Aussie PGA: British Open winner sheds rust then shines after massive week off course
Cam Smith felt as if he had a “foggy brain’’ after a long week – but once the clouds cleared off he was back to normal. Plus, the latest at the Australian PGA from Robert Craddock.
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Cameron Smith was just 20 minutes into his first home round since becoming a global star when one wag in the crowd dropped the provocative line.
“There’s a few here … more than the cricket the other day.’’
And it was only 6.20am.
If early reports were true that there were only 1000 people present at the toss between Australia and England at the MCG then the blue chip trio of Smith, Masters winner Adam Scott and fellow local star Ryan Fox might well have had them covered by the third hole when both sides of the fairway were lined with fans on round one of this Australian PGA.
When the trio hit off on Royal Queensland’s 10th tee at 6am sharp on a working Thursday there were already 600 fans behind the tee box and lining the fairways to hear Smith introduced as “the pride of Wantima’’ and “Brisbane’s own’’.
It was the first sign of mullet-mania and how British Open champion Smith has changed the golf landscape – and his own life – since he last played a tournament in Australia three years ago.
All of the players were surprised by the early crowd Smith saying “it was unreal – I was not expecting that many.’’
The significant point for golf was not the size of the crowd but the vastly different worlds from which they came.
There were teenagers and 20-somethings with tattoos and mullets, older pennant golfers keen to see a master at work, and plenty of average hackers just out for a peep at some big names.
One member and nine-handicapper of the Redcliffe Golf Club who works in the mines even designed his own tribute to Smith where he stapled an artificial mullet on the back of his golf cap.
Smith’s grandmother has printed a group of maroon shirts which had Team Smith – lifetime member on the front and a photo of his mullet on the back.
The thing about Smith’s appeal is that it spreads easily across the classes which golf celebrates with gusto as it desperately tries to shed its reputation as a rich man’s part-time.
Smith may have signed a $150 million contract with Greg Norman’s LIV golf but he is still a pie-loving, rev-head with a passion for rugby league and the unpretentious characters who play it.
Smith, who said his brain felt “foggy’’ early in his round after a long week, shed rust with one over on the first nine then, much like his British Open success, roared home with four birdies to finish three under par.
It said a lot about his ability to go with the furious flow of a long week and still conquer the course.
Smith has been a wanted man since he landed in Brisbane a week ago. He accepted the Greg Norman Trophy at a dinner, held a coaching class for 600 fans, spoke at the Wantima Golf Club presentation night, appeared on the Today Show, accepted the keys to the city and played in a Pro-Am with his namesake, league legend Cameron Smith, where they dissected the recent form and finals prospects of the Brisbane Broncos.
“I have really enjoyed it but it has been long and I could not wait to get home for a nap yesterday afternoon,’’ Smith said.
He’s done it all with a smile on his face but even the normally peaceful secluded world of the practice range has been dotted with “mate … you haven’t got five seconds’’ requests.
His father Des, who watched him play, added: “People have said to me it must be great to have him home but I actually spent the last three months with him and since he has got home I have not really seen him,’’ Des said. “He has had so much on.’’
NRL GREAT CAM SMITH COPS IT FOR LIV GOLF DEFECTION
Former Australian rugby league captain Cameron Smith has a news flash for social media warriors … he hasn’t joined LIV Golf.
It’s the other Cameron Smith, the British Open champion.
The two namesakes and Australian sports stars are paired together in Wednesday’s Pro-am at Royal Queensland Golf Club before the Australian PGA starts Thursday.
“I really want to have a chat to him about his Twitter handle today because I have been copping some feedback,’’ Cameron the First quipped to News Corp today.
“My Twitter has been swamped, particularly when he made the move to LIV Golf. I feel like getting on and saying “I’m sorry you have got the wrong Cameron Smith.’ It’s quite funny.’’
When the duo first met five years ago there was very much a public sense of “have you heard of the young golfer with the same name as the Aussie rugby league skipper?’’
“It’s the other way around now!,’’ Smith senior said.
“There a lot of fun banter around with family and friends about who is the most popular Cameron Smith in Australia now.
“I first met him in 2017 in the middle of our State of Origin campaign. That was when he was just getting going in the PGA (ranks in the United States). I have followed him closely since then. It has been great to follow his journey from a young boy with dreams of doing something special.’’
The duo are very different in some ways but similar in others, being working class kids from the ‘burbs who grew to be sporting champions with the golfer recently signing a reported $150 million deal to join Greg Norman’s LIV Golf troupe.
“The funny thing is he loves rugby league and I love golf but I chose league as my sport and he chose golf,’’ the league legend said.
When it comes to motor racing they are very much twin Cams with the older Cam still caring for the first car he ever owned (a 1971 Kingswood) and young Cam known for doing hot laps of Lakeside Raceway.
Cam the golfer wanted to be a rugby league star before fate took him to golf but he remains a passionate follower of the sport, watching Broncos games and NRL360 via an App when at home in Florida. The Broncos are his team but the Storm’s Cameron Munster his favourite player.
“He is a very creative player and good to watch,’’ Smith said.
Retired league great Smith presented the British Open winner with a Queensland jersey before teeing off but as they were being organised for a photo the golfer surprisingly became the playmaker.
“I’m a halfback – he’s a hooker – I tell him what to do,’’ he said.
Smith was crowned the Greg Norman Medalist on Tuesday night and revealed in a panel discussion that a State of Origin chat with his caddie played a role in his stunning Open success.
Smith faced a harrowing putt past the iconic Road Hole bunker on the 17th at St Andrews when his caddie deliberately distracted him as they walked towards the ball by talking about the State of Origin series.
“I couldn’t believe he started talking about the Origin and I can’t remember what he said but looking back I’m glad he did it,’’ said Smith who sank a three metre putt for a clutch par.
The league playing Smith joked he had not slept a wink thinking about being watched by so many people on the first tee in the Pro-am.
When he topped his first drive he laughed and said “that’s why I was so nervous.’’
Originally published as Aussie PGA: British Open winner sheds rust then shines after massive week off course
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