THE superlatives were flowing as smoothly as Cameron Smith’s putting stroke as the 28 year old Queenslander’s “other worldly” short game and “unflappable” performance saw him pocket a record US$3.6 million for winning the 40th edition of The Players Championship.
Smith was the toast of Australian golf after his incredible final round at a TPC Sawgrass in Florida beset all week by delays caused by the wild, wet and windy weather.
“I feel like I haven’t slept for five or six days,” a triumphant but weary Smith said after starting the delayed final day (Tuesday morning Australian time) at 8am to complete his third round.
Smith began his final round a few strokes off the pace behind third round leader India’s Anirban Lahiri but his amazing final effort began with four birdies on each nine, totalling 10 birdies in all, just four pars, and 13 one putts.
And while it was his putting and superb wedge play that defined his 6-under 66 round, it was his heart stopping 9 iron on the famous 17th island green that captured most attention. With a record number of balls going in the water during the week and Smith holding a 2 stroke lead at that stage, Aussie golf fans were just hoping for something middle of the green. Instead, Smith went aggressive with a high shot that looked in the air like it would be wet right of the right-placed pin, but ended up just 4 foot 4 inches from the hole – the only player to land on the short side all day and the second closet to the pin. (He later admitted he pushed the ball about 10 feet further right than he had intended)
The resulting birdie saw Smith take a 3 stroke lead to the final hole where he exasperatingly put his second shot in the water (Just like his idol Adam Scott did in 2004 in winning the event). After his penalty drop Smith hit a great wedge a foot from the hole for an ultimate bogey and a 13-under finish. Coming behind him in the final group Lahairi needed to hole a greenside chip for a birdie that would have forced a playoff but came up just short.
Smith became the fifth Aussie to win the US PGA Tour’s flagship event, joining Scott, Greg Norman, Steve Elkington (twice) and Jason Day. It was also his fifth win on the US Tour. In January he broke the tour scoring record when he won in Hawaii with a 34-under par total.
Smith is renowned for his humble demeanour and laid-back “everyman of golf” ways but is becoming equally renowned for his fierce competitiveness when it comes to the big moments. He said he got his “never give up attitude” by watching the Queensland Maroons play State of Origin Rugby League with their never say die approach.
But the Queenslander, who now lives 10 minutes away from the Sawgrass course, wasn’t so sure-footed when asked what he was planning to do with the $US3.6 million ($5,009,076 AUD) prizemoney.
“I dunno,” he said.
Smith, who jumped from world #10 to #6, was also awarded 600 FedEx Cup points and is now second in the season-long points tally and has a 5 year exemption on tour. He said his next goal was to get to world #1, and also, maybe, a Green Jacket at an Augusta National course where he also feels “very comfortable”.
One of the US commentators capped off Smith’s great week by suggesting that next year The Players trophy would probably be sporting a ‘mullet’ hairdo.