The 2025 U.S. Amateur Championship is currently underway, and a familiar name is once again drawing headlines — John Daly II. The son of two-time major champion John Daly, the younger Daly has been navigating both the weight of legacy and the raw pressure of elite competition. But as the round of 16 concludes, some intriguing matchups stood out, not just for the level of play, but for the stories beneath the surface.
Fresh off a win at the 2025 Southern Amateur Championship, John Daly II continued his hot streak at the Olympic Club this week. During the second round of the U.S. Amateur, he scored one of the best rounds of the day (67) to find himself placed comfortably within the top 64 to advance to match play. And with ease, Daly advanced to the round of 32 when he beat his close friend, Cooper Claycomb (1 up), at the Olympic Club’s Lake Course. And that’s when he met Nate Smith.
Smith, a name many golf fans may or may not remember from the early 2010s, wasn’t just another mid-amateur in the bracket. He was a seasoned competitor on the PGA Tour whose story traces back to professional golf’s grind and, perhaps most intriguingly, to a final round pairing with John Daly himself. “Nate Smith is a reinstated amateur who played one season on the PGA TOUR (2011). He played with John Daly in the final round of the 2011 Travelers Championship, shooting 71 to Daly’s 74. Today, Smith is playing John Daly II in the second round of the U.S. Amateur,” Sean Martin posted via X.
Now, fourteen years later, Nate Smith faced John Daly II in the U.S. Amateurs’ round of 32, a rare generational showdown between the 42-year-old and the 22-year-old. Daly II took control early and held on for a 2 & 1 win to move into the round of 16, where he’s now 3 up through 14 holes against South Africa’s Daniel Bennett. As he put it, “Laying up is not in our blood.”
Nate Smith is a reinstated amateur who played one season on the PGA TOUR (2011).
He played with John Daly in the final round of the 2011 Travelers Championship, shooting 71 to Daly’s 74.
Today, Smith is playing John Daly II in the second round of the U.S. Amateur.
— Sean Martin (@PGATOURSMartin) August 14, 2025
But for Nate Smith, the run ended there, in the round of 32, but not without leaving a lasting impression that brought him back into the national amateur spotlight. “I still love the game, and I love competing; I just didn’t like the way I felt playing professional golf,” Smith said.”I have a much greater appreciation now for this game, which has given me everything in a lot of ways. I’m just so blessed to be here competing,” Smith told CBS earlier this week. His words reflect not just the present, but a journey that was years in the making. So, who is Nate Smith, and how did he find his way back to this stage?
John Daly II’s opponent in the round of 32
Nate Smith hails from Tetonia, Idaho, and his journey back to this stage is one marked by perseverance. He grew up near Santa Cruz, California, and honed his skills on municipal courses before earning a scholarship to Duke University. There, Smith flourished, becoming a two-time All-American and establishing himself as one of college golf’s rising stars. Turning professional in 2006, he eventually graduated to the Nationwide Tour. In 2010, Smith earned his PGA Tour card through Q-School, marking the pinnacle of his early career. However, the professional grind took its toll.
After just one season on the PGA Tour, where he made eight cuts in 24 starts and earned $154,814 without a top-25 finish, Smith lost his card. A surgery on his left knee forced him to step away from competitive golf, and he then shifted his focus to academics. He earned an M.B.A. from the College of Charleston two years later, but by 2022, the competitive fire reignited. He reinstated his amateur status and began competing locally, gradually making his way back to national tournaments. In 2023, he managed to reach the round of 16 of the U.S. Mid-Amateur, and in 2024, he won the Idaho Amateur and the Snedeker Memorial. Nate Smith’s experience and resilience helped him qualify for three of the last four U.S. Amateurs, three times the number from his first amateur stint. His story is nothing short of a remarkable comeback.
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