HOYLAKE (ENGLAND) — Cameron Smith resisted the urge to cry when he returned his Claret Jug Monday.
He said, “I thought that I would be able to handle everything.” “A little bit of a moment that crept on me, I suppose.”
Smith was named the Champion Golfer for the Year of the 150th British Open in St. Andrews after shooting a final round 64. He beat out Cameron Young and Rory McIlroy, who were tied at 54 holes.
Smith said that the trophy was the “coolest trophy ever”. He took it back to Brisbane where he was raised and celebrated the occasion with his clubmates.
He said, “Had an amazing night.” “I think it was pretty cool that a small country club outside Brisbane had the Claret Jug there.”
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The Claret Jug was filled with beer, tequila, and Australian Penfolds Grange on the night Smith won the first major. It would be used a lot in the following days and months. The reaction of golf lovers when they saw the jug was what Smith enjoyed most.
He said, “It looks like they have seen a ghost.”
Smith described the moment he bumped into it while sorting mail in his Florida home office as “surreal”.
He said, “There were a few such moments.” Even a year later, it still feels unreal. I hope to get it back. “I want it back so badly.”
Smith is not the first to have won back-to-back titles since Padraig harrington in 2007/08. Smith won the LIV London event two weeks ago at Centurion Golf Club.
“I’m a much better golfer than I was last season. I believe that the things I needed to fix are improving. He said that it’s still “a little work in progress” and that his consistency is lacking with the 5-iron, up to the driver. “That’s a part of the game we’ve probably worked harder on than in the past.”
Smith has no regrets about his decision to switch to LIV Golf in exchange for a lucrative sign-up bonus. Smith is optimistic about the future, despite not knowing what LIV Golf’s future will be. Smith showed some support to Greg Norman, a fellow Australian who was the LIV commissioner that lured Smith away from the PGA Tour almost a year ago.
Smith stated, “I’d say I’ve become somewhat of a friend to Greg over the past eight or nine month.” “I think he is doing an excellent job for our tour,” Smith said. He is looking out for us. You can’t ask more of the guy who runs the show. “Yeah, I would love to keep him on.”
Smith’s real focus is on regaining the Claret Jug. At his pre-championship media conference, someone asked him if it was okay to have to part with the Claret Jug.
Smith replied, “Yeah I’ll be okay.” I’ll sleep well tonight.
He’s already joked to his friends that he will be drinking beer and fine wine from it for the next 365 days.
He said, “You just never know. Sometimes you can play the best golf in major championships but still finish fourth or fifth.” “Hopefully, it will be another week just like last year when I bring back the trophy.”
