Cameron Smith had a rough day at the Australian Open, particularly on the back nine, where he gave up five shots and fell to T16. Smith blamed the slow play warning put on his group on some bad decisions made under pressure. Although he did not agree with the warning, he seemed to place the blame on his young countryman and protege Elvis Smylie, who was part of his group.
Smith felt that being put on the clock was unnecessary as he considers himself a fast-paced player. He admitted to making poor choices and felt like he was rushing due to the warning. To add insult to injury, while Smith struggled, Smylie had a stellar round and finished with a 64, sitting five shots off the lead. Smith was asked if he would speak to Smylie, but refrained, claiming it was not his responsibility to address the issue.
Elvis Smylie, the rising star in Australian golf, won the Australian PGA Championship last week, outshining Smith. Smith believes Smylie is the one with the pace of play issue, while Smylie sees it as a collective problem within the group, which also included Victor Perez. Smylie focused on maintaining his pace of play and staying focused on his game, especially when the group fell behind.
Smylie values Smith as his mentor and credits him for his development as a player. Smith, on the other hand, seems frustrated with the situation but refrains from addressing it directly with Smylie. The two players had a close encounter at the Australian PGA Championship, where they were paired together and faced a similar challenge with slow play.
As Smith struggles with his form on the course, his Ripper GC teammate Lucas Herbert takes the lead at the Australian Open with a four-shot advantage. The tournament continues with the competition heating up as players battle for the top spot. Despite the challenges faced by Smith and Smylie, both players have shown resilience and determination to overcome obstacles and continue their pursuit of success in the golfing world.
