J.R. Smith Set to Play 1st College Golf Tournament for N.C. A&T

The 36-year-old former NBA guard qualified to play in this week's Phoenix Invitational hosted by Elon in North Carolina.

GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) — Former NBA guard J.R. Smith is set to make his debut as a golfer for North Carolina A&T.

The school announced Smith will play his first collegiate tournament Monday and Tuesday at the Phoenix Invitational hosted by Elon. The tournament will take place at the par-71, 6,867-yard Alamance Country Club golf course.

Smith enrolled at N.C. A&T over the summer after 16 seasons in the NBA and joined the golf team as a freshman walk-on. All team golfers must qualify for each tournament in practice unless he has finished first or second in the previous tournament. Smith qualified for next week’s tournament by one stroke.