Golf – The Masters – Augusta Nationwide Golfing Club – Augusta, Georgia, U.S. – April 4, 2022 Australia’s Cameron Smith hits his tee shot on the 7th tee for the duration of a practice spherical REUTERS/Mike Segar

AUGUSTA, Ga., April 4 (Reuters) – Cameron Smith, who this week will consider to turn out to be only the second Australian to gain the Masters, said on Monday his major weapon at Augusta Countrywide will be how comfortable he is taking challenges on the unforgiving Augusta Nationwide layout.

That solution has served Smith effectively in the past as the planet quantity 6 has built the slash in all five of his Masters starts, such as two top 10s and a runner-up finish in 2020 when he turned the initially participant to shoot in the 60s in all 4 rounds.

“I come to feel like I participate in my most effective golfing when I’m artistic,” Smith, a 5 instances winner on the PGA Tour, told reporters through his pre-tournament news convention at Augusta Countrywide.

“This study course has so numerous, you know, slopes and stuff, you can work it off the greens company and rapidly. And, yeah, just adore currently being resourceful.”

The 28-year-previous Smith, with two wins to his name by now this year, enters the week as maybe Australia’s ideal possibility for a Masters winner given that Adam Scott slipped into the coveted Eco-friendly Jacket immediately after his breakthrough gain in 2013.

Smith reported information and facts he has collected around the decades from fellow Australians Scott and Marc Leishman, who posted his third occupation best-10 Masters end previous calendar year, has taught him a large amount about navigating Augusta National.

“I’m not fearful to strike distinctive shots all around here,” said Smith. “It can be, you know, incredibly tough to hit the shot that you want to hit about right here simply because you know if it does not arrive off, you could be in some pretty deep issues. I’m not scared to do that. I want to hit the suitable shot, and I want to get it close.”

The unflappable and in-form Smith will deliver a new amount of self-confidence to the to start with tee on Thursday possessing now secured a pair of extraordinary wins this calendar year.

Smith set a PGA Tour record with a rating of 34 beneath par to assert the title at Kapalua Golf Club in January and then picked up the major get of his job two months afterwards at The Gamers Championship exactly where he carded 10 closing-round birdies.

“Fairly superior time of year to be participating in very good golf,” explained Smith, who is rock-good with his irons and has a brief recreation that is amongst the greatest on tour.

“You know, it can be just good to contend. Nonetheless been performing challenging the last few of months at home and, yeah, I genuinely can not hold out to get back again out below this week.”

Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto Enhancing by Ken Ferris

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