LIV GOLF ADELAIDE

April 22, 2023

Cam Smith

The Grange

Ripper GC

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Welcome Cam Smith, the captain of Ripper GC, to the pressroom. You had a great day today, Cam. Tell us a little bit about your experience today and to contrast from yesterday.

CAM SMITH: I don't think it was much of a contrast. I think it was much the same, to be honest. I think for me, I tried to kind of embrace the crowd a little bit more. I think yesterday I was maybe trying to maybe focus a little bit too much on the golf and trying to make stuff happen. I think I was a little bit more relaxed today, and yeah, it worked out.

Q. People have been comparing the crowds out here following you to what Tiger Woods experiences when he's playing. Does it feel as big as it looks to us?

CAM SMITH: Yeah, there's a lot of people there. A lot of those fairways look quite narrow. For me, it's pretty unreal that people would want to come out and watch me play golf. Yeah, it was epic.

Q. I've got to ask about your experience on the Watering Hole today. It seemed like the crowd was a little more turned up out there today than yesterday?

CAM SMITH: Yeah, for sure. That was probably louder again today, which is unreal. I thought yesterday was probably the loudest I'd hit a shot in front of, and today it was turned up another notch again. I hit a much better shot in there today, which was quite nice.

Q. Just wondering how you wake up tomorrow. Obviously Talor Gooch has got a 10-shot lead. You're 11 behind. What kind of mindset do you have tomorrow? Do you really set your sights on shooting the lights out, so to speak?

CAM SMITH: Yeah, I think you've just got to -- I feel as though I've got the place pretty sorted in regards to how to play it. I think there is a really low number out there. I think I shot 6-under today, and I can think of three or four off the top of my head that could have been better.

Yeah, I think obviously Talor is playing some really good golf at the moment. I think he would have to help us out a little bit, which I don't really wish on anyone, but I'm going to go out there tomorrow and play the same way as I did today. I feel as though I hit lots of quality shots, just a few more of those 10-footers need to go in.

Q. As a progression over the last few weeks, is today where you wanted to get to, how you want to start to feel going forward? Is that seeing all the good stuff you're really looking for?

CAM SMITH: Yeah, absolutely. I feel as though the last couple of weeks, particularly the Masters, I feel as though I had lots of really high-quality stuff in there. There was just lots of rubbish, as well, which is not typically how I play golf. I usually plot my way around, minimal mistakes and make a few putts. Yeah, it was good to see that today and just kind of reinforce, I guess, to the whole team, not only myself but the people around me that we're on the right track. It's really not that far off. It never really is. It's just cleaning up a few things, and yeah, it was good to see that.

Q. When do you start thinking about defending the British and wanting to make sure you're actually peaking for that?

CAM SMITH: I've already thought about it, I promise you. Yeah, there's a big few months coming up for a lot of the boys out here. We're playing a lot of golf, which is nice. I guess that tournament readiness feels like it's really there. Yeah, it's just a little flick of the switch and everything is back in line, and it was how it was last year.

Q. I want to go back to yesterday's performance. You drinking a beer out of a shoe on stage at the FISHER concert was one of the most legendary golf moments I've ever seen. When you were first starting to play the game, did you ever think that that moment could be possible?

CAM SMITH: No, absolutely not. Only until probably three or four months ago we started having concerts.

When the Fish tells you to do something, you have to do it. He's an Aussie legend. I gave him the boot there on 12, he tried to get me to do it on 12. I don't know why he did that. Yeah, it was good to give him a thumbs up at the end of the night there.

Q. As an Australian, you had no doubt hoped that this would be a great event here in Adelaide. After the last two days, can you reflect on it? Has this exceeded your expectations?

CAM SMITH: Yes, I think it has. I thought it was going to be really good, the ticket sales, FISHER coming, all that stuff, and it was lining up to be a really good week. I didn't think it was going to quite be like this. I think the course being presented how it is, all the players love it. The crowds are so energetic. Probably the most energetic crowd I've ever played in.

I mean, I would go as far as to say this is best events I've ever played. I think I'm probably biased a little bit being from Australia, but this is what LIV Golf is about, and this is what we need every week.

Q. Have you had a chance to see those images yesterday of you on the 18th, all of the crowds following you, and I guess what does it mean for Australian golf, this moment right now?

CAM SMITH: Yeah, I mean, the crowd is so young. Not only kids, I think guys in their 20s and 30s all out there. I mean, it's hard to say it's not growing the game of golf. I think that's maybe a little bit far fetched from a few people.

Yeah, there's just so many people out here, and there's so many people having a good time. You've got to wonder how many people are going to pick up the clubs next week and give it a shot.