By Martyn Herman
HOYLAKE (Reuters) – Reigning champion Cameron Smith is not hitting the panic button after beginning the defence of his Open title with a one-over round of 72 at Royal Liverpool on Thursday.
The Australian, who fired a majestic 64 to win the 150th Open at St Andrews last year, mixed four birdies with five bogeys in friendly scoring conditions.
He also returned one over-par round last year, however, and believes he is still in the mix to snap the Open’s run of nine successive first-time champions stretching back to when Phil Mickelson triumphed at Muirfield in 2013.
“There was lots of good today for myself, but probably just as much or even more bad. Nothing really to work on, to be honest. It still feels really good,” the upbeat 29-year-old, competing at his sixth Open, told reporters.
“It’s just there’s a couple of awkward shots out there for me with that wind off the left. It feels like you can’t hit the fairway, and it’s just awkward.
“It’s something I’m going to have to put up with.”
Smith believes with the weather predicted to be wet and windy at the weekend, scoring will be higher than at St Andrews where he finished on 20 under par for the tournament.
“I don’t think it’s going to be quite as much of a birdie fest as last year, which is probably a good thing for me and the other guys that are just over par,” he said.
“Just a couple of good rounds should be right back in it. I don’t feel like I’m out of the tournament.”
Smith, who joined the LIV exodus last year after his Open triumph, said patience was the key to links golf.
“I hit a couple of good drives the last few holes there on 16 and 18. They both went into some fairway bunkers, and they were probably some of my best swings of the day,” he said.
“I think that sums up links golf, to be honest. Some of your best shots and best strikes end up in the worst positions.”
The last player to win successive Opens was Padraig Harrington in 2008. Tiger Woods also won two in a row in 2005 and 2006 — retaining the Claret Jug at Hoylake after also winning the year before at St Andrews.
(Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by Toby Davis)
