It’s official: Cameron Smith is a better golfer than he is a fisherman.
Prior to settling Harbour Town ablaze with a nine-under 62 on Thursday in the first round of the RBC Heritage, Smith revealed he traded in his clubs for a fishing pole during Wednesday’s practice round. Smith, who says he’s “addicted to fishing,” had very little luck in actually catching one. Here’s the video from the PGA Tour:
https://twitter.com/GolfDigest/status/1382719695594340352?s=20
Ahh, yes, the ol’ “no live bait” excuse. Seen it a thousand times.
Smith needed no excuses for his remarkable round on Thursday. There was no “just couldn’t make any putts,” or “didn’t get enough out of my round” canned tour pro responses. Nor should there have been following a 62 on the tricky Pete Dye design.
“Everything just came together,” Smith said. “It was a great day on the green. I was hitting my irons really good. I had lots of good looks, and I just took advantage of them.”
Smith nearly had a similar round at last week’s Masters, where he wound up finishing in the top 10 for a third time in his last four tries. On Friday, he was threatening the course record at Augusta National, having gone seven-under without a bogey through 13 holes. But a bogey at 14 and a disastrous double at the par-5 15th spoiled a special day. Still, the 27-year-old Aussie managed a 68, then shot a Sunday 70, two clear signs his game is clicking at the moment.
“I just feel really comfortable,” he said. “Mentally I feel very free out there. I feel like I can hit the shot that I need to hit and going ahead and trying to execute it. I just feel like every shot I’m hitting, I’m putting 100 percent into it, and on a day like today, it’s really rewarding.”
Almost as rewarding as waiting around all day and catching a big fish, which Smith would have tried to do on Wednesday until trouble showed up.
“We were actually out there for about 45 minutes and then security came out and escorted us off. I tried my best to stay out there. I’m addicted to fishing. But I just thought it was best to just leave.”
Like golf, fishing requires the right mindset, one we’re sure Smith knows about all too well. For now, we’re still comfortable saying he’s much better at his day job.
