At Landmark, Schmidt met his future business partner Brian Curley. In 1997, they formed Schmidt-Curley Design, working primarily in the Southwestern United States. Schmidt-Curley soon focused much of its business interests on the burgeoning Asian market with a strong emphasis on China. They are considered leaders of the China golf course development movement and were subsequently cited by Golf Inc. Magazine in 2011 as one of golf's most influential architects.
