Emotional Aussie Smith wins in Hawaii to aid bushfire relief effort
Cameron Smith won his first individual PGA Tour event at the Sony Open in Hawaii, with a par on the opening hole of a play-off securing victory against American Brendan Steele.
The win was all the more significant for the Australian given the deadly bushfires that have been ravaging his home country for months. Speaking at the trophy ceremony, Smith talked emotionally about what it meant to him: “I might tear up here, but I just hope this brings a bit of joy to Australia.
I know we’re going through some tough times, but keep in there. We’re all trying to raise money for you. We all love you.”
The 26-year-old’s family has been greatly impacted by the fires. His uncle, Warren, recently re-visited his evacuated property to find only a shed standing. Smith joined several other Australian players including Marc Leishman and Matt Jones in donating money to the cause. The International Presidents Cup team also contributed $125,000 to the relief effort. Speaking in Hawaii, Leishman said: “I want to thank the rest of the International Team for their contributions to the cause and I know all of Australia – and particularly the victims – will be very grateful. But the scale of the destruction is huge and it will continue to take a team effort from every corner of the globe as we look to the future.”
In a time of devastation and tragedy, it’s good to see the world of golf coming together to give something back.