Cameron Smith was already popular in his adopted US hometown of Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida before he won the Players Championship.
But he’s an even bigger star among locals now having won at TPC Sawgrass in their backyard two weeks ago.
Smith won the biggest event of his career, saving a bogey on the 72nd hole to win the Players by one shot for a $US3.6 million ($A5 million) payday. He was the fifth Australian to win the Players after Steve Elkington, Greg Norman, Adam Scott and Jason Day.
Angie’s Subs in nearby Jacksonville Beach changed their sign atop their restaurant to read, ‘Cam Smith 4 Pres’.
It was a hit with other local businesses, including wildly popular taco restaurant TacoLu, who posted it on Instagram with the caption: “YES!
While Smith won’t ever be eligible for US presidency, there’d be a fair few people in Australia who’d vote for him to be Prime Minister.
Smith is an omission from this week’s WGC-Match Play. The Queenslander chose to skip the event in favour of celebrating his Players Championship win with family visiting from Australia, before beginning his preparation for the Masters.
