‘I feel like that’s one of my good traits’: Cam Smith chasing the NSW Open like it’s the British Open
Some athletes just love to compete. Anywhere, anytime, anyplace, for any trophy. The beauty of Cam Smith? He’s one of them, even out here in the sticks.
You reckon this part of Australia was created for the clinking of champagne glasses and hitting of golf balls. Vast expanses of untouched terrain on the banks of the Murray River, sprawling fairways, fresh air, humungous greens, dusty roads, sausage sangas and twittering birdsong. A bloke in a yellow bucket punches my arms and says, “Where would you rather be?”
Nowhere, mate. Eleven spectators are behind the seventh tee when Cam Smith grins and takes a swing in the sort of paisley shirt once favoured by Dave Faulkner at the helm of Hoodoo Gurus. The 2022 British Open champion is contesting the pro-am for the NSW Open. What’s a bloke like you doing at a tournament like this? Even the crows look appreciative. Smith is here for the good of the game, for the good of Australian golf, for the good of local businesses profiting from the influx of thousands of visitors, for the good of humankind, it seems, but to be honest, this doesn’t feel like much of a sacrifice. One member of his miniature gallery keeps saying things like, beautiful shot! Great drive, mate! That’s the way you do it!
Smith is hitting the ball like a dream, splitting fairways, tapping in a few putts, everyone adores him, schoolkids turn up to take photos, it’s all laid-back and deliciously easy, mate, easy. He appears to have not a single care in the world. The far-flung location is glorious - you could be walking through a Russell Drysdale painting and Smith’s only concerns appear to be where the pin will be on the seventh hole for Thursday’s first round and whether he can get a ham and cheese toasty from the café inside the Murray Downs Golf and Country Club.
We stroll with Smith. Bravo for his commitment. For being here in the first place and also for his dedication to performance. He won the British Open and elevated himself to the highest table in Australian sport in front of tens of thousands of fans at the home of golf at St Andrews in Scotland, and so he could be mucking around here, making a mickey-mouse cameo, doing his royal wave, kissing babies, but here he is out in the picture-perfect Drysdale, diligently rehearsing his swing and putting as though his life and the pro-am depend on it. The beauty of Smith, the great Smith, is that he’s all-in, all-the-time.
His NSW Open will be no hit-and-giggle. He’s in it to win it. “Absolutely,” he says. “The prep the last three days has been solid. I’ve spent a lot of time out on the course. Getting to know these kinds of Australian courses, particularly the country ones, they’re a little bit different. Seeing how the ball reacts and the different bounces and that sort of stuff takes some getting used to. I feel like I’ve got it pretty down pat now. I prepare for this tournament the same as I would for a major championship. I feel like that’s one of my good traits. I’m definitely here to try to win.”
They reckon accommodation is booked out from here to Echuca. Because of Smith. He tied for third in the similarly off-Broadway Queensland PGA Championship at Nudgee a couple of weeks ago. His pro-am crowd swelled by the time he finished on Wednesday. By then the barbecue near the putting green was up and running, the smell of sausage sangas extended to Swan Hill and Smith couldn’t walk a couple of steps without being asked, ‘selfie, mate?’ His answer was always the same. ‘No worries, mate.’
“I wasn’t really sure what to expect out here - but it’s far better than what I was expecting,” Smith said. “It’s awesome out here. Honestly. The town is great. We’ve had a great few nights. We’ve gone fishing. It’s been really relaxing and I love being out here. I’m loving it. Got here on Monday morning, I’ve played the course twice now, it’s great. We actually went out on the river yesterday afternoon and did a little bit of fishing. The wind was up today so the course was playing a little bit trickier but if there’s no wind I’d say it’s going to be a low-scoring week.”
A British Open champ like you in a place like this. Why? “Um, I dunno!” he says. “It’s been a while since I’ve played competitively. Obviously, I’m thinking about the Aussie Open and the Aussie PGA in the next couple of weeks. It’s also just about supporting a local tournament and kind of giving back. It’s been really nice to see the appreciation and the crowds and the kids and the members … it’s nice to be here. It’s be great to be in contention on Sunday. I wouldn’t say I’ve been unlucky this year but I’ve been in contention without quite being able to get it done. It’d be a nice to get a win. We’ll see what happens but absolutely I’m here to win.”
Champagne stuff. Another ball clinks off Smith’s club. I saw his practice round before this year’s US Masters at Augusta National. His demeanour and attention to detail were identical on Wednesday. Some athletes just love to compete. Anywhere, anytime, anyplace, for any trophy. Smith is one of them. It’s the beauty of the man.
Golf is a never-ending attempt to conquer the unconquerable. British Open champs wrestle with their swings to an intricate yet unmistakeable degree. “My game feels good but I’ve definitely worked a lot on my swing since I’ve been back in Australia,” he says. “I’ve been back for about a month now and it’s starting to feel really nice. I had a really good ball-striking week at Nudgee but I just couldn’t hold any putts. It’s nice to get down here and see the ball rolling and see the ball going in. I’m just looking forward to this week. I think you need to be a good wedger of the ball at this course. There’s a lot of birdie opportunities if you wedge it good and hit to the right spot. Hitting the fairways might be a little bit tricky but we’ll manage to get around.”
Where would you rather be? No place else. They reckon the river is teeming with fish. The Murray cod, callop, catfish, bream, perch and redfin. If those staples don’t take a shine to your hook there’s gudgeon, tupong, freshwater sunfish, pigmy perch, hairback herring, trout and carp. The biggest Murray cod are 1.8m and weigh 113kg – bigger than Smith! – but he’s departed his fishing venture with an empty bucket.
“Didn’t catch anything but it was a good time,” he says. “We spent a few hours out on the water. Always nice and very relaxing. We had a few bites ... but no good. No good under pressure.”
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