Two years after claiming his first main with a shocking finale at St Andrews within the one hundred and fiftieth British Open, Cameron Smith is more and more assured in his capability to nail his drives as he prepares for the take a look at forward at Royal Troon.
After ending sixth in a LIV Golf occasion in Spain final week at Valderrama, Smith would be the final of the six Australians to tee off on Thursday within the first spherical of the British Open.
The 30-year-old will characteristic alongside Eire’s Shane Lowry and Englishman Matt Fitzpatrick within the forty fifth group, which tees off at 2.59pm (11.59pm AEST) in Scotland because the ninth-last threesome to hit the hyperlinks course.
Min Woo Lee (7.19am local-4.19pm AEST), Adam Scott (7.30am local-4.30pm AEST) and Jasper Stubbs (7.41am local-4.41pm AEST) will tee off within the morning on the primary day of the 152nd Open, whereas Elvis Smylie (11.04am local-8.04pm AEST) and Jason Day (1.06pm local-10.26pm AEST) are scheduled to complete within the afternoon alongside Smith.
Lee (12.20pm local-9.20pm AEST), Scott (12.31pm local-9.31pm AEST) and Stubbs (12.42pm local-9.42pm AEST) all have early afternoon slots on Friday, whereas Smylie will tee off at 4.04pm native (1.04am AEST Saturday).
Day (8.04am local-5.04pm AEST) and Smith (9.47am local-6.47pm AEST) will that includes within the morning in Scotland of their second rounds.
Smith, who has posted 5 prime 10 finishes in LIV occasions this 12 months alongside along with his sixth positioned end within the Masters, was happy with the way in which he drove in Spain final weekend.
The previous world No.2 is ranked in forty ninth place on the LIV rankings with regards to fairways struck, averaging 49.74 %, however felt extra decisive off the tee at Valdemarra.
Smith, who missed the lower at Royal Troon as an novice in 2012, hit the golf green nearly 53 % of the time when ending behind Sergio Garcia in a confidence enhance at a course which hosted the 1997 Ryder Cup.
‘Actually, actually scary’: The ‘brutal’ torture take a look at set to show Open goals into nightmares
‘Constructed to indicate off’: Gun able to contend as legend’s shares soar — Each Aussie
Tiger bites again at Scottish nice: Woods unleashes over retirement calls
He advised Australian Golf Digest that if he felt as comfy off the tee at Troon, he was assured of having the ability to contend over the weekend.
“I had been feeling uncomfortable with the driving force however Valderrama was a superb take a look at,” Smith mentioned.
“I’ve been working onerous on it at house in Florida. I’ve been forcing myself to hit driver loads whereas taking part in when perhaps I shouldn’t, as a result of I wished to check it repeatedly. At any time when I had a 50-50 tee shot at Valderrama (the place a shorter membership was an possibility), I hit driver. It was a superb step in the correct path.
“That is most likely one of many hardest Open checks as a result of it’s penal off the tee, however I’m feeling good. If I drive it right here at Troon like I did at Valderrama, I feel I’ll have a superb shot.”
MORE NEWS
Tiger ‘blanked’ by Rory in publish US Open mix-up as star lifts lid on MJ, Nadal help
Tiger cops brutal Open schedule as full tee instances revealed
Aussies to observe on the 2024 Open | 02:08