June 23, 2005

TOYOTA, Japan - Nicholas Smith has carded consecutive rounds of 69 and 70 and helped the United States into first place in the team standings after three rounds of the Junior World Cup Golf Championship at Chukyo Golf Course. Smith and his U.S. teammates begin play Friday in the final round six strokes ahead of England in the race for the team championship.

The United States is looking to win its second consecutive championship and seventh in the history of the event. The team has a 29-under score of 619 through the first three rounds and is on pace to establish a World Junior Golf Championship record for strokes under par. The record of 25-under par was established by the United States in winning the championship in 2004.

Smith has played well through the first three rounds of the event with scores of 75-69-70 for a 54-hole total of 214. His 214 total for the first three rounds has him playing at a two-under par pace. The U.S. is led by Erik Flores who set the course record with an eight under par 64 in the third round. Each of the four golfers participating in the event for the U.S. is playing under par golf. Flores leads the team with a 16-under par score of 200.

Smith is a four-time America Junior Golf Association All-American who recently graduated from Belleview High School in Ocala, Fla. He was an AJGA All-America Third-Team selection in 2004 and holds a +4 handicap. Smith is the top ranked prep player in the state of Florida. He earned a pair of tied for fifth place finishes at the Rolex Tournament of Champions and the HP Boy's Junior Championship in 2004. He carded his career-low score of 67 at the Rolex event and has carded seven rounds of sub-70 scores in the last two years and carded back-to-back scores of 69 as he finished in a tied for third place at the First American Title Avila Junior Classic in 2003.

Smith has signed a National Letter of Intent and will begin attending Florida State and playing golf for third year head coach Trey Jones during the fall of 2005.

2005 Toyota Junior World Cup Team Standings/Through 3 of 4 Rounds
June 21-24, 2005/Toyota, Japan/Chukyo Golf Club
1.   United States      619    8.   Mexico            646
2.   England            625    9.   Canada            649
3.   Columbia           627    10.  Belgium           651
4.   Argentina          633    11.  Spain             653
5.   New Zealand        643    12.  India             658
T6.  Japan              644    13.  South Africa      661
T6.  Chinese Taipei     644    14.  Zimbabwe          688