Cam Smith’s victory in New Orleans a win for Australia’s fledgling pros

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Golf: Aussie Cameron Smith couldn't hold back his emotions after his first ever win on the PGA Tour.

• May 2nd 2017
• 2 days ago
• /video/video.news.com.au/Sport/Golf/

Cam Smith (L) is congratulated by his playing partner Jonas Blixt.

A WAVE of youthful Aussie golf pros may idolise Adam Scott and dream of having the shot fire of Jason Day but they relate to Cam Smith.

The private jet lifestyle, Scott’s Bahamas address and rich list status have been hard-earned by Australia’s top golfers but it is other worldly compared to the circles that most fledgling pros operate in as they fight for a breakthrough.

That’s why the positive spin-offs to Smith’s rousing success in New Orleans on Monday will both nourish his career at 23 as well as the generation around him.

Cam Smith (L) is congratulated by his playing partner Jonas Blixt.Source:AFP

Smith didn’t jump straight into the US but built credentials on the Asian Tour in 2014 before a bold top 10 finish in a co-sanctioned event in Kuala Lumpur catapulted him into chances on the mega-rich PGA Tour.

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It’s a path for peers to emulate as Sydney’s PGA Tour rookie Brett Drewitt did via China.

Aspiring pros __like Jarryd Felton, Jake Higginbottom, Jake McLeod, Lucas Herbert, teenager Ryan Ruffels, Curtis Luck, Dimi Papadatos, Aaron Wilkin, Nathan Holman, Todd Sinnott and others were teammates or opponents of Smith during his four Interstate Teams events as a top Queensland amateur.

All must feel the PGA Tour is a little closer as a dream because of the grounded Smith’s deeds.

The teams format with Swede Jonas Blixt in New Orleans was ideal to let Smith’s full talent sing.

For rookie pros, the PGA Tour is often about grinding for a solid finish to build prizemoney to keep a playing card rather than all-out, glory-or-bust aggression.

Smith said he felt “freed up” with a chilled-out partner as back-up in the team fourball and foursomes and shots __like his ripping six iron over water to the par three play-off hole reflected it.

A secure tour card, more than $3 million in career prizemoney, elite tournament invitations and less stress may now convert to Smith feeling free more often.

Blixt is in no doubt after Smith’s seeing short game class up close: “The sky’s the limit ... I’ve never seen anything that good in an extremely long time.”

Originally published as Smith’s victory a win for Generation Next