THE 151ST OPEN

July 21, 2023

Cam Smith

Mixed Zone

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Q. What did you have into 18?

CAM SMITH: Geez, hard-hitting questions first. (Laughter).

I can't even remember. 215 metres.

Q. Club?

CAM SMITH: 6-iron. Yeah, it was a good shot. I hit plenty of good shots today that didn't get kind of that reward, so it was nice to finish off like that.

I think given the circumstance, as well, probably an even better shot.

Q. How did it feel when you knew you had pulled it off and you had it?

CAM SMITH: Yeah, I mean, it was a good feeling. I'd been kind of battling all day with the bunkers off the tee for some reason. Thinking I'm going to hit driver short or 3-wood short of the bunker and it just cruises in there. Turned a really good day into kind of a bit of a grinding day.

Was just kind of another one of those days, but it was good to end like that for sure.

Q. Going into that last hole, how aware were you of the situation, that you were one over the cut line?

CAM SMITH: Yeah, I was aware that I had to make birdie. It was nice to hit a good drive down there. Like I said, I hit plenty of good drives all day today, and a few of them found the bunker. It's basically a shot penalty. It's a very frustrating golf course.

Q. What did it mean to actually make it for the weekend? How mad would you have been if you hadn't qualified?

CAM SMITH: Yeah, very mad. Especially the way I've played.

Honestly, the last couple of days, for sure there's been some squirrelly shots, but I think the scorecard is a long way off how the game feels.

It's been a frustrating couple of days. Hopefully the weekend -- I know the weather looks not so good, so hopefully the weekend I can grind it out and get back under par and just kind of see what happens.

I think being 12 back with two rounds to go is a big ask, but you never know.

Q. Two Aussies at the top of the leaderboard chasing Harman; that's not a bad position to be in, is it?

CAM SMITH: Yeah, I mean, I think if you're under par, to be fair, I think you're still in the tournament.

I don't know if I'd want to be playing with a lead around here. It's one of those golf courses if you get on the back foot and you start playing defensive, it can eat you up pretty quick. You need to be aggressive and you need to make birdies.

We'll see what happens.

Q. Did you ever feel like you got to that point where you might have gotten on the back foot a little?

CAM SMITH: Yeah, I think so. But I stayed patient as much as I could and kept hitting good golf shots.

I think with what happened at 14. It's one of those tee shots, again, that just creeps in the bunker. If that stays out of the bunker, you've got a 6- or 7-iron to the middle of the green and you're looking at birdie or par; whereas when you chip it out, you've got a 7-iron into the green, you're trying to make a par. It kind of changes your lines and your attitude a little bit.

I think after 14, it was hard to kind of recoup, but we had a long wait on 15 and had a few sips of water and just got the mind right, ready for the last four.

Q. Given the circumstances at the end there, it wasn't for a title but to actually stay for the weekend, how big was that for you?

CAM SMITH: Yeah, it was nice. Like I said, it would have been very frustrating if I had missed out on the weekend. I think defending is one thing, but just the golf that I feel like I'm playing and to miss out on the weekend would be very frustrating.

I feel like, like I said, it's a big ask to make up 12 shots, but I feel like a good weekend can get me right up at the top of the leaderboard there and can salvage kind of a bit of a crappy week.

Q. A word on J. Day and Min Woo and their chances?

CAM SMITH: Yeah, they're obviously both playing really good golf. Like I said before, the weather isn't going to be pretty, so I think it's going to be a bit of a grinding weekend. Those two are the best at it.