BMW CHAMPIONSHIP

August 24, 2021

Cam Smith

Caves Valley Golf Club

Quick Quotes

Q. This is your fifth straight Playoffs, your fourth straight BMW Championship. Has this year's run given you a different sense of achievement?

CAM SMITH: Yeah, I've been playing some really solid golf. I mean, as golfers we're always picky and we always want more, so I'm not really satisfied with how my year has gone. I feel as though I could have done so much more.

At the same time I feel like my game is in a really good spot, and it's a good time of the year to have your game in a good spot.

Q. Talking about the year, eight top 10s, only three missed cuts. What do you take away from all of that, and how can it help you achieve more?

CAM SMITH: Yeah, I mean, it's been really good. Given the circumstances, I think -- I haven't seen my coach for almost two years now. All my support staff are back in Australia. It's been a bit of a rough truck, but we've managed to get through it with FaceTime, with technology. It's been some of the best golf that I've ever played.

There's a lot to take from this year, and I think confidence is probably one of it. I feel very confident in my game. I'd back myself against anyone at the minute, and yeah, I'm ready to go.

Q. Coming off of a great high finish - second - yesterday, moving forward is this just kind of maintaining what you're doing or is there anything that you do kind of need to button up?

CAM SMITH: Yeah, I think probably the last couple weeks especially I've been very frustrated with my driver. It's always been kind of a weakness of my game, I guess. You know, I think it's cost me a few runs at tournaments this year. It's just kind of got to me the last couple of weeks.

I spent a bit of time on the range this morning hitting some drivers, trying to sort some stuff out. It's nothing too major. I don't need to go through a whole swing redo or anything, it's just a couple of technical things, and hopefully I can sort them out and have a couple nice runs at the last two events.

Q. Looking at the FedExCup, not only the prestige but the money, are you able to block that out? Additionally, how often does that come across your mind?

CAM SMITH: Yeah, I mean, that's what we're out to do. We're in it for the FedExCup. It's the biggest prize. It's what everyone wants to do out on the PGA TOUR. I'd be lying if I said it hadn't popped into my mind a few times, but I feel as though I've dealt with it really good.

Yeah, like I said, I'm just playing really good golf, and I'm really looking forward to the next couple weeks.

Q. Do you liken it to, as a car racing guy and a league guy, do you liken it to Premiership or an F1 driver's championship title? How does it sort of fit into the sports scape of your mind?

CAM SMITH: Yeah, it is a bit like that, I suppose. A little bit different in that there's -- it's an individual sport for one, and you can vary so much from week to week it seems like in the Playoffs. I feel as though you have to put three really solid performances in and hopefully get the prize at the end.

Q. Consistently through your career you've been in the top 30 of the world golf ranking. What do you think you need to do? What areas do you need to improve to get to the top 10 and be a staple for a while in the top 10?

CAM SMITH: I think it's my driving, mate. That's what I think is holding me back. Like last week was a good example. The one day I drove it good I had 60. I drove it like crap the other three days, and I still managed to get a score out of it. My irons feel great. Around the greens I feel great, and I feel really good on the greens, as well.

Yeah, I think if I can straighten out that driver, I'll give it a good crack, but until then it's just working on it and trying to get it better.

Q. What's the process of switching from "I missed that chance" to "I've just had another great week"? DJ last year at the playoffs was a second and two wins. You're obviously in form and could get on a run. How do you move from any sort of annoyance from not winning to, hey, let's keep going?

CAM SMITH: Yeah, I think it's just added motivation. Obviously in those situations you want to come out on top, and that's not always the case. Sometimes the guy just plays better, and I feel as though I kind of just let that one slip away, so it's a bit of a different feeling.

Yeah, definitely more added motivation to try and sort this thing out.

Q. In saying that, both times you've had chances of late, you showed real attack. I guess on 17 in regulation yesterday, having a crack at Memphis, you've always got that mentality, I'm going to try to win this, right? You're not leaving anything in the tank?

CAM SMITH: Yeah, I've always been quite an aggressive player, I think. I think that's my nature. I think we all want to win, and how we win, I think, differs us, but yeah, I've always wanted to make a birdie on the last to win. I've never really wanted to let someone else fall out and let me win. That's always been the mentality.

Q. What is your relationship with Cam Davis, and what do you think of his game as a whole?

CAM SMITH: Really solid. Really solid guy, really solid golfer. Does everything well. No real weakness in the game. He's just a good lad.

His first year or so out on TOUR, he was very shy. Got to know him a little bit more, and yeah, great fella.

I was so happy for him the other week when he won in Detroit. That was so good to see. It's always hard to get that breakthrough win. I think from here it's onwards and upwards for him.

Q. When he first came out, did he reach out to you for advice or anything like that?

CAM SMITH: Not particularly, no. Just a "g'day" on the putting green or whatever. Like I said, he's a pretty shy guy, so had to really get into him to get to know him, but yeah, he's a good fella.

Q. What's maybe one thing that really surprised you that you learned about him?

CAM SMITH: What I learned about Cam?

Q. Yeah, something maybe throughout the year, something you learned about him that really surprised you.

CAM SMITH: I guess for an Australian, he works very hard. He's very motivated. A few of us Aussies tend to get a little bit "lackadaisy," I think, and Cam is definitely not one of those guys. He's always on the range. He's always working on his game and trying to make himself better.

Q. I feel like this has been your most comfortable -- you told me at the airport in Malaysia one time that it's stressful to play on the PGA TOUR, but I don't see any stress in you at all this year. You seem so comfortable within yourself. Has anything changed in your processes?

CAM SMITH: No, not particularly. I would say just more time out here, getting to know more guys. I think when I first came on the PGA TOUR, it was all about golf. It was not about life, it was what can I do to make myself the best golfer in the world and make myself a better golfer. It wasn't about the external stuff.

You know, looking back, I wish I had have been a little bit more like I am now. You know, it is very stressful.

Q. Are you comfortable now -- like are you looking to be the leader for your nation? Are you the new Adam Scott, Jason Day, et cetera? Is that what you're trying to be, a top-10 player?

CAM SMITH: Yeah, I guess I'm just trying to be the best golfer I can be. I'm not really worried about that external noise. I come to the golf course trying to do the best I can and let the rest kind of take care of itself.

For sure it's been a dream to be the best Australian golfer, the best golfer in the world, but if I can't get there, it's not going to hurt me. I'm just worried about what I can do to make myself a better golfer on that day, and that's it.

Q. What would you do with $15 million?

CAM SMITH: I don't know, I'm pretty set, to be honest. I'm good. I'm good with what I've got. I don't know what I'd do, to be honest. Maybe some more fishing equipment.