[Photo: Getty images]
Cameron Smith has blasted a “soft and slow” course setup across Kingston Heath and Victoria golf clubs as “disappointing,” and added that the idea heavy rain was responsible was “bulls–t.”
The 2022 British Open winner has played several practice rounds at the iconic Melbourne Sandbelt gems this week in preparation for his shot at a maiden Australian Open title. On Wednesday, he played the pro-am with former Prime Minister Scott Morrison.
Smith, who used his imagination and creativity to win his first career major at the Old Course at St Andrews two years ago, and who won the 2013 Australian Amateur at Commonwealth Golf Club, is an avid fan of golf played on firm, fast turf where shots often have to be struck low and running and with shape to get close to pins.
The Queenslander had marked in his calendar the dates of the 2024 Australian Open and had been monitoring the weather. The 31-year-old was licking his lips while checking the weather in Melbourne last week while he was at the Australian PGA in Brisbane. Temperatures reached 36C in Melbourne on Saturday.
“It seems there’s been lot of water and it’s not exactly what I was expecting,” Smith said in his pre-tournament press conference. “The course(s) are in great condition but playing so much different to how they’re designed and how they’re meant to be played, which is pretty disappointing. I had been keeping eye on the weather here and I was really excited to play a firm and fast Sandbelt.
“It’s something that my (Ripper GC) teammates and I spoke about. We love coming down here and playing these events because the golf courses (are firm and fast) and it’s just not going to play like that. It’s going to play more like an American golf course, kind of target golf.”
What is Sandbelt golf supposed to play like?
“I played down here at Kingston Heath in (the 2013) Aussie Masters, and I’ve told this story a lot actually, where I was allowing 25-30 metres of run out with a pitching wedge which is a lot,” Smith said. “Usually around the world you’re trying to take spin off, make sure it doesn’t spin back too much. I think when you get a place like this, where it’s meant to play like that, you have to create spin and create shots to get close to pins which is what everyone really loves.”
Significant rain had lashed Melbourne on Sunday and again on Wednesday morning, forcing the pro-am to be delayed 90 minutes and for play to be suspended in the afternoon due to dangerous weather.
But three-time LIV Golf winner Smith said that was not enough.
“The weather down here the last couple of weeks has been pretty good, I know they got some rain over the weekend and again this morning, but I’ve played down here in rain before and it’s still been like that the next day,” he said. “So, I think that’s a bulls*** excuse, to be honest. I think it’s been prepared like this for a reason and it’s not how these golf courses are meant to be played.”
Still, the runner up to Jordan Spieth at the 2016 Australian Open said he would welcome the event being staged in Melbourne permanently.
“This is really the home of Australian golf,” Smith said. “These are our best golf courses for sure and it’d be really cool to have a rota of five or six (different Melbourne courses).
“This is an amazing golf course, but there’s another handful that are also worthy of holding an Australian Open and being really tough tests.”
Smith has played a whirlwind tour of Australia this summer. He was T-3 at the Queensland PGA before a T-2 at the NSW Open. At last week’s Australian PGA, he shared the lead going into the final round and finished solo second by two shots to Elvis Smylie.
“The last three weeks have been really solid. I just haven’t been able to quite get over the line,” Smith said.
“But if I was going to pick one, this would be the one anyway, so hopefully it all comes together.”
Smith will play the opening two rounds in Melbourne with Smylie and Victor Perez. He starts at Victoria Golf Club.
