BAY HILL, Florida – Cameron Smith says he has earned a couple of beers after overcoming a rinsed tee shot to post his best ever opening round at the Players Championship.
Smith climbed into contention with a three-under-par 69 during a weather-interrupted first day at TPC Sawgrass, during which only 69 of the the 144 players finished their rounds. There were 17 who did not even tee off.
It was Smith’s best opening score by two shots at TPC Sawgrass and his first time starting the Players with a round in the 60s.
World No.10 Smith managed to get in the clubhouse only three shots behind co-leaders Tommy Fleetwood and Tom Hoge (both 66), with a group of four players who finished at five under including Joaquin Niemann (67).
It was a hard fought 69 for Smith given he pulled a 3-wood left into the water for his tee shot on the 18th (Smith’s ninth hole) only moments before the siren sounded.
“I tried to hit the right shot but I got it a bit toey,” Smith told Australian Golf Digest with a laugh after the round. “Being my first nine holes of the day, I couldn’t let it get to me. I had to knuckle down especially when conditions are as soft as they were today.”
Storms forced play to be suspended for 4 hours and 14 minutes. Smith spent that time having lunch with mother and sister, who are over from Australia, and his girlfriend.
The 28-year-old returned to No.18 after the delay and made a gutsy, 12-foot putt for bogey before two birdies on the front nine (his back nine) ensured a solid start to golf’s unofficial fifth Major.
“I’m really happy with how I played the back nine; my driver wasn’t behaving but I focussed and made a couple of birdie to be in a nice spot on the leaderboard,” he said.
With thunderstorms forecast again for Friday, and with 75 players yet to finish their first rounds, Smith feels he is unlikely to even start his second round on Friday.
Smith knows there will be more delays throughout the tournament and a chance of a Monday finish.
Instead, Smith will relax on Friday with family and friends at his Ponte Vedra home, five minutes from TPC Sawgrass.
“I’ll probably have a couple of cold beers on Friday; I think we are probably going to have the day off because weather looks pretty crappy,” he said. “I might get out for a practice session when we can, but hanging out at home and taking it easy will be key.”
Smith wasn’t the Australian who hit the water on 18 on Thursday. Countryman Adam Scott, the 2004 Players winner, hit two balls in the water during a quadruple-bogey 8. He shot 78 (eight over).
Jason Day, the next best of the Australian after Smith, was two under in the four holes he managed on Thursday before darkness suspended play. Cam Davis was one under through three holes.
Marc Leishman only managed one hole – he made par – and he’s even with the card alongside Lucas Herbert (two holes). Matt Jones shot 79.
