Cameron Smith and all-Australian team win LIV event in US

Channelling the success of the Matildas, it was a victorious day for another Australian team that came with a massive cash windfall.

Cameron Smith of Ripper GC celebrates with his team after victory in New Jersey. Mike Stobe/Getty Images/AFP

Cameron Smith and his three Australian Ripper GC teammates watched the Matildas stunning World Cup quarter-final win before taking that inspiration onto the course in New Jersey to secure a maiden LIV team victory as Smith smashed the field for a third individual win.

Team captain Smith pushed clear in the overall individual standings for the season as he became the second three-time LIV winner in the breakaway tour’s short history, piloting his all-Australian team to a mammoth 11-shot win at the Trump National Bedminster course.

Both victories, which came with a windfall in excess of $7m for Smith, were locked in a long way from home as Smith showed why he’s still No.8 in the world more than 12 months after defecting to LIV as he romped to a seven-shot individual win.

It was the first time Ripper GC’s four members – Smith, Marc Leishman, Matt Jones and Jediah Morgan – got to stand on the podium together and Morgan, the youngest member of the team, said the effort of the Matildas to reach the World Cup semi-finals helped galvanise the Aussies.

“They‘re gutsy. It’s actually been awesome to see them beat Canada and beat France,” he said having watched the Matildas win over the French before the final round.

“There’s a bit of resurgence behind the Aussie Matildas, which is cool.”

YOUR TEAM CHAMPS!!! 🏆

Doing a shoey to celebrate 🤣🙌#RipperGC#LIVGolfpic.twitter.com/YJ9Iz6oqne

— Ripper GC (@rippergc_) August 13, 2023

In true Aussie style the four players all did “shoeys” on the winner’s podium.

“Apart from the disgust of wearing a shoe for a week and having a beer out of it, it was pretty good,” Leishman said following the biggest team win in LIV history as Ripper GC finished on 20-under.

“That‘s what LIV Golf is all about, that team side of it, and just celebrating together, and that’s what we’ll do.”

The four players share the $4.1 million team purse, with Smith joining Talor Gooch as a three-time individual winner, collecting just over $7m for his efforts at the Trump National Bedminster course taking his season earnings to more than $20m.

Smith said it was “unreal” to get a second LIV win 2023, having secured his first in London in the lead-up to his title defence at The Open.

He’s now eyeing off the season-ending title with just two events to go, including at Chicago where he will be the defending champion. But first there will be a five-week break to rest after a marathon few weeks of golf.

“I have had a couple of bad weeks that I would like to take back, but other than that, I feel like I‘m playing the most consistent golf and the best golf that I’ve played,” he said.

“It’s nice to be able to do that week in and week out. It’s something that I’ve worked for, something that was a goal of mine at the start of the year was to be up there with at least a chance for the last event.

“I think it‘ll keep me practicing the next five weeks. Five weeks is a long time off. I’ll probably put the clubs down for a couple of weeks and then get right back into it, and then going back to Chicago where I won last year is a nice feeling, as well.”

Taking a four-shot lead into the final day, Smith began with two bogeys in his opening three holes to give the chasing pack a chance.

But the Queenslander, wearing his favoured Sunday maroon shirt, steadied, then rallied, with four birdies in his next seven holes to once again run away from the chasing pack.

Even chunking the ball down his final hole, finding the rough off the tee and failing to get out of it fully with his second and having to make a monster putt for par, couldn’t stop his charge to a third LIV victory, all coming inside 12 months on the tour.

Cam Smith is just having fun out there!#LIVGolfpic.twitter.com/3NgButLkUD

— LIV Golf (@livgolf_league) August 13, 2023

Leishman was the next best member of Ripper GC on the leaderboard, finishing in a tie for seventh after a final-hole double-bogey, which ensured the team victory.

Morgan, who closed with a brilliant five-under 66, finished 27th and Jones 34th, back in the pack behind their two teammates.