17 July 2023 , 18:39
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Cameron Smith had to fight back the tears when he handed back the Claret Jug on Monday but told his mates: "It'll only be a week and we'll be drinking out of it again."
Emotion got the better of Smith when he returned one of sport’s most iconic trophies at the start of the 151st Open week at Royal Liverpool.
He said: "It's nice to be back. I just had to hand back the trophy there. I thought I was going to do all right but I was actually holding back from tears. A bit of a moment, I guess, that crept up on me."
When it was pointed out he could win it again, Smith laughed: "Yeah, that's what I've been saying to all my mates. It'll only be a week and we'll be drinking out of it again. Hopefully it's another week like last year and I'm back with the trophy."
The 29-year-old Australian came out on top at St Andrews in 2022 after staring down the challenge of Rory McIlroy and Cameron Young but immediately stepped into huge controversy when he defected to LIV Golf.
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It was a huge coup for the rebel tour in the bitter battle between LIV and the PGA Tour, which came to a hugely surprising end recently when they brokered a peace-making deal.
And Smith, who has already won $10million in prize money on the LIV circuit (to go with a staggering $140million signing-on fee), predictably has few regrets about his move.
He said: "Probably the most stressful part was trying to make the decision … then it was almost like a breath of fresh air getting out there and playing golf again."
Cameron Smith is hoping to retain The Open (Getty Images)And he thinks LIV has been good for the sport, explaining: "I think golf is in a great spot. There's obviously a lot of things that are up in the air that no one really knows at the moment. There is a lot of uncertainty, but I'm optimistic that LIV will be around in the future."
And while the likes of McIlroy have been particularly scathing about the players who took the Saudi riches and left the PGA and DP World Tours, Smith says it is great to catch up with old mates.
He said: "I think it's good seeing old friends, probably more than the competition stuff. But we're all here to win the Claret Jug."
Smith won his last LIV tournament, at the Centurion Club in Hertfordshire, and is well-fancied to put up a robust defence of his crown at Royal Liverpool.
Australia's Cameron Smith practising ahead of The Open (Getty Images)And he certainly sounds quietly confident, saying: "I think as a golfer, I'm actually better now than what I was last year. It feels really close. I feel like it's right there. It just hasn't been there for all four rounds. It just all has to come together."
And the man from Brisbane has got a dream double in mind for Sunday... a defence of his title and his compatriots clinching the Ashes 55 miles down the road at Old Trafford.
"That would be unreal," he said. "Hopefully, the Aussie boys can get it done this week. The first three Tests have been amazing but I think going into a fifth Test... could be a bad thing. I’d like them to get it done this week."
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