Cameron Smith won’t dwell on the two blemishes from one of the strangest rounds of his career.
The world No.6 started – and finished – the opening round of the Masters with double-bogeys. He bagged eight birdies in the 16 holes between.
But before the laidback 28-year-old left the golf course, he would have already forgotten the events of a four-under-par 68 that earned Smith the clubhouse lead on day one at Augusta National.
“I’ve moved on already; the less you guys bring it up, the quicker I’ll forget about it,” Smith said before bursting into laughter in his press conference.
At the end of play, Korea’s Sungjae Im took the first-round lead from Smith with a 67. World No.1 Scottie Scheffler, former Masters winners Danny Willett and Dustin Johnson, as well as Joaquin Niemann (69) were all three under.
Smith’s round was a rollercoaster. He found the fairway bunker right of the par-4 first fairway and made 6. “I tried to stay patient walking off the first green,” Smith said. “I love this place. I know it presents plenty of birdies. I just really had to get in a groove.”
Then the newly-minted Players Championship winner then failed to birdie the par-5 second. Things were steady until he produced a stunning chip-in from off the green for birdie at the par-4 fifth, one of the toughest holes at Augusta National. “I had a really nice lie, so it was definitely one that I was trying to hole,” short-game wizard Smith said. “It wasn’t really that difficult of a shot I don’t think.”
Smith then birdied holes 6, 8, 9, 12, 14, 15, 16 but a double-bogey 6 at the 18th brought him back to four under. Smith’s 68 was his second-best start to the Masters in his career at Augusta. It was one shot worse than the 67 he opened the 2020 Masters with, when he eventually tied for second behind Dustin Johnson.
“No.1 and No.18 were obviously really frustrating,” he said. “I think it’ll motivate me for the next few days. I feel like I played some really solid golf today, and to be four under is a little bit disappointing. But given the fast condition of the golf course and the wind, if you had have given me four under at the start of the day, I would have taken it.”
Smith played in front of Tiger Woods’ group as the 15-time Major winner signalled an impressive return from his 2021 car accident with a 71 to sit at one under. Smith found himself watching Woods at certain moments. “I almost felt like a patron out there; you can’t not watch him. He’s unreal.”
Smith has a 1.30pm tee time for the second round on Friday (3.30am Saturday AEST) alongside playing partner Bryson DeChambeau. The pair lost Paul Casey (WD) from their group due to injury.
Smith had 20 hours from the time he finished until his second round. The five-time PGA Tour winner said he would spend that time resting with family visiting from Australia – and by taking a night off cooking.
“I think I’ll go back to the house, get on the bike, probably do half an hour there and then probably (wait for) some dinner, I think,” he said.
“I cooked up some spaghetti bolognese last night, which was pretty handy, one of my favourites. I don’t know what we’re in store for tonight.”
Meanwhile, Min Woo Lee and Marc Leishman were the next best of the Australians at one over (73). 2013 Masters champion Adam Scott and Lucas Herbert were two over (74). Cam Davis (75) rounded out the Australian contingent.
