Golf News: Former MLB Star John Smoltz Gets Roughed Up at South Georgia Classic

John Smoltz found out the hard way that when you're getting shellacked in golf, there's no call to the bullpen.

The former ace reliever for the Braves started his first round at the South Georgia Classic like gangbusters on Thursday. Smoltzy went par, par birdie at the incredibly long 7,800-yard Kinderlou Golf Club, the site of this week's stop on the Nationwide.

He's one-under through three, starting at the 10th hole, fist-bumping with his caddie and thinking good things.

Then the weather delay came and it lasted a long time, long enough where they finally called it for the day.

Too bad for Smoltz.

Perhaps his bio-rythms were off on Friday.

On the restart of the first round, he went bogey, bogey, double, bogey and threw another bogey in at 18 for a 41. Ugh.

Things didn't get any better on the front nine. Three straight bogeys then a double at four, two more at seven and eight. Added up to a 43, good for a 12-over par 84.

Good news is he cut Jerry Rice's 92 at the 2010 BMW by eight. Bad news is he'll be gone after the second round.

Smoltz found out, as we all know, when things go wrong in golf, you can't look to the bench. There's no help from the bullpen to save you. You grit your teeth and bear it, every stinky shot of it. We've all been there if you've played any competitive golf.

It does suck, but that is golf. It humiliates everyone and eventually even the best aren't spared from a day like the one Smoltz had.

The news wasn't so bad for his playing partners.

Andrew Giuliani, the sarcastic son of former mayor Rudy, wasn't bad at all. He finished with a 73, one-over but will have to play better to make the cut.

Jason Enloe is right there in the hunt with a two-under par 70.

Long day for Smoltz, blame it on the weather.

He got the start he was hoping for but something happened overnight, wasn't the same guy over the final 16 holes.

That's golf, isn't it?