Cameron Smith determined to get one back on Spieth

Jordan Spieth and Cameron Smith have played just one hole together in their lives and that didn’t turn out well for Smith.

Australia’s Cameron Smith of Australia during the Pro-Am at The Australian Golf Club

Reigning Australian Open champion Jordan Spieth and last year’s runner-up, Cameron Smith, have played just one hole together in their lives, and that didn’t turn out well for Smith in the playoff on the 18th at Royal Sydney Golf Club last November.

But they have been drawn ­together for the first two rounds of this year’s tournament and will tee off today at 12.10pm at The Australian Golf Club. And 24-year-old Smith, the only Australian in the field to have won a US PGA Tour title this year, sees it as an opportunity to make amends.

“I’ve played one hole with Jordan and he beat me,’’ Smith said yesterday. “I’ve never played any other time with him, so I’m looking forward to it. Hopefully I can get him back over the next couple of days.

“Typically, I haven’t really played that great around this course but now I’m feeling a bit better about my game this year. I’ve always loved Australian golf, the Australian Open has always been one I want to step up and win, so just to be here and to get myself in contention on the weekend would be awesome.’’

Having his national title snatched from his grasp by the Texan last year was a formative experience for Smith, who used it as a launching pad to his best year on the US Tour, culminating in his first US win at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans in May.

“I had a bit of a heavy heart there last year for a few weeks after the (Australian Open),’’ the baby-faced Queenslander conceded. “It was obviously the best opportunity I’ve had to win the tournament, so to get into the playoff and be so close, not a good feeling.’’

He confessed his breakthrough win in New Orleans put him into a temporary tailspin as he tried to win every week rather than just play good golf. But a dressing down from his US agent, Bud Martin, gave him the “mental adjustment’’ he needed in August.

“(It was) just a bit of a boot up the bum, really, just a bit of a general boot up the bum, just a bit of a talking to, I guess. I don’t even know how to describe it. He just gave me a bit of a rev up and from there on out I’ve played good. I found it hard to agree with (him) but he was right.’’

Since then Smith has finished in the top five at his past two tournaments, most recently finishing third at the CJ Cup in South Korea a month ago, where his control over his ball flight in the wind was the feature of his play.

He believes his best chance of winning this week will come if the southerly gets up in Sydney, ­although light winds are forecast throughout the tournament.

“It’s always windy around here, you’ve got to control your ball,’’ he said. “It’s something that I’d like to think that I’m pretty good at, so if the wind gets up and the weather starts to turn a bit sour, yeah, I think I’ll be up there.’’

If not, both Spieth and Jason Day have predicted a score of as much as 20 under par might be ­required to win in the soft conditions on display during yesterday’s pro-am.