Hong Kong Open: Cameron Smith to return to city with status enhanced – as will the golf showpiece itself
- Australian’s profile has been elevated by a major championship triumph, as has that of the Hong Kong tournament after it was made an International Series event
- Smith’s previous outing in the Hong Kong Open was as a rookie needing to advance his career, but he says ‘it’s definitely a lot different this time around’
The last time Cameron Smith played at the Hong Kong Open, he was a rookie professional needing a good week to qualify for the PGA Tour’s CIMB Classic in Kuala Lumpur.
A tie for ninth during the 2014 tournament did the trick and the rest, as they say, is history.
Now ranked 11th in the world and with a major to his name, Smith will return to the city in November when the Open again features on the Asian Tour, but this time as one of its elevated International Series events.
Much has changed for the Australian in the past nine years, not least in his status as arguably the best player in a field expected to include several more of his LIV colleagues.
“I was under a little bit of pressure that week and it was kind of a bit of a nerve-racking week, especially given, you know, the stage of my career,” Smith said of his 2014 experience. “So, it’s definitely a lot different this time around.”
By the time the Open gets under way, Smith’s LIV season, which has included wins in London and Bedminster, could well have finished with him at the top of the individual standings, but for all his success, the 30-year-old feels little pressure to win.
