For the elite few athletes, they are known by just their first name – Tiger, LeBron and Kobe.
In New York City high school golf circles, there is only one. And his name is Xander.
“He’s the one kid that everyone would talk about,” Scholars Academy golf coach Charles Hilgendorf. “No matter who we played, no matter what we did, everyone would ask about him. I guess it helps to have a unique name, too.”
His first name, pronounced Zander, isn’t the only thing unique about Xander McDonald-Smith, the PSAL Wingate Award winner for boys golf. He is an elite golf talent who takes pride in representing tiny Scholars Academy instead of forgoing high school golf for high-level junior tournaments.
“It shows Xander’s quality. We’re a small school of 400 kids in Rockaway, but he stayed here to represent his neighborhood,” Hilgendorf said. “It shows the heart and dedication he has.”
An admitted sports nut, McDonald-Smith played a variety of sports growing up, but when he picked a club for the first time at the age of 12, at his grandfather’s suggestion, he found his true calling.
Even before Scholars Academy could compete as a full-fledged PSAL squad, McDonald-Smith won the league’s individual championship. It was his first tournament victory and the first of three consecutive PSAL titles.
“I had no idea,” McDonald-Smith said. “I played OK, but I came down to the 18th hole with no idea I was going to win it. I still remember that feeling.”
That summer, McDonald-Smith won the IJGT at Eisenhower Park, his first major junior tournament victory.
“That was really what got me into it and convinced me I could compete against these kids who have been playing forever,” McDonald-Smith said.
More than long drives and accurate putts, Hilgendorf was impressed with McDonald-Smith’s poise, especially as a freshman.
“He had such a confidence and didn’t play with any fear, which is a rare quality,” he said. “That was the most amazing thing. You’d expect that from someone who was a senior, not a freshman.”
McDonald-Smith’s dominance in PSAL golf was remarkable. He was 32-2 in Scholars Academy’s three years of varsity golf – the Seawolves were a developmental program his freshman year.
His lone two losses in his high-school career came against Cardozo’s Bon Gu last year and Matthew Yun of Robert F. Kennedy this year. McDonald-Smith’s reign as PSAL champion ended at three with Yun pulling off the upset last month.
“I just had a bad day, but when I came in I knew I probably didn’t win,” McDonald-Smith said. “I shot 79 and if you shoot that score, you shouldn’t win a tournament. I expected someone else to shoot lower than me.”
But a bad day for McDonald-Smith on the greens was a rarity, according to one of his opponents.
“He’s just really consistent,” Yun said. “The last three years I’ve played against him, I’ve never seen him play horrible. He’s always steady.”
McDonald-Smith also made a name for himself nationally, He shot a 2-under-par 69 to win the Lessing’s AJGA Classic last July, a victory that garnered him interest from Division I schools, including Penn State, Northwestern and South Florida.
He went on an official visit to Happy Valley and it was love at first sight. Soon after, he signed a National Letter of Intent.
“It’s an awesome school,” he said.
McDonald-Smith officially turned the page Sunday, finishing second in the New York State Federation championship with a respectable 3-over-74 on the extremely difficult Bethpage Black.
“It’s exciting, but it’s also bittersweet,” McDonald-Smith said. “I’ve been here four years and at Scholars we’re the first graduating class so we’re setting the standard. It was a great year, a great four years, too. We put ourselves on the map.”
McDonald-Smith flew to Greensboro, N.C. Sunday to compete in the prestigious FootJoy Invitational, his final junior tournament. He was unable to attend Monday night’s PSAL Wingate Award dinner, but McDonald-Smith was overjoyed with the win.
“That’s awesome, it’s really something,” McDonald-Smith said. “When my coach told me I was really excited.”
McDonald-Smith said he’ll get to Penn State on Aug. 18 to begin the next stage of his golf career, a career that could include the PGA Tour, according to Hilgendorf. As for McDonald-Smith’s legacy at Scholars Academy, that’s been cemented.
There is, and likely always will be, one Xander.
“A golfer with amazing ability who wants to stay in a small, neighborhood school, it’s rare,” Hilgendorf said. “I hope it comes along again, but that’s not even a coachable talent. It’s natural.”