BURLINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA - OCTOBER 11: Former NBA player J.R. Smith of the North Carolina A&T Aggies tees off to begin his first competitive round of collegiate golf at the Phoenix Invitational at Alamance Country Club on October 11, 2021 in Burlington, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)Grant Halverson/Getty Images

JR Smith Shoots 10 Over in Collegiate Golf Debut for North Carolina A&T

Doric SamOct 11, 2021

Former NBA star JR Smith made his collegiate golf tournament debut Monday for North Carolina A&T in the Elon Phoenix Invitational. Smith, a two-time NBA champion, finished with a score of 10-over 81.

North Carolina A&T requires its golfers to qualify for regular-season tournaments in practice. Smith qualified for the tournament by one stroke.

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He expressed his excitement for his debut on the green and caught the attention of former NBA teammate Carmelo Anthony.

Smith got off to a strong start with two birdies in his first five holes. WFMY News 2 reporter Brian Hall followed Smith and provided video of his performance:

Smith's performance early on in the tournament had golf Twitter abuzz:

Despite eventually fading to his score of 81, Smith didn't look out of place in the tournament. Golf.com writer Sean Zak said Smith's swing looked "really solid."

Midway through the opening round of the tournament, Smith's score had him tied for 77th.

Smith, who went straight to the NBA out of high school, enrolled at North Carolina A&T in August to pursue a degree in liberal studies.