Handing again the Claret Jug, which Cameron Smith known as the “coolest trophy on the earth” would be the hardest a part of heading to Royal Liverpool because the defending Open champion.
However Smith’s want to get it again additionally looms as the perfect motivation to repeat his 2022 heroics at St Andrews after which the well-known trophy grew to become a vital a part of practically each occasion or dinner he‘s been to previously 12 months.
The world No.7 was set to put his eyes on the course at Hoylake for the primary time on Saturday adamant he’s a greater golfer than he was when he produced the “finest 18 holes I’ve ever performed in my life” to carry out Rory McIlroy and Cameron Younger to win his first main championship.
It was considered one of 5 wins for Smith in 2022, together with his maiden LIV victory after taking his abilities to the breakaway tour, with a win at the newest occasion in London franking his perception that defending the Open is nicely inside his grasp.
“I do, I do really feel like I’m a greater golfer,” Smith stated from London on Friday the place he has spent the week sightseeing earlier than his title defence begins subsequent Thursday.
“I do really feel like that one factor, regardless that I gained 5 instances final yr, I really feel like I had a couple of days with driver throughout a event the place I used to be in rivalry and it actually let me down. I used to be type of grinding to remain on the prime of the leaderboard.
“The golf is beginning to really feel very nice, it’s beginning to be in a spot the place it doesn’t must be 100 per cent for me to contend and that’s a very nice feeling.
“The final couple of months I really feel like I’ve actually put the foot down, doing all the proper stuff and began to straighten out the motive force. Watching some golf from Hoylake it doesn’t seem like there’s a variety of drivers anyway so which may play in to my palms slightly bit.”
Smith endured what he described as “a little bit of a tricky time” within the aftermath of his breakthrough main victory as he endured questions on his impending transfer to LIV, a state of affairs, 12 months on, which has been turned in its head after the current peace deal was brokered with the PGA Tour.
It means a a lot softer touchdown for Smith, who conceded he nonetheless had “no thought” what the longer term appeared like, and if LIV survives in to 2024.
However his recollections weren’t tarnished by the ordeal and the everlasting presence of the Claret Jug, which got here with him to Australia final summer season and has wanted a “few cleans” to maintain it pristine, introduced a smile to not simply his face, however everybody who got here involved with it.
“The primary month or so, it was out at each dinner or each occasion we went to,” he stated.
“The novelty didn’t put on off nevertheless it was type of like, we’ve used that sufficient. Then the final month it’s had a comeback tour. It’s been round quite a bit for certain.”
Smith as soon as once more saved the trophy, in its case, in to the overhead compartment on his flight to the UK, as an notorious photograph captured him doing after his triumph, and the considered handing it again on Monday was sufficient to make him take into consideration how a lot he desires to carry it once more.
“I don’t know if I’ll be emotional. It has been a lot enjoyable to have. However it can positively be motivation to try to get it again,” he stated.
“It’s the best trophy on the earth, it’s unreal to have. Hopefully it not this yr, in years to return I can try to get it again right down to Australia.”
The Queenslander is aware of expectation rises as a defending champion as nicely, nevertheless it’s not a burden he’s inserting on himself, as a result of it’s not one thing he ever does.
“I’ve at all times tried to not try to put an excessive amount of expectation on myself however it’ll be slightly bit completely different,” he stated.
“I believe the toughest factor goes to be giving again the trophy to be sincere, it’s been a lot enjoyable.
“I haven’t performed the golf course earlier than, that’s why I get up there early and taking a look at it.
“For certain I need to go up and provides it my finest and I need to win however there are 50 guys in that subject who can all win a golf event if they’ve their week.
“You need to tick all of the packing containers, do the proper issues and hope for the perfect.”