When Adam Scott buried a 12-foot putt to win the Green Jacket in 2013 to become the first Australian to win the Masters – it wrote the wrongs of his countryman Greg Norman’s collapse in the 1996 edition in which he squandered a six-shot lead on the back-nine on Sunday to hand Nick Faldo his third triumph at Augusta
While Scott’s heroics a decade ago live long in the hearts and minds of fans – you can’t help but wonder – why is he the only player to hail from Down Under to have reigned supreme in professional golf’s most prestigious major?
It’s certainly not due to a lack of talent, with Australia boasting a number of elite players past and present who were more than capable of lifting the Masters Trophy. That is once again the case in 2023, and with that in mind, read on as we look at the Australian player who will be the greatest threat at this year’s Masters Tournament – Cameron Smith.
The 29-year-old has experienced immense success in his young career to date, securing fourth at the US Open in 2015 before coming agonisingly close to winning his maiden golf major at the Masters in 2020 when he finished joint-second with South Korea’s Im Sung-Jae.
Can Cameron Smith repeat his 2022 success at this year’s Masters
2022 would be Smith’s breakout year, however, as he would go on to secure victories in the Players Championship and the Open Championship within a four-month span.
His performance at St Andrews was particularly impressive, as he finished 20-under par with a final-round 64 that left golf fans and pundits alike in awe. His result was the best score to par in major championship history – and well and truly put him on the map among the wider public.
Seemingly on top on top of the golfing world, the loveable and laid-back Smith found himself in the middle of a media storm after announcing his defection to the rebel LIV Golf League last August. As expected, it was a decision that was met with considerable backlash, but one that Smith felt he had to make given it provided greater financial security and flexibility.
Despite the criticism that ensued, Smith recently spoke about his relationship with current PGA Tour players since his defection.
“All the guys I was mates with are still my mates,” he said.
“I’d like to think that I’m a pretty easy person to talk to and if anyone ever wanted to confront me, I’m all about talking about it and making sure they’re comfortable with it as well.
“It’s not my spot to step on anyone’s toes and that’s the last thing I wanted to do. It’s just a move I felt was right for my career.”
There is one thing for certain though, as a result of his move, there will be even more pressure on the Aussie to perform at Augusta this month. However, if there’s a player who can rise to the occasion, it’s Smith. For those who will be betting on the golf and feel he can upset the applecart and become the first member on the LIV Golf’s roster to win a major, he currently sits as the fifth favourite at 20/1.