‘In my mind’: Cam Smith confused by poor form after missing out on promotion again
Cameron Smith was once close to the top of the professional golf world, but the 2022 Open champion has felt nothing but pain and frustration on the course lately.
The former world No. 2 competes in the BMW PGA Championship of Australia this week, a home event looking to end a streak of missed cuts that includes all four majors this season. Smith missed the cut at last week’s Saudi International and would have missed the cut at Dunhill Links if it wasn’t cut short by weather.
The 32-year-old opened with a 2-under 69 and was expected to make the cut at Royal Queensland, but things were ruined in Friday’s second round.
Smith birdied No. 2 to get to 3 under, but then lost balls at 4, 11, 13 and 14, sending his score below par. With four holes remaining, the Ripper GC mainstay needed a strong charge to get into the weekend, but he returned to the weekend with a one-over score over the final four holes.
After the second round, Smith described his shock at not being able to advance again.
“Yeah, it’s terrible,” Smith said, via Evan Priest of Australian Golf Digest. “If you told me this was going to happen this morning, when I was warming up, I would have told you otherwise. I don’t know, I just don’t know. I’m confused. I feel good, very confident, but can’t do anything. It’s weird. I was bouncing between the two clubs a lot today. Hit some bad shots that I’d like to see again. Hit the tee shot well…hit a lot of good shots. The tough lie killed me today…and then couldn’t get up and down.”
Cam Smith is known for his laid-back personality, but it’s clear that the golf routine he finds himself in has taken its toll.
“It definitely gets in your head, and I think it got in my head; it’s really frustrating,” Smith said. “That’s been my story this year, it feels like I’ve been working so hard all year and getting nothing. I know what the answer is and just keep working hard and being patient. I try to do all the right things but for whatever reason it just doesn’t click on the field.”
Smith will continue his search for an opportunity to rediscover his game at next week’s Australian Open at the Royal Melbourne Stadium. Fellow Australian Adam Scott believes the search could be over soon. In golf, one swing can spark a run.
“When you’re as good as he is, which he certainly can be, and all it takes is one swing, one chip, one putt here or there, the momentum changes and the confidence can grow quickly in a hole or two, you know?” Smith said via Priest. “It’s just putting four good swings and two putts together in a row, and it’s really hard to do that sometimes, but that’s the way things turn out and I have no doubt he can do it.”
