Cameron Smith could have another six chances, at least, to get on top of the LIV podium in Adelaide and branded a confident contract extension in what remains a volatile golfing landscape as “pretty crazy”.
The news LIV will be played in Adelaide until 2031 was enough to give Smith a broad smile, further validation of its status which he didn’t expect so early in the still fledgling tour’s existence, and after not bringing his best stuff as the team’s title defence fell flat.
Smith hit fire early on Sunday, and was five-under after his opening seven holes. But chances of what would have been a miracle win fell apart as bogeys mounted.
He finished 30th, 12-shots behind winner Joaquin Niemann, his Ripper GC team finished ninth of 13, Smith and Marc Leishman the only Australians to finish under par after a week which was loaded for the captain in particular,who felt rushed at the year’s second event.
But the thought of coming back again and again, and to LIV’s “first ever golf course”, possibly as soon as 2028, helped ease the sting of disappointment.
“That’s been the vision for a long time in a lot of places,” Smith said of the Adelaide venture, which will include a Greg Norman designed course in North Adelaide.
“It’s nice we are the first one, it’s really cool. It shows the support we have here. I love Greg’s golf courses.
“To have another six years, it’s pretty crazy, and so cool. They’ve got a really goof thing going, it’s exciting to keep coming down here. It’s getting better and better every year and will be better again next year.”
The masses came to watch Smith in particular, Australia’s new pied piper when it comes to golf, and he did his best on Sunday not to disappoint.
With a birdie and an eagle under his belt early, Smith walked from the tee on the 12th hole to the green wearing a Queensland State of Origin jersey presented to him earlier in the day.
He whipped it off when he got to the putting surface and made another birdie to sign off the party hole with a first-pump, energised despite knowing the highs of 2024 were beyond his team.
Smith suggested the move in the calendar, from April to February, had potentially come back to bite them.
“I was saying to the boys the last couple of years we’ve come in fresh … been able to get here, get settled and get ready for a big week,” Smith said after closing with a two-under 70, his best round of the week.
“This week it was all thrown at us quickly, coming off Riyadh, feeling jet-lagged. It definitely took a lot out of us. Everyone was kind of dragging a little bit.
“As far as experience goes, it was amazing. As far as I played, not my best stuff. Thought I scrambled really well the first day to kind of stay in the tournament, and then the last couple of days actually did a lot of good stuff, and just couldn’t really keep on top of it, keep the momentum going.
Smith though was adamant, despite two middling performances to open 2025, he feels “comfortable” with his game, knowing he has extra time to fine tune before the Masters in April as his next major target.
“I feel comfortable. I think the wind was really tricky this week,” he said.
“I hit a lot of good shots that ended up in some bad spots. And it was one of those weeks where you had to be really patient.
“But I think, given the circumstances, and obviously being home, you’re always pushing. And perhaps that got us out of the tournament.”
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