‘Almost missed it’: Cam Smith makes an ‘awful’ start to Open but recovers as Royal Portrush weather turns crazy

Portrush, Northern Ireland: Cam Smith made an “awful” start with his first shot of the British Open, but later salvaged his round on a difficult day for Australia’s nine British Open contenders in difficult conditions at Royal Portrush.

While 31 rivals broke par, Smith, the 2022 Open winner, and 2013 US Masters champion Adam Scott topped the Aussie leaderboard, both carding one-over rounds of 72 as rain and damaging winds crunched the coastline.

Cameron Smith says he “hit a few bad shots and got myself into a bit of trouble when I really shouldn’t have.”Credit: Getty Images

Smith’s opening tee shot on the 389-metre par four was an underwhelming 140m mis-hit into the rough.

“He’d definitely want that one back, that was awful,” the Fox Sports commentator observed.

Later, after recovering his round with two birdies on the back nine, Smith sighed at the shocker.

“I think I tried to hit that one underground – and almost missed it,” he said. “Not the greatest start to a major championship I’ve ever had.”

The other Australian to shoot under the card on the back nine was former world No.1 Jason Day. He and six-time PGA Tour winner Marc Leishman both carded two over, while Lucas Herbert will be kicking himself after finishing with back-to-back bogies to card a three-over round of 74.

But they’ve all got work to do to stay in reach of tournament leaders Matt Fitzpatrick, Harris English, Jacob Skov Olesen, Christiaan Bezuidenhout and Li Haotong, who all shot a four-under 67.

Day, who teed off early in the morning and avoided the worst of the weather, admitted it was some of the most challenging conditions he’s ever seen.

“The weather here … it’s the craziest weather pattern I’ve ever experienced in my life,” Day said after walking off the 18th hole as the heavens opened.

“Craziest weather pattern I’ve ever experienced”: Jason Day reacts on the 18th green.Credit: Getty Images

“There’s no consistency to it whatsoever. I mean, I’d love to be a weatherman here. You just get it wrong all the time.

“Definitely not (the weatherman doesn’t get it right). And I can say that with true honesty because I’ve been watching the weather pattern over the last two weeks … other than last weekend; he got it right. But this whole week has just been awful for trying to get it right.

“It’s not good to be wrong in golf, it might be good to be wrong as a weatherman.”

Day was also highly critical of himself, reflecting on his errors as the root cause of his poor round. He said he would speak to his performance coach on Thursday night to try to rectify the situation before he tees off for his second round.

Adam Scott plays a shot on the 12th hole.Credit: Getty Images

“My process out there was actually quite horrific … I’ve been a professional too long to get this wrong. To work hard coming into this week and then to go out there and have poor process is not acceptable, especially in my eyes. I have no one else other than myself to blame.”

It was also a tough day for Smith. He bogeyed the first hole after finding the long grass off the tee and made a rare double bogey on the ninth to be four over at the turn.

It’s at that point the Queenslander said he gave himself a stern talking to. He didn’t want to repeat what he said because he didn’t want to use expletives.

“I can’t say it,” he laughed. “I’ve just been doing a really good job of committing to swings and committing to shots. I think being a little bit uncomfortable out there, it just kind of slipped my mind a few times and hit a few bad shots and got myself into a bit of trouble when I really shouldn’t have.

Marc Leishman tees off on the first hole.Credit: Getty Images

“I’ve been swinging the club really nicely. Like I said, I just need to go out there and commit to some swings. I was able to do that on the back nine and give myself a lot of looks.”

Smith said whoever is able to grind away through the conditions and hold on for long enough will put himself in contention late on Sunday.

“I think that’s every major. You see the guys that are playing well, and generally the guys at the top of the leaderboard at the end of the week are the guys that are grinding it out and really putting 100 per cent into every shot,” he said.

“For sure that’s how it’s going to be. Looks like we’re going to get a bit of Open weather here the next few days. Yeah, kind of strap in.”

Meantime, Leishman was critical of the slow pace of play on the course. Several groups were taking well over five hours to complete their rounds, which is extraordinary given they are playing in groups of three and not four.

“I think I got up about eight [holes], watched an hour. Felt like we were on the golf course for about 12 hours. We’ve been on the course for three hours through eight holes. That was tough to deal with, especially coming from somewhere where we play in under four-and-a-half every week,” Leishman said.

“You got to deal with all that sort of stuff, and I felt like I dealt with it decently well. Just got a little frustrated there. I thought I was playing really good and not getting anything out of it, but the conditions were tough.”

Sam McClure travelled to the British Open with the assistance of Golf Australia.

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