You may never have heard of club professional Hubie Smith, but in 1992 “Golf Magazine” reported that the 59-year old pro won a Tennessee Pro-Am while in the hospital in intensive care. It so happened that Smith shot a first-round 67 in a pro-am, but later was forced to withdraw due to chest pains.
While in the hospital being tested for a blockage in his arteries, the second round of the tournament was rained out, and Smith was declared the winner. Said Smith, “It’s the first tournament I’ve ever won from intensive care. Let’s hope it’s the last!”
Incidentally, Smith received many honors during his career including the PGA’s National Club Professional of the Year in 1969, won multiple Tennessee PGA Player of the Year awards, and was the National Seniors Open Champion in 1995. As of 2011, the 78-year old Smith had successfully shot under his age over 800 times so it appears that his “heart scare” was thankfully temporary.
