SONY OPEN IN HAWAII

January 14, 2021

Cameron Smith

Waialae Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Your general thoughts? Better start than last year, 67.

CAMERON SMITH: Yeah, better start. I actually played really solid today. I actually really struggled on the greens, which has been probably the best part of my game for a while now. So yeah, back to the putting green this afternoon and hit a few putts.

The putting didn't feel like there was anything necessarily wrong with it. I just think my pace was off a little bit. Yeah, I mean, I just think my pace was off. I hit a lot of good putts that missed low, low and short, and they are kind of the annoying ones.

Q. When did you find out about the white stakes here between 18 and 10?

CAMERON SMITH: Last night we got a text from the TOUR. I think it's a great idea. Too many guys hitting it down there, anyway.

Q. Taking you back a year ago, you might have won that tournament a bit easier. Steeley was probably out-of-bounds there.

CAMERON SMITH: I don't know if it comes all the way down. I'm not sure if it comes all the way down, but anyway, yeah, it would have been different, that's for sure.

Q. What would you have if you had a perfect drive down the 10th?

CAMERON SMITH: It was down and off the right today. I hit the best possible drive. I had 9-iron in. If I had hit it down here, I would have had gap wedge in, like 20 or 30 yards' difference.

Q. Are there any visuals differences here not having structures?

CAMERON SMITH: I think 17 and 18 are the biggest ones. 17 with how firm that green gets, as well, sometimes you can use that grandstand as a bit of a backboard to a back pin. So I think it makes the hole tougher definitely for sure.

Q. Did it do anything wind-wise without anything to block it?

CAMERON SMITH: Not today. It was downwind today. If it was the other way, definitely it would be a bit tricky.