Cameron Smith’s proud father sinks one for his star son

From the moment he could walk, Cameron Smith was on the green with a club in his hands.

Des Smith celebrates his son’s victory with mates at the Wantima Golf Club at Brendale, north of Brisbane. Picture: Liam Kidston

From the moment he could walk, Cameron Smith was on the green with a club in his hands.

Now, the golfing champion has become the first Australian since 1993 to take home the British Open, ending the country’s ­almost three-decade drought.

But while the nation celebrates, no one is feeling the win quite like Smith’s father Des.

Des took Monday off work and headed straight to the club where his star son cut his teeth, Wantima Country Club.

The unassuming club just north of Brisbane was buzzing as old and new friends swarmed the proud father, each of them buying him drinks and pulling up a chair as people who walked in gave him a congratulatory pat on the back.

And with a rerun of the championship on the bar’s projector, and past accolades from previous years displayed in a locked glass cabinet, it’s no secret that Cameron is Wantima’s wunderkind. “Everyone always knew who he was,” Mr Smith said.

“They just knew him because he was around here so much and he played all these amateur golf tournaments and was always in the state teams.”

A keen golfer and member of the club since 1992, Des introduced Cameron to the sport as soon as he started walking.

“We’ve just done golf for his whole life,” Mr Smith said.

“He’s a very curious kid. I was always playing golf so he just did what most kids do and follow their dads.”

Reflecting on the victory, Mr Smith shared his favourite golfing memory of his son just before he turned professional playing in the Professional Golfers’ Association.

“I think one really good memory was probably when he won the Australian Amateur, that was a pretty good moment,” Mr Smith said.

The Australian Amateur 2013 saw Smith defeat Geoff Drakeford from Victoria against all odds as the now British Open-winner trailed five-down to his competitor at various stages of the game.

But now almost 10 years later, Cameron has achieved his first major win.

In a press conference after the tournament, Cameron said he wished his father were there and that he had be “definitely kicking himself now”.

The PGA win comes as ­rumours circulate that he may switch to the Saudi-backed rival tour LIV Golf.

When asked by a journalist if he would defect, Smith failed to provide any confirmation and ­expressed displeasure at the question.

“I just won the British Open and you’re asking about that. I think that’s … pretty … not that good.” he answered.

When asked about the potential PGA to LIV switch by The Australian, Des Smith said: “I don’t think he’s even thought about it yet.”