TPC Boston, MA ….
There’s a calmness in Cameron Smith as he heads into the remaining three events of the PGA Tour’s lucrative FedEx Cup Play-Offs.
This is after the quietly-spoken Australian last week made one of the biggest noises of his career in securing third place in the Northern Trust in New Jersey.
It was the 25-year old’s equal-highest result in 93 PGA Tour events since making his Tour debut with a share of fifth in the 2014/15 season CIMB Classic in Malaysia.
Seven months later in June 2015, Smith burst onto the world stage finishing fourth behind Jordan Spieth in the U.S. Open and it wasn’t till April last year he tasted success when he teamed with Sweden’s Jonas Blixt to win the Zurich Classic of New Orleans.
Aussie Cameron Smith assured of playing all four Majors in 2019 (Photo @tourmiss)
Unfortunately for the duo, the win did earn them a 2018 Masters invitation while there was no World Rankings points nor did Smith earn points towards selection in the Presidents Cup later that year.
It also saw Smith ended 2017 ranked No. 61 in the world and thus missing out on an automatic invitation into the 2018 Masters in being inside the leading 50.
Smith teed-up at the start of the year determined to make ammends and muscle his way into the top-50 by the second last week prior to the Masters – the WGC – Dell Match-Play.
The Australian kept his promise finishing T5th in the Match-Play in Austin, Texas that saw him move from 50th, and right on the bubble, to a comfortable 44th in the world and the Augusta invitation he so desired.
The 2018 formal Augusta National invitation is now framed alongside Smith’s first invitation to the Masters in 2016.
Smith’ third place last Sunday has lifted the freckle-faced Aussie to World No. 39 and an equal career-high after moving to 39th in also finishing fifth this year at Augusta.
It was an effort that moved Smith to 16 on the FedEx Cup standings and well inside the top-30 that will tee-up in the September 20th starting Tour Championship and if so, it will mean Smith not only qualifying for next year’s Masters but all four Majors of 2019 by simply qualifying for the final event of the 2018/19 in Atlanta.
“I’ve still got a little bit of work to go but it’s been the goal all year to get into that top-30,” he said.
“It does mean you have played a great year, you’re playing great golf. And to know that I will be playing all four majors next year, I think is really good, as well.”
Smith’s mind though is focussed on this week’s where fellow Australian Adam Scott, and also just one place higher than Smith on the World Rankings at No.38, is the defending champion.
Little wonder Smith likes the thought of adding a second straight Australian-born golfer’s name to the trophy.
“The golf course here at TPC Boston reminds me a little bit like some of the courses back home, particularly the bunkering and the shape of the holes,” he said.
“It would be great if I could follow Adam as a winner and it’s been a good hunting ground for Australian golfers in general as Jason (Day) has been third here and I remember Geoff (Ogilvy) finishing runner-up a few years back, and with Scotty top-five also a couple of years ago.
“So, the Aussies seem to do well here in Boston.”
