[Photo: Getty images]
In search of his first worldwide win in almost two years, Australian crowd favourite Cameron Smith has thrown his hat into the ring via a final group showdown with 36-hole leader Bryson DeChambeau at LIV Golf Mexico City.
The two-time US Open champion DeChambeau lit up the Club de Golf Chapultepec in Mexico City with a 66 on day two while playing in a supergroup with Smith and two-time major winner Jon Rahm. It followed a blistering 63 from DeChambeau in round one. DeChambeau sat 13-under-par going and will head into the final round with a one-shot lead.
In the teams component, Ripper GC have yet another 36-hole lead after taking out LIV Golf Miami earlier this month. After two rounds in Mexico City, the Aussie boys sat at 24-under-par while DeChambeau’s Crushers GC were 22-under and Joaquin Niemann’s Torque GC and Rahm’s Legion XIII were 19-under.
A shot back of DeChambeau is Queenslander Smith, who matched DeChambeau’s 66 courtesy of a stunning approach shot from 210 metres out at the par-5 16th to close range that set up an eagle, which came after five birdies and two bogeys. “I feel like I’m hitting my irons and my wedges as good as I have for a long time” Smith said. “I’ve been giving myself lots of close kind of birdie opportunities.
“Yeah, it was a really cool vibe out here with the [Mexico City] fans. They are very excited to have us here. It’s cool to play in front of. I’m sure it’ll be much more of the same tomorrow. Yeah, hopefully Bryson and I and ‘Joaco’ can put on a good show.”
Smith and DeChambeau have never played in the final group on LIV Golf and 31-year-old Smith praised the American’s formidable driving. “Yeah, it’s nice playing with him,” Smith said. “At times I wish I could drive the ball like him. I often wonder about how much better of a golfer I would be if I could drive the ball like him. I think we play a very similar style of golf. We’re both pretty aggressive, particularly around here. I think there’s a lot of opportunities to lay back, and all of us were hitting driver today and trying to send it. It was cool to watch. He’s obviously a great player in his own right, and he’s going to be tough to beat tomorrow.”
Smith was coming off his first ever missed cut at the Masters two weeks ago and is determined to put his foot down with a victory at the high-altitude Club de Golf Chapultepec. He watched on earlier this month when fellow Australian and Ripper GC teammate, Marc Leishman, ground out a gutsy victory at the brutal Doral course at LIV Golf Miami.
Smith is a three-time winner on LIV Golf but has not lifted an individual trophy on the league, or anywhere in the world, since LIV Golf Bedminster in August of 2023. At the end of 2024, in the Aussie summer of golf, Smith contended late in the final moments of the Queensland PGA, NSW Open and Australian PGA but walked away empty handed.
“It’s disappointing not to win [for almost two years], particularly through a season,” he said when asked about his drought on LIV specifically. “I think it’s definitely on everyone’s radar. I wouldn’t say it’s a goal really, but it’s nice to do. But being in contention tomorrow and today was so much fun. It’s been a while for me to be at the top of the leaderboard, so I’m really enjoying it, having fun with Sammy [caddie Sam Pinfold] out there, and we’re trying to make light work of it, so hopefully we can do much more of that tomorrow.”
On Monday morning, the former British Open champion will tee off at 4.05am AEST in the final group with DeChambeau, who is fresh off his own final group showdown with Rory McIlroy at the Masters, where the Northern Irishman limped to victory and the career grand slam while DeChambeau finished T-5. The final round coverage will be on 7 Plus.
At Club de Golf Chapultepec, a former host of the PGA Tour and DP World Tour’s World Golf Championships event, DeChambeau will go toe to toe with Smith.
“I’m excited for tomorrow; it’ll be a good challenge with Cam and others out there (such as) Jon is a few back,” DeChambeau said.
