THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP

March 13, 2022

Cameron Smith

TPC Sawgrass

Quick Quotes

Q. How difficult was it to come out this morning after not playing some golf the last couple days?

CAM SMITH: It was okay. To be honest with you, with how the conditions were yesterday, I was glad I had the day off. I think we got quite fortunate on that side of the draw, not to say it wasn't hard this morning, but yeah we definitely got a lucky one there.

Q. How did you spend the time between finishing your first round and getting out here today?

CAM SMITH: I live here, so I just hung out at home. I blew a few of the leaves around in the backyard for more leaves to come down in the backyard, but that was about it, to be honest. Yeah, not really much to do in those conditions.

Q. Kis said yesterday he felt the integrity of the tournament was questioned with them having to go out there yesterday. What was the conversation among you guys who knew you wouldn't be teeing off for round 2 until today?

CAM SMITH: I don't know about the integrity of the tournament. We have to do what we have to do. We have to get out there and play, and unfortunately for those guys, they lost on that side of the draw. You win some, you lose some. Typically not in the U.S., maybe like an Open or something like that, it kind of comes more into play. Yeah, it's just unfortunate for those guys.

Q. You live here year round. How would you evaluate the conditions here today in the grand context of First Coast golf in the course of a year?

CAM SMITH: I definitely wouldn't be here playing these last couple of days. I'd be on the couch having a coffee and watching the rain go by.

Q. How satisfying was that bogey on 18 to maybe save a shot as you go in? Does that make lunch taste better before you go back out?

CAM SMITH: Yeah, that was good. I made a couple of good bogey putts today, dodged a couple of bullets. I think this golf course just does that to you. There's always those five-, six-footers for bogey, and I just holed a lot of them today.

Q. Were you worried at all about taking a divot on the green at 16?

CAM SMITH: No, not really. I actually know Jeff Plotts pretty well. So I would have texted him and said sorry if I had.

Q. You mentioned you live here. Does that mean you play TPC pretty often?

CAM SMITH: Yeah, I live about ten minutes away. I'm out here most off weeks, three or four days a week, do a little bit of practice. I try not to play the golf course that much, but when I have some family and friends in town, we always jump out for a hit.

Q. Why do you try not to play it too much?

CAM SMITH: I just think the condition throughout the year is so different to this week. Probably not so much this week actually, but last year, for instance, was so firm and fast. We typically play it more like this.

Q. Do you have a preference between March or May?

CAM SMITH: I think the course looks great when it's overseeded. I'm a big lawn snob, grass snob. I think it looks great. I think it plays a little bit better. I think the greens roll better in March when they're good. It's definitely a tougher test.

Q. How did your lawn hold up?

CAM SMITH: It was a little bit wet. I got out with a squeegee a few times yesterday morning. Yeah, just decided to leave it. I knew I was going to come play some golf, so didn't want to waste too much energy.