THE 154TH OPEN

July 16, 2026

Cam Smith

Mixed Zone

Q. General thoughts?

CAM SMITH: I was just talking to Sam just then. I don't think it was all really that bad. Got a lot of crosswinds off the tee and hit it into the rough by one or two metres a few times and ended up making bogey.

It was tough out there, though. Yeah, I don't really think I would change a whole lot to be honest. Just needed a couple of putts to go in that missed, and a couple more fairways would have been nice.

Q. Will your approach change in terms of lessons learned from today or things off the tee? Any lessons in particular from today?

CAM SMITH: I think we're like third or fourth group tomorrow, so I'm looking forward to getting onto some fresher greens. They were getting pretty baked out and a little bit bouncy. Felt like you couldn't really be aggressive.

Looking forward to some fresher greens, hopefully see some putts go in.

Q. How did conditions change throughout the course of the round? Was it 5 hours, 5-1/2 hours? How did it change from when you started to when you finished?

CAM SMITH: I think we got the 1st hole with that morning wind, and I about the time we reached the 2nd hole, the wind switched. Like I said, a lot of those holes, particularly off the tee, played like that crosswind, and it's just hard to kind of hold the fairway, like you have to hit a really nice shot to to hold the fairway.

It changed a little bit, the wind direction, but the course was honestly pretty good the whole day. It didn't really change a whole lot.

Q. Saw that great approach into 18. What happened with the putt there? Seemed like you couldn't believe it went that way and stayed right?

CAM SMITH: Yeah, that's what I mean, getting on fresh greens. It took a massive bounce at the start. Kind of wobbled right and stayed there. I had it about a foot outside right, and it went right. Either I'm seeing things or I got a bit of a bad bounce.

No, I honestly feel like I hit it pretty good today. Yeah, like I said, just need to get a metre in the fairway rather than out of it, and I think it's a different story.

Q. You talked about 5-1/2 hours for the round. Is it hard to play when it's playing so slow?

CAM SMITH: Not really. I think we're used to it. Major championship venues are going to be long days. They're tough tests. It's just kind of what you expect. I definitely wasn't frustrated with the pace of play. I think you're just kind of waiting for it.