Cam Smith Day 2 Chicago Post Interview
LIV Golf Invitational Series
Saturday, 17 September, 2022
Sugar Grove, Illinois, USA
Rich Harvest Farms
Cameron Smith
Press Conference
THE MODERATOR: We welcome Cam Smith who is the captain of Punch GC and he’s also the clubhouse leader at 10-under.
Q. Cam, you made a pretty big adjustment in your life just recently, but it doesn’t seem like your golf has been affected that much. What do you attribute being able to carry over your form from the old way to the new way here?
CAMERON SMITH: Oh, just keeping everything the same, to be honest. Still doing the work at home and trying to come out here and win golf tournaments. My mentality hasn’t changed one bit. I think that’s why I’ve played so well the last couple weeks.
Q. Does it feel any different being out here, any part of the whole experience here?
CAMERON SMITH: Yeah, it does a little bit. I think the music out on the golf course and on the range is something that I really enjoy. I think everyone out there really enjoys it, as well.
I feel like the fans are closer to you and they’re probably a little bit louder on Saturday and Sunday afternoons, but yeah, I love it, mate. The atmosphere is perfect?
Q. Playing out there with DJ, does that help you stay focused, as well? Does that add anything to the atmosphere?
CAMERON SMITH: Yeah, I guess — yeah, he’s definitely one you want to beat for sure. He’s been one of the best players for the last 10, 15 years, so someone to go up against and someone to try and beat.
Q. I noticed some guys are starting to untuck their shirts out there; do you think that untucking your shirt would pair well with a mullet and help you play a little bit better?
CAMERON SMITH: I don’t know, I’m more of a traditional dresser, I guess, on the golf course. I’m always having a go at the young guys with their shirts undressed.
I don’t know, I’m not a big fan of the — I’m a fan of the shorts, just not the untucked shirt.
Q. Business on the bottom, just party on the top?
CAMERON SMITH: Yeah, correct.
Q. The crowd seemed fairly large out there today; could you sense that? How much did you feed off that?
CAMERON SMITH: Yeah, I think LIV has done a great job with engaging the crowd. I think there’s a great layout here in and around like 3, 18, 17. They seem to get loud. We had a really good following today all day. It’s a big walk out there, and the fans did it all day, so it was perfect.
Q. Could you just talk about the conditions? It seemed pretty tough at times and maybe the pins were tucked —
CAMERON SMITH: Yeah, we kind of had a bit of a gusty, windy start and then it laid off a little bit and got up a little bit towards the end. It was quite tricky, I guess, through the middle at guessing clubs. I guess that’s where I made my bogey, and I think a few of the other boys were kind of wondering where the wind was. It got quite tricky. I think tomorrow, if they leave the course be, tomorrow will be really fun. I think it’s going to be firm and fast, and with these greens the way they are, I think it’ll be quite tricky.
Q. Watching you out there playing for millions of dollars in front of thousands of people listening to music, hanging out with your boys, it must be a pretty cool thing, huh?
CAMERON SMITH: Yeah, it’s really cool. It’s something that I’ve got used to over the last couple of weeks, and I can’t wait to keep this going. It’s unreal out here. I love the energy. Like I said last week, I think the course has a heartbeat. Everyone is really engaged and everyone is really watching what you’re doing. Yeah, it’s awesome.
Q. I know you’re not from the U.S., but you’ve played here long enough, but places like Chicago, Boston, they aren’t cities that have regular Tour stops. Do you feel like that’s a positive for LIV to be able to serve some of these fans that don’t get a chance to see PGA TOUR golf or elite pro golf?
CAMERON SMITH: Yeah, absolutely. I think it’s great to bring golf to where it hasn’t been for a very long time.
I know we were up in Chicago maybe a few years ago, but it seems to be one that goes on and off the schedule. I think the fans really appreciate it, and hopefully we can come to these communities and keep giving back and showing them what they want.
Q. My question is about what’s going on in fan village with the mullet action. I walked by and asked them, and they’re almost up to 50 haircuts that guys have gone out and got mullets. LIV is going to donate $1,000 for each of those haircuts. My question is what amount of money would we need to pull together to donate on the Punch GC’s team for you to not only all get mullets but go all clean shaven? You’ve got the mustache going, Jonesy has got a little stubble going, Marc has got a full beard and Wade has got a ‘stache, too.
CAMERON SMITH: I think Punch GC has got a very unique style throughout the group. I think we’re all a little bit different. I think we all have our little quirkiness about us. To shave it all off, mate, I don’t think there’s a number it would take. It would take a lot. I know for me to get rid of this, I feel like this is my good luck charm, so I’m going to hang with it for a little bit.
Q. What was the key stretch of holes today to try and score so you could make a run at DJ?
CAMERON SMITH: I think those first few holes, first maybe five, six holes are really gettable. I think 7 is a tough par-5; 8 is quite easy downwind. That first six to eight holes I think is one where you can definitely make a move.
I played them quite well this morning, given the conditions, and I’ll be looking to get plenty of birdies there tomorrow.
Q. What’s the feeling being right there at the top again with a chance to win the individual this week?
CAMERON SMITH: Yeah, it’s great. That’s why we’re here. We’re here to win golf tournaments and to be in contention on another Sunday is fantastic. Hopefully I can get one of these things done sooner rather than later.
Q. How do you balance individual versus obviously Punch is right there, Four Aces have won the last three. Tomorrow you’re going to have to maybe look at both of them. How do you go into tomorrow?
CAMERON SMITH: Yeah, it’s a very unique situation, one that I’m probably not used to yet, but I find myself looking at the team score more than the individual score. I was saying to DJ today, it’s so hard to work out where everyone is on the individual score. You don’t know whether they’ve got an easy stretch of holes coming up or a hard stretch, so I actually try not to look at that. I’m interested in what the other guys are doing in my group. Yeah, telepathically egging them on, hoping they do well.
Yeah, it’s definitely different, but I enjoy it.
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