Alex Smalley, 29, has returned to form in 2026 with strong performances at the Zurich Classic, Cadillac Championship and the 2026 PGA Championship at Aronimink.
And he believes in the help of his mother. Maria Smalley was a chemist with a Ph.D. from Duke University, where Smalley played on the golf team, before starting to help his son with statistical analysis.
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“For every event, every hole, every shot, Maria notes Smalley’s distance to the flag, club selection, wind direction,” Gabby Herzig writes in The Athletic. “All kinds of variables are recorded where possible, including altitude, lies, slope, etc. The main goal is to create an enhanced and more accurate version of ShotLink, the PGA Tour’s shot tracking system, allowing Smalley to evaluate his play with additional information.”
You can learn more about her on Golf Channel.
When Smalley wins his first PGA Tour event, which will likely be a major, he’ll be able to thank his mother for helping him through the competition.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Alex Smalley’s mother uses science to improve her golf game
