Cameron Smith fell short of winning the PGA Championship, but it was certainly a better week than we’ve become accustomed to of late from the Aussie.
The 2022 Open Championship winner was in the mix on the final day, and finished his week at Aronimink with a 68 on Sunday to finish four-under for the tournament.
Advertisement
Entering this year’s PGA Championship, Smith had missed six cuts in a row at major championships, so it was a welcome surprise to see him contend for a win at Aronimink.
After his final round, he said what it was like to finally be back fighting for wins on the big stage.
Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images
Cam Smith reacts to contending at the PGA Championship
Smith changed his coach for the first time since he was a young boy heading into the PGA Championship. He acquired the services of Claude Harmon III, son of the legendary Butch Harmon, and his fortunes at majors immediately changed.
Speaking after Sunday’s play, Smith said what it was like to be back in the mix: “It was really solid. I mean, I got off to the start that I wanted to get off to. Hit a few kind of, I guess, wayward drives there on the back nine, but still had a few looks at birdie and just wasn’t able to capitalize on the back nine.
Advertisement
“Yeah, a little bit frustrating with the putter today, but that’s golf.” Smith is known as one of the game’s best putters, even through this dip in form, but on Sunday he just couldn’t get them to drop.
But overall, he’s happy about his play: “It feels great to play nice. You don’t work hard to play crap, and it’s frustrating, and the last couple of years have been frustrating. I feel like I’ve been putting in the work and not really getting anything out of it.
“I made a swing coach switch a couple weeks ago now to Claude, and we’ve just managed to clean up a few things that were perhaps a little bit off, and I feel like I’ve got a lot more confidence in my swing.
“Even out there today, under the pressure I felt like I was able to trust it already. So lots of positive signs.”
Advertisement
He continued, “I feel like I’ve thrived in major championships my whole career. I feel like I’ve been able to play my best golf in major championships, and that kind of fell off. And like I mentioned before, I don’t think it was from a lack of hard work. I just think you lose a little bit of confidence in your swing and maybe in your brain, and it can all happen so quickly.
“That’s why I needed a fresh voice in the head and kind of almost a restart and like I said, it’s felt good so far.”
Hopefully, this is a sign of things to come for Smith with Harmon in his corner.
Read the full article here
