)[1][2] was an American professional golfer.
Smith was born in Pensacola, Florida but spent most of his life in Waycross, Georgia.[1] He played college golf at Augusta College (now Augusta State University).[3]
Smith played on the Nike Tour and the PGA Tour from 1992 to 1998. His best finish on the Nike Tour (1992–1995, 1998) was a win at the 1992 Ben Hogan Permian Basin Open. His best finish on the PGA Tour (1996–1997) was T-2 at the 1996 Greater Vancouver Open.
At the 1996 Walt Disney World/Oldsmobile Classic on the PGA Tour, Smith had tied Tiger Woods at the end of regulation play and appeared to be heading for a playoff. It was then revealed that Smith's putter had an illegal grip and he was disqualified, giving Woods his second career win. Smith had been informed about his putter on the 9th hole but was allowed to continue playing while he appealed the ruling. The appeal was denied.[4]
- ^ a b Fields, Bill (August 3, 2007). "Taylor Smith, 1967–2007: Most remembered for a disqualification at the 1996 Walt Disney World Classic, Smith dies unexpectedly at the age of 40". Golf Digest. Retrieved June 8, 2012.
- ^ Maginnes, John (July 24, 2007). "Maginnes: The timeless lessons of Taylor". PGA Tour. Archived from the original on March 1, 2012. Retrieved June 8, 2012.
- ^ "Augusta State Jaguars – Men's Golf – Letterman" (PDF). Retrieved June 8, 2012.
- ^ "Woods Captures Second Pro Title Taylor Smith Was Disqualified For An Illegal Grip On His Putter". philly.com. October 21, 1996. Archived from the original on February 9, 2015. Retrieved June 8, 2012.