RBC HERITAGE

April 13, 2022

Cameron Smith

Harbour Town Golf Links

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: We would like to welcome Cam Smith to the interview room here at the RBC Heritage. Cameron, you've had a nice start to the season, a couple of wins, the Sentry Tournament of Champions and THE PLAYERS Championship, a couple of stellar tournaments. Last week, obviously in contention at the Masters, it was an emotional week, great playing. Just talk about what that week was like and then heading here to the RBC Heritage afterward.

CAMERON SMITH: Yeah, it was a really good week. Another really solid week. Yeah, felt really, I guess comfortable last week and it was nice to kind of be in contention on Sunday to not quite get it done was perhaps a little bit frustrating, but Scottie played some pretty good golf there toward the end, so hat's off to him.

But, yeah, just a couple of days rest for me after, I haven't touched a golf club since. Playing the pro-am this morning and I will rest again this afternoon.

THE MODERATOR: After a stressful week like that, a lot of emotions, how do you deal with the Sunday night the next few days before you tee it up the following week?

CAMERON SMITH: Yeah, I think after last week especially being in contention the whole week gets quite mentally draining and just exhausting. So, yeah, a couple days off I went back to Jacksonville, spent a day there with some buddies, my mom and my dad, and then we come up here yesterday afternoon and, yeah, took a pretty easy again.

THE MODERATOR: A lot of guys -- just before we take some questions -- a lot of guys enjoy coming here after a week like a major championship, it's a bit of a relaxed vibe. This is your sixth start here, you finished in the top 10 one time when you were leading for the first round, you've obviously got some familiarity with the golf course, when you come here after being in contention in a major, what's it like when you come here with the expectation of performing well again?

CAMERON SMITH: Yeah, I try not to put too much expectation on myself typically I'm more of a process kind of person. I'll get out there today and just try and tick a few boxes that perhaps we missed at the end of last week or this week and the start of this week. Yeah, so just really go out there, free up in the pro-am, pro-am's always a nice way to start the week and just try and have some fun with it.

THE MODERATOR: Questions?

Q. Very simple question, how do you feel right now? Have you gotten over Augusta or are you still feel down in the dumps?

CAMERON SMITH: I don't think I was down in the dumps. I was just frustrated. I feel as though I was one really good swing away from really contending and that's just how golf is, especially around that golf course. I feel as though sometimes you can even hit really good golf shots and end up making bogeys and doubles around there. So, yeah, just a little bit frustrated. My game's in a good spot, I'm happy with how I guess handled the situation after and yeah, I'm just really looking forward to competing again this week. That's kind of in the rearview mirror now.

Q. I have a question about that third hole where to me it just seemed like such a great example of how small little things can shift the entire perspective of a round. Both from your angle maybe your second shot wasn't what you wanted, but from everything that happened to him from the favorable drop to like the chip-in, I want to get your sense of what does that say about golf and how things turn on such a dime?

CAMERON SMITH: Yeah, I think after the first couple of holes the momentum was definitely in my favor and I felt as though I hit some really quality golf shots and my game felt really comfortable. I didn't -- I wasn't fazed by the situation and then the momentum shifted basically as soon as he chipped that in and I thought I hit a pretty decent chip shot up there and it just ran through and missed the putt. So, yeah, that's just how I guess golf just kind of shifts so quickly.

Even the next hole, Scottie hit it left and I hit probably one of the best iron shots I hit all week into that front bunker and I made another bogey. So it's just how golf is. It's so fiddly at times and it seems like sometimes those shots just go your way and other times they don't, there's no real way to put your finger on it, I guess.

Q. As you've climbed the world rankings and had more success has the biggest change been something technical in your game or has it been something internal?

CAMERON SMITH: Yeah, I think perhaps maybe just a little shift of mindset with my off-season I think was probably the biggest change for me. Typically I don't do a lot, don't spend a lot of time in the gym, just kind of, I've felt I guess in the past that we've had such a long season that it's nice to take a couple of months off, but, yeah, last year was definitely different. I think I took a couple of weeks off where I just relaxed and then, yeah, really got into the gym and started working on my longer stuff, especially my longer irons and my driver I felt as though I did a lot of work on over the off-season and I think that was the biggest change for me, just that driver especially just giving me some more opportunities at birdie and the rest of the game I mean hasn't really changed that much. I just think I've been in the fairway more often and yeah, had more putts at birdie.

Q. (No Microphone.)

CAMERON SMITH: I think if you have asked me at the start of the year that I would have been here I probably would have been a little bit surprised, but the last couple of months I felt really good with my game, I feel as though I'm playing the best golf of my life and I think I'm right where I need to be, just need to keep working hard and keep putting myself in good spots on Sundays.

Q. Being in contention in the majors, is there anything you learned last week that will help you maybe eventually get that major win?

CAMERON SMITH: Not really. It's obviously a little bit of a different feeling, I think, with the atmosphere, especially Augusta, you hear so many roars and cheers for other guys and you almost figure out in your own head what's going on without actually seeing it.

But I think I've always been pretty good at just really focusing on myself, one shot at a time, really trying to play the right shot, not trying to play the shot that the circumstance really calls for. I think that's a big part of winning tournament golf is just playing the right shot, not trying to play the situation, if that makes sense.

So, yeah, just really trusting the game and, yeah, the game feels good, it just wasn't my week last week.

THE MODERATOR: We saw you at THE PLAYERS with your mom and sister and friends were there from Australia and you hadn't seen them for a long time. But your dad wasn't there and you just mentioned that he was there with you last week hanging out with a couple of buddies. So how does it change you to have your mum here and now your dad here after not having seen them for awhile?

CAMERON SMITH: Yeah, it's good. Dad actually come over at the end of last year, he spent a couple of months here, which was really nice. He was the first one that I saw from my family for over a couple of years. So yeah, now that Australia's kind of lifted their restrictions a little, starting to see more and more familiar faces, which is so good. I feel like a different person. It's been great. I missed everyone a lot and it's just good to see them again.

THE MODERATOR: Well it's reflecting in your play as well. So we appreciate you coming in and good luck this week.

CAMERON SMITH: Thanks, guys.