Cameron Smith wants two things to happen in the not-too-distant future: win another major championship to go with his 150th Open Championship triumph; and for a LIV Golf event to come to his home state of Queensland.
The world No.3 and winner of the 150th Open at St Andrews in July, Smith has returned to Australia for the first time in three years to contest this week’s Australian PGA Championship, which he’s won twice in his career, and next week’s Australian Open in Melbourne.
The 29-year-old has had a whirlwind year; winning three PGA Tour events including the Open, the Players Championship and the Tournament of Champions before leaving the US circuit for LIV Golf and winning its lucrative Chicago tournament in September.
After a few weeks’ rest from competitive golf and now back in his native Brisbane, Smith is casting an eye to the future. Now that he’s tasted majors success, he wants more. Before lifting the Claret Jug at St Andrews, Smith had several close calls at the majors including a tie for second at the 2020 Masters and a tie for third at this year’s Augusta major.
“I think coming close in a few Majors made me really hungry,” Smith said at the picturesque Royal Queensland Golf Club, host of the 2022 Australian PGA Championship. “I felt like I should have had one before this (2022 Open Championship), but I’m happy this was the first one. It’s something that I’ll never forget. I think I can do it (win another). Obviously there’s times when you do come close in those things that you do start to doubt yourself a little bit, so to knock one off definitely boosts the confidence a little bit and I can’t wait for Major season to start back up again.
“It still hasn’t (sunk in); I still can’t believe (the claret jug) is here. I still can’t believe I won it. The whole tournament seems like a bit of a (blur). I can’t really remember much from the week. I’ve seen a few replays and stuff on TV, but it was such a cool week. The town (of St Andrews in Scotland) is so cool; it really is the home of golf. It’s got a different buzz about it.”
That’s music to the ears of Smith fans wondering if he can carry on his sensation 2022 form into next year. Smith has five years’ worth of exemptions into the majors courtesy of winning the Open, despite questions about whether LIV golfers will be banned or restricted from the majors going forward.
Smith will also be back in Australia as soon as April 2023 to contest LIV Golf’s 2023 event at The Grange in Adelaide. Smith will headline a start-studded field including Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka and others among its 48-player roster. The South Australian government’s financial support was crucial to the state luring LIV away from initial interest in several Sydney and south-east Queensland venues.
Eventually, Smith wants his new league to travel to his home state.
“If I had my way I’d love an event here in Queensland,” Smith said. Advertisement “If it’s anywhere in Australia at the moment it’s going to be well received … the welcoming of LIV Golf in Australia has been really positive. “I can’t wait for Adelaide, but hopefully in the future we can get one in Queensland somewhere.”
But in the immediate future, Smith will start what promises to be a sensation summer on the Australasian Tour by trying to win a third Australian PGA Championship, to go with his 2017 and 2018 triumphs. A third Australian PGA would put him in an illustrious and small group of players to have won at least three PGAs including Peter Lonard, Kel Nagle and Bill Dunk. Like Smith, legendary Australian golfer Nagle also won the Open Championship (1960) at St Andrews.
Smith will face stiff competition this week from a host of top players in the field at the Mike Clayton-redesigned Royal Queensland, including defending champion Jed Morgan, as well as two-time Australian PGA winner Adam Scott, DP World Tour star, New Zealand’s Ryan Fox, Min Woo Lee, Lucas Herbert and others.
“Jeddo (Morgan) has had a pretty good record around here; he’s won the Australian Amateur and the PGA 9at Royal Queensland),” said Smith, who has also been a member at RQ since his teens. “He’ll be someone to look out for, for sure. I think he plays out here a fair bit when he’s at home, so he knows the course really well. The course is looking really good. This is as good as I’ve seen it.”
