The 34-year-old Swinton Park assistant professional twice blew chances to win over the regulation 18 holes.
A new putter which helped him into a share of the first-round lead twice let him down at crucial stages.
But it was the unforgiving rough flanking the fairway at the par five 18th, the play-off hole, that wrecked the hopes of Chris Sands and Graham Cox, who had tied with Smith on a five-under-par two round total.
First, Woolton-attached Sands, who shared the overnight lead with Smith, blocked his drive into the deep stuff and, grateful that a spectator only found the ball because he was standing near to where it landed, he contrived to smash it out into an even worse lie on the opposite side of the fairway.
It took 30 or so people to locate it, but from an impossible lie, Sands had no hope.
Smith played a clumsy approach and missed a 12ft birdie putt as Cox, who coaches at Warrington, matched his par.
But it was the rough which leapt up and grabbed Cox's errant drive when the pair went back to the tee.
And this time, despite an army foraging in the grass, it was not found in the permitted five minutes. Despite Cox's brave attempt to keep the match alive with a six off his provisional ball, Smith simply rolled in a short birdie putt for victory. The Salford-born former soccer coach, like Sands closed with a 71 as Cox forced his way into contention with a 69. Smith attributed his success to a lesson from Marriott Worsley Park professional David Screeton six weeks ago.
"He changed my grip and altered my posture and I've played much better since," he said.
LEADING SCORES: 139 D Smith (Swinton Park) 68,71, G Cox (Warrington) 70,69, C Sands (Woolton) 68,71; 140 D Shackady (Mossock Hall) 71,69, R Bean (Pryors Hayes) 71,69, N Ludwell (Selby) 70,70; 141 G Brown (Ganton) 71,70, D Brunton (Ringway) 70,71; 142 D Haughian (Adlington Golf Centre) 74,68, J Garner (Sandfield GR) 74,68, S Barber (Stadium Golf) 72,70, A Turner (Knaresborough) 72,70, S Edwards (Clays) 72,70.
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