Cameron Smith
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| (Image credit: Twitter: @livgolf_league) |
As he memorably demonstrated during his Major victory at the 150th Open, Cameron Smith has long been recognized for being a great putter with the short stick. But it seems that the Australian is also gaining a reputation for taking exceptional images from the cart route.
Smith chose to play off a cart road in the most recent LIV Golf competition after missing the fairway on the left off the tee at the par-5 15th, not for the first time in his professional career. Furthermore, his amazing three wood off the asphalt failed to ignite even once as Smith made clean contact with the ball on his way to a birdie and a five-under 66.
Smith, the captain of Ripper GC, said after taking the lead on day one: "I didn't really have any alternative. Out here, the terrain is fairly tough. I believe that the cart route is preferable to the rough. I try not to do it too often, but I was able to make a decent shot that maybe didn't go as far as I had anticipated.
Smith, who finished first in London, made one of six birdies on the 15th hole as he shoots for his second league victory of the year. Following a discouraging 35th-place finish in Greenbrier, his poorest finish of the LIV season, his first round represented a return to form.
With three events remaining, Smith is still in second place in the individual rankings as he attempts to pass the leader Talor Gooch, who is 15 points ahead of him. And Smith acknowledges that he has his sights set on first place, along with the $18 million in prize money, with Gooch tied for 15th after the first round in Bedminster after shooting an even-par 71.
Smith responded when asked about the competition for the top spot in the individual standings: "I don't go to bed thinking about it, but I know. That was a contributing factor to the increased work this week. After the season, you want to be the best. You aspire to be that. You certainly want to win events, but I believe that demonstrating it across 13 tournaments is much superior to one.
Smith previously spun in a tight approach shot at the inaugural LIV Golf tournament of 2023 at Mayakoba from off the pavement, so this isn't his first impressive shot from a cart path.
Bryson DeChambeau, who won the last LIV Golf tournament last week with a record-breaking 12-under 58, battled through his opening 18 holes. DeChambeau had a round of five bogeys and three birdies for a 2-over par 73.