Cameron Smith sported a cheeky grin and couldn’t assist however begin chuckling when he was reminded of the time he upstaged Rory McIlroy.
When Smith famously gained the 2022 Open Championship at St Andrews, it was purported to be McIlroy’s time.
The Northern Irishman was the overwhelming crowd favorite to win the one hundred and fiftieth version of golf’s oldest main championship on the Residence of Golf, and regardless of Australia’s greatest stars turning out for a shot at ending a six-year native drought, this week’s Australian Open at Royal Melbourne has the same really feel to it.
Watch the 2025 Australian Open LIVE on Kayo Sports activities 4-7 Dec | New to Kayo? Be a part of now and get your first month for simply $1.
Rory rocks inexperienced jacket at Gala | 00:45
Weekend tickets are bought out, the host venue is among the most beloved golf programs on the planet and Melbourne has change into swept up in Rorymania.
Whenever you throw Smith and McIlroy’s historical past off the course into the combo, it makes this week all of the extra intriguing.
Again in 2022 shortly after the Australian made his high-profile defection to LIV Golf, he revealed that McIlroy — who was enterprise a lead position within the PGA Tour’s struggle in opposition to the breakaway league on the time — known as him to encourage him to remain within the days following his Open triumph.
Smith’s choice to leap ship as the primary present high ten participant to take action, and the actual fact it got here so quickly after profitable the Claret Jug, didn’t sit nicely with the PGA Tour hierarchy.
Time has healed these wounds, and the tensions between the 2 sides of golf’s divide have simmered majorly, however Smith nonetheless remained coy on his battles with McIlroy.
“Not that you just’re actually considering of that, however we’ve had an ideal aggressive profession collectively,” Smith instructed foxsports.com.au with a chuckle.
“He’s an ideal golfer. He’s probably the greatest golfers ever. He’s going to be onerous to beat this week.
“He’s had a very good yr, and I’m certain he’s going to return down right here eager to take this one as nicely.”
MORE GOLF
ROYAL MELBOURNE: The world is obsessive about this ‘particular’ Aussie treasure. It ‘scares the daylights out of’ legends
ULTIMATE GUIDE: Blockbuster Aussie pairings confirmed as tee instances revealed
‘CAME OUT OF NOWHERE’: Bounce that rocked Australia as Rory heist nonetheless stings 12 years on
Smith was 4 photographs again from McIlroy heading into the ultimate spherical at St Andrews earlier than a placing masterclass in an eight-under par last spherical 64 made him a serious champion.
The Australian rolled in six birdies putts on the again 9 and unforgettable putt across the bunker on the well-known street gap seventeenth that day, however he has been devoid of such confidence on, or round, the greens in current instances.
The 32-year-old has missed the minimize in his final seven four-round occasions, together with all 4 majors this yr and finally week’s Australian PGA Championship.
In a second spherical 75 at Royal Queensland, Smith uncharacteristically missed a number of quick to mid-range putts.
When he reached the heights of world No.2, Smith was broadly considered the very best putter on the earth.
He seemed something however in Brisbane.
Smith believes it’s not the low season work he did at first of the yr that he’s inflicting him issues with the flat stick, however the psychological toll of his misbehaving irons.
“I really feel like there’s simply numerous added stress on that a part of the sport as a result of the opposite stuff hasn’t been as tidy,” Smith mentioned.
“Quite than getting up there figuring out you’ll get one other alternative, it’s type of like I must gap this one. I don’t know when my subsequent alternative goes to be.
“I don’t suppose there’s a problem with the placing. It’s positively not technical.
“I believe it’s maybe just a little psychological.
“I believe I’ve carried out the work. I don’t suppose there’s a query of doing the suitable work,” he added.
“It’s simply been a wrestle to take it out to the golf course.
“As soon as I get that confidence again within the swing, significantly in these shorter irons and mid-irons, you realize, I’m considering I’ll be proper again to the place I used to be. Hopefully higher. That’s the concept of all of the work.
“As soon as that cleans up it takes a little bit of stress off the putter and the quick stuff, and it type of works collectively.”
Watch the 2025 Australian Open LIVE on Kayo Sports activities 4-7 Dec | New to Kayo? Be a part of now and get your first month for simply $1.
Adam Scott v Rory McIlroy in 2013 | 03:00
Smith opened up on his type woes at a pre-tournament press convention on Tuesday, admitting his struggles felt “defeating”, however he stays optimistic.
“It looks like I’m proper on the cusp of the place I ought to be and (I’m) probably not getting something out of it,” Smith mentioned.
“I simply must preserve doing what I’m doing, preserve working onerous and preserve at it. It’s a irritating sport.
“I perceive that folks by way of their profession undergo ups and downs, however an individual’s profession doesn’t get outlined (by) a season or an occasion.”
To beat a few of these confidence issues, Smith is casting his thoughts again past St Andrews to the 2019 Presidents Cup.
His debut for the Worldwide crew was the final time an expert match was contested on Royal Melbourne’s composite course.
Regardless of already being a PGA Tour winner and a two-time Australian PGA champion at that time, it was per week the place Smith elevated his fame with the Australian public to a different degree.
He tied a foursomes match alongside Sungjae Im in opposition to Rickie Fowler and Gary Woodland, however the pair have been crushed by Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay the next day.
As Tiger Woods impressed an American comeback within the Sunday singles, Smith was one of many solely shining lights for the Internationals, defeating Justin Thomas 2&1.
The roars from that day stick in his thoughts, and he’s hoping to generate extra of them this week.
“That was a very good week for me,” Smith recalled.
“I discovered rather a lot. It gave me numerous confidence in my sport.
“It was a very large week for me, and a very large stepping in stone in type of making me the golfer I’m at the moment.
“I’d like to attract on a few of that confidence of that week to type of get issues rocking right here this week.”