By Matt Smith
The question of what Cameron Smith would bring to LIV Golf on his debut rang around The International outside Boston on Friday. And the Australian world No. 2 delivered like he was a seasoned vet on the tour, after leaving the PGA Tour last week.
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The Open champ not only played with the conviction of a man used to team events, he also seemed to revel in the ‘Golf, But Louder’ environment, ramping up the Bostonian crowds amid raucous scenes.
Smith opened his LIV Golf campaign with a six-under 64 to sit one off leaders Matthew Wolff and Talor Gooch.
The mulleted Aussie roared out of the blocks after the shotgun start, racking up three birdies and an eagle on the opening eight holes in Massachusetts, before settling for his six-under total, and in a great position to follow Henrik Stenson last time out in Bedminster as a debutant winner on LIV.
Smith joined five other players making their bow in the series’ fourth event — including Joaquin Niemann, Harold Varner III, Anirban Lahiri, — and they also fitted right in, with the Chilean tying Smith for third, the Indian No. 1 T5 on four-under alongside the likes of Paul Casey and Louis Oosthuizen. American Varner, who admitted he received abuse after announcing his decision to move to LIV Golf, sits T10 with Dustin Johnson and Lee Westwood on three-under.
Despite the inevitable criticisms, laid-back Smith said he didn’t feel any added expectations in the 54-hole, no-cut event. “I don’t think it was any added pressure,” he said “I just wanted to go out there and do my thing. At the end of the day, we’re all competitors and we’re trying to do what we can.”
Never one to be upstaged, LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman opened affairs by parachuting on to the course amid fanfare.
“That was something that I haven’t experienced before on the first hole, but it was cool,” Smith said. “It was just a good way to start a tournament. [Today] kind of had a bit of everything; it was very up-and-down. It probably wasn’t one of my best driving performances.
“I feel like the crowd out there is almost on top of you, with the music. It feels like the course has a bit of a heartbeat. It was very different, I would say, but something that I really enjoyed, and I can’t wait for this to keep going onwards and upwards.”
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