Nathan Smith, an investment advisor from Pittsburgh, earned a return trip to Augusta National Golf Club for the 2010 Masters Tournament after claiming his second career U.S. Mid-Amateur victory Oct. 9 on the Cassique Course at the Kiawah Island Club.

Smith, 31, who won the 2003 Mid-Am and earned a spot in the 2004 Masters, dominated in a 7-and-6 victory over Tim Spitz to qualify for next year’s Masters, April 8-11.

“It was such an unbelievably special experience to have been there once before, I can’t believe I will have the chance to experience it again next April,” Smith said of his upcoming Masters appearance,

“The Masters is really the peak of golf for me and to have a chance to go back again is just really special,” he said.

In 2004, Smith had a chance to play with fellow Western Pennsylvania native and four-time Masters champion Arnold Palmer. He was also paired in the Wednesday Par 3 Contest with eventual two-time Masters Champion Phil Mickelson. All with his father, Larry as his caddie.

In the recent Mid-Am final against Spitz, Smith, with his dad again on his bag, took any drama out of the chance to return to Augusta National.

He won three of the first five holes in the morning 18 and did not lose a hole to Spitz, going up six holes in the match play format headed to the afternoon 18-hole match.

A career amateur who played collegiate golf at Allegheny College, Smith said he was happy to remain in the amateur mode of Masters Co-founder Bobby Jones.

“I’m sure at some time everybody thinks about possibly playing professionally, but I am at the right spot for me and the right place for my golf,” Smith said.

“I want to play at a competitive level, but I have a lot of work and other things I need to take care of as well.”

Smith is the fifth multiple winner of the championship joining Jay Sigel (1983, 1985, 1987), Jim Stuart (1990, 1991), Tim Jackson (1994, 2001), and John “Spider” Miller (1996 and 1998), all former Masters participants.

He joins amateur Tripp Kuehne as the only players to be victorious in the Walker Cup, the USGA Team Championship and the Mid-Am in the same year.

His margin of victory was the third-largest since the championship match was lengthened to 36 holes in 2001.

Smith said he plans the same Masters routine for next April as he had in 2004, when a late Friday miscue cost him the chance to make the cut.

“My caddie (dad) is just too cheap; I can’t get rid of him,” Smith joked. “I was engaged to my wife when I was there before and now we’re married with our dog as our only child.

“When I was down there (Augusta National Golf Club) before I felt like the luckiest person in the world and I can’t believe it’s happened twice to me.”

Despite the great experience from the 2004 Masters, Smith said he has never returned since and hadn’t planned to go again before this year’s Mid-Am victory.

“When I was there before, I told myself I’d probably never return,” he said. “Now I’m actually going back. That’s very special.”

Spitz, 33, a former college golfer at Furman University in Greenville, S.C., said he was hoping to make his first Masters appearance only a few hours from his college home.

Said Spitz, “This is still the biggest accomplishment of my golf career.”