THE NORTHERN TRUST

August 21, 2021

Cameron Smith

Liberty National Golf Club

Quick Quotes

Q. The putt on 18, what did you see on that 12-footer?

CAMERON SMITH: Yeah, I actually thought it was going to kind of stay straight and then drop a little bit right there at the end off the bunker, and yeah, just didn't do it. I hit a pretty don't put, good speed and I mean, looking back at, it I don't know how I read it to go that way but it is what it is.

Q. Your caddie said after you missed the putt on 16, you didn't think you had a chance.

CAMERON SMITH: Last two holes here are pretty brutal, especially 18. I know it wasn't windy out there today but I thought I had to get myself one ahead going into those last two holes.

Q. When you do that, and you birdie 17, do you feel differently at all, because suddenly you know you have the opportunity to do it?

CAMERON SMITH: A little bit. I haven't been in that situation before. It was completely new to me. I mean, I just tried to get up there and do what I did the rest of the day, hit a good drive, and my driver definitely put me in that spot today for all those birdies.

It's been a bit of a rough trot with the driver of late. I felt like it's got away from me a little bit, and it was nice to see a lot of drives, a lot of good drives today.

Q. Is that what you were aggravated with yesterday when you left, your driver, or something else?

CAMERON SMITH: Yeah, my driver. I just haven't felt comfortable with it. It's technical thing. I just get a little bit behind it and I felt like today my body was just moving a little bit different and I was able to cover the ball.

Q. When did you feel like 59, when did it get in your head?

CAMERON SMITH: Probably after the birdie on 14. I think I was 9-under then and yeah, just wanted to press on and wanted to see what I could do. Obviously in a great spot, and the last -- that last four or five holes here are pretty tough, so I knew it was going to be a big ask. But yeah, I played some really good golf coming in.

Q. No play tomorrow. Would you rather sort of come out here knowing you're hot or do you like the fact that you can sit around for a day and get to think about the fact that you're playing well?

CAMERON SMITH: Yeah, I always think it's hard to back up a really good round, so maybe the day off will help me out.

Yeah, I don't know what I'm going to do tomorrow. I've never been in this situation tomorrow. Probably just a little bit of a rest. A round like this usually takes it out of you a little bit, the adrenaline, the highs and the lows. Sleep in. Maybe a little bit of gym and come out Monday firing.

Q. Have you ever shot 60 anywhere?

CAMERON SMITH: No.

Q. Even when you were a kid?

CAMERON SMITH: No.

Q. What would be your lowest?

CAMERON SMITH: I think I shot 62 at my home club in Brisbane. But 62 out there is not 62 out here.

So yeah, completely different spot for me.

Q. What do you think will be your fondest memory of this round?

CAMERON SMITH: I don't know, just the New York crowd is pretty brutal at some points, and they were right behind me, so that was pretty cool. I thought my drive on 16 was pretty good. And that put me in a spot to maybe shoot that 59.

Q. Your caddie -- (knowing 59 was possible) -- did he say anything?

CAMERON SMITH: Yeah, Sam and I just continued to talk about stuff off the course. We didn't talk about the score. We got to the ball, did our yardage, did our thing, and he kind of went on like nothing was happening.

Q. Did any part of you think about the fact that this could be 54 holes because of the storm everything and else?

CAMERON SMITH: Yeah, I think so. I mean, I think it would be -- I definitely didn't come out here with the mindset thinking that today was going to be the last round, and that's why I shot so good. I don't think that was the case.

It was definitely in the back of my head but it wasn't really going to affect how I was playing today.

Q. How much do you think you'll be behind by the end of the day?

CAMERON SMITH: I'd say at least a couple, I would say. You know, Jon is playing some pretty good at the minute, so we've got to try to catch up.

Q. Was the putt on 18 the toughest of the day?

CAMERON SMITH: I feel like my putt on 15 was a really good look. It was kind of straight up the hill probably 10 or 12 feet. Hit a good putt and just kind of wobbled a little bit up the hill. Probably didn't give it enough speed.

So yeah, I'll take that into Monday for sure. I think the greens will get probably quite a bit slower given the rain.

Q. You said you're not sure what you'll do tomorrow. Any chance you'll get a haircut?

CAMERON SMITH: No. It's like my good luck charm. I can't cut it off at the minute. Maybe a couple bad months of golf, it will come off, but until then, it's staying.