Smith shoots for U.S. Open bid

Scott Smith is aiming for another U.S. Open appearance.

The former Fallon and University of Nevada star began the qualification process at Genoa Lakes Golf Club on May 12.

Smith shot carded a 68, tied for first with Reno’s Jonathan Cockerill for first as the two earned a spot in the June 2 sectional qualifier. Amateur Stephen Sear of Washoe Valley also made the cut with a 69.

Calls made to Smith were not returned, and the location of his sectional qualifier is unknown.

The sectional qualifying consists of 36 holes in one day with “only a handful of available spots at each site,” according to the U.S. Open website. Sectional qualifiers will be determined by the quality and quantity of the field at each location.

There are 12 sectional qualifiers — 10 in the U.S. and one each in Japan and England. All U.S. qualifiers are on June 2, while the international sites will conduct play Monday.

The U.S. Open, meanwhile, is in Pinehurst, N.C., at Pinehurst No. 2. Justin Rose is the defending champion.

Smith qualified for the 2012 U.S. Open when it was hosted by the Olympic Club in San Francisco. He missed the cut after rounds of 78 and 81 finishing with an 11-over par.

Smith has competed in the Reno-Tahoe Open twice, the last appearance coming in 2012, where he made the cut and recorded his first PGA Tour payday. His first professional win came in 2011 at the Idaho Open.

Smith’s first PGA Tour event, though, came about a month later at the Reno-Tahoe Open, where he missed the cut with a +11 in the Modified Stableford format.