Sporting shift put Smith in swing
BRITISH Open contender Cameron Smith has revealed why he made a life-changing switch of sports in a move that may well yield him golf’s greatest prize.
Smith the golfer is also a rugby league tragic but, unlike his namesake and Melbourne Storm captain, the 25-year-old says as he was never cut out for the contact sport.
“I did play a little league before. I was a good attacker, just absolutely terrible defender, I didn’t want to get hurt. That’s why I play golf,” Smith said after claiming a share of fifth place at the halfway mark of The Open at Royal Portrush.
Smith hailed Cameron Smith the footballer as “the greatest of all time” and hopes to play a round with the Kangaroos great after meeting the future Immortal in Queensland State of Origin camp last year.
“Pat Welsh, back in Australia, the Channel 7 reporter, got us together ... so that was pretty cool,” he said.
“I don’t even know how the Storm are doing. I’ve only been keeping an eye on the Broncs. I know we lost in the Origin series, which he wasn’t a part of.”
The US PGA Tour star has been too busy trying to usurp league’s first 400-gamer from the back pages by becoming the first Australian to win the Claret Jug since another Queenslander, the great Greg Norman did at Royal St George’s 26 years ago.
Smith wasn’t even born then, but first started playing golf not long after. “I was about three or four, I think, when I started. So I’ve been playing for a while now,” he said.
Smith was the only Australian to make the cut this year after superstars Adam Scott, Jason Day and 2015 runner-up Marc Leishman all disappointed.
Trailing joint leaders Shane Lowry and JB Holmes by just two shots, he wasn’t due to tee off for his third round until after midnight last night. Smith said he had no family with him in Northern Ireland and was keeping things typically low key despite being right in the mix to win his first major.
“I’ve got a few family friends in town. We’re all staying together. It’s been a good week so far,” he said.
“We went down to Giant’s Causeway the other day, just a bit of touristy things, my first time to Northern Ireland.
“Trying to get all that stuff in, really. Family friends have a couple of little kids so I’ve been down to the amusement park and stuff like that.”