Together with his extraordinary success within the sport, it’s greater than just a little apparent Cam Smith is sitting in a fairly good place. Even earlier than he confirmed the sport’s worst saved secret by signing an enormous contract with LIV, his future and that of the following 4 generations of ‘little Cams’, was assured.
Regardless of all his achievements, fame and recognition, there stays a younger bloke with a persona completely eliminated of movie star or ego. I’ve listened to Cam reply questions from the media for years now and never as soon as has he strayed from that standard younger Aussie you would possibly end up paired with in a Wednesday four-ball anyplace in Australia.
Whereas overlaying the Aussie PGA Championship at Royal Queensland, I discovered one other layer of this ripper of a younger man’s character I hadn’t seen earlier than.
After his first spherical of 2-over 73, his publish spherical interview outdoors the scorer’s van was traditional Cam Smith.
“I used to be simply standing over the ball and I didn’t know the place it was going to go…. It was crap,” Smith stated.
As you’d count on, all of us simply laughed it off absolutely anticipating one thing within the mid 60’s on Friday, placing his identify again within the combine.
Sadly 24 hours later there was completely nothing to snigger about with Cams second spherical 77 leaving him in a tie for 146th place and leaving the followers, and the media, greater than just a little shocked.
I used to be absolutely anticipating a annoyed Cam Smith to go away the scorer’s van and head straight to the locker room, the place it’s at all times simple to seek out one thing to kick and with nobody to see it occur. It wasn’t like he’d simply blown the lead at a significant or missed the finals of the Fed Ex Cup by a shot. Proper?
No, to his credit score he stepped out of the van, got here straight over for his ultimate interview from an extended record he’d already given this week. I used to be standing to his rapid proper and will see his face up shut and private.
Nevertheless it wasn’t frustration or anger behind this thick black designer sunnies, it was tears.
We’re speaking about one of many grittiest high-profile gamers within the sport who can take down the world’s greatest within the greatest arenas, however on at the present time, one thing was way more vital to him than including to his personal record of accomplishments.
When requested; “Did you’re feeling you place a number of strain on your self this week?” He gathered himself for a number of seconds and replied.
“I’ve carried out below strain earlier than however… that’s simply unacceptable….positively been getting just a little drained in direction of the tip of the yr however that’s golf, that’s not likely an excuse. Australia’s been so good to me…. even once I’ve been drained… there’s no cause to essentially carry out that approach.”
At that time, the mediator rightly moved in and ended the ache for Cam as he turned and went again into the scorer’s tent to gather himself.
He knew he was the face of the match and made it very clear he felt he had let the match and his nation down with two rounds of golf he described, as a lot as his feelings might enable, as unacceptable.
5 minutes later, nonetheless with thick sun shades on, he left the van once more and started signing youngsters caps, moved to a crew of followers all sporting matching Cam Smith t-shirts wanting selfies, extra signatures, and at last into the arms of his girlfriend the place what was left, spilled out.
It wasn’t simple to look at this spectacular younger man making an attempt to cling onto his pleasure and keep away from embarrassment, however I couldn’t assist however really feel moved and impressed by his devotion. That day a younger Aussie bloke, lower than half my age had turn out to be one in all my sporting hero’s.
As anticipated, there he was once more the following day, with out his golf equipment however doing his greatest to apologise to his Australian followers by signing autographs, providing selfies, smiling and simply being Cam Smith.
As I’m scripting this, from the media centre on the Australian Open in Sydney precisely every week later, I’ve simply checked the leaderboard. Not the highest however the lower line, and there’s Cam battling tooth and nail with a sport clearly not at its greatest, to at the very least make it to the weekend and provides one thing again to his beloved nation.
I started scripting this column at 2pm on Friday and now realise I can’t end it till Cam’s 36-hole rating has been posted.
4.35 pm – Certain sufficient, this gutsy younger Aussie “dug deep” and shot a 3 below par 68 on a windy, robust afternoon at The Australian to maintain his Open alive and his large Australian fan membership joyful.
Cam Smith is the quintessential, honest dinkum, ‘doesn’t take himself too severely’, Aussie however in the case of his self-imposed accountability for giving again to his dwelling nation, out comes an additional layer and he takes that very severely.
Editor observe: Smith confirmed glimpses of what we all know he’s able to with rounds of 68-69 on the weekend on the ISPS Handa Australian Open, for a 7-under par whole, in ending in a tie for seventeenth, offering loads of leisure for the large galleries in attendance.
