By Peter Owen
GRAEME Miller, the founder and president of the Invincibles Sunshine Coast Junior Golf Tour, remembers when Cameron Smith, a skinny 10-year-old with a handicap that matched his age, turned up for his first junior event.
“He was a delightful young fellow,” Miller recalls. “He was always thinking of others, always helping – enormously obliging.”
Miller was one of tens of thousands of Australians who sat up and watched as Cameron Smith took out the world’s most famous golf tournament, and he continued to watch as Cam accepted the trophy and made his speeches.
“He hasn’t changed a bit,” said Miller with a touch of wonder in his voice. “He’s the same humble young person he always was – a man of genuine character and decency.”
Miller began the Invincibles Tour more than 20 years ago with the aim of providing a pathway for young players – talented or otherwise – to achieve their potential as golfers and to create a platform for them to follow their dreams.
He organised a schedule of junior tournaments, cajoled outstanding coaches to mentor his young players, attracted sponsors, won the support of club administrators and organised presentation functions.
Above all, he insisted that members of the Invincibles Tour dress appropriately, understood the traditions of the game, behave with integrity and honesty, and he showed them how to speak in public with confidence and poise.
He taught them to dare to dream.
“I’ve never been one to look back,” Miller said. “I’m always looking ahead – trying to do whatever is necessary to make our tour better.
“But I look at Cameron Smith and I’m gobsmacked at what he’s achieved, and where he’s come from. He is the epitome of what the Invincibles Tour is about.
“He’s a wonderful golfer, one of the very best in the world and I’m sure he’s just getting started. But, more than that, he’s an outstanding person, and we’re very proud of him.”
Miller recalls a 2005 weekend golf clinic at the old Hyatt Regency Coolum, where teaching professionals like Grant Field, Peter Heiniger and Sean Seymore gave their time to coach the young Invincibles members.
“It coincided with the club championships at Wantima, and naturally enough, the club wanted Cameron to play there,” Miller said.
“But Cam was adamant. He was going to the clinic at the Hyatt. He said he would play in the club championships the following year.”
Even now, at the very pinnacle of his profession and with countless demands on his time, Cameron Smith never turns down an opportunity to visit the Sunshine Coast, encourage the hundreds of young hopefuls who have followed in his footsteps, and inspire them to follow their dreams.
Cameron Smith joins elite group of players
By Michael Court
CAMERON Smith joined a small but elite group of Aussies to win the British Open Championship when he rode a red-hot putter to win the 150th British Open at the Home of Golf St Andrews.
Smith gave Irish hero Rory McIlroy and young Norwegian Victor Hovland a start and a beating as he careered around the back-nine at the Old Course with five successive birdies to surge to the front before holding off a strong-finishing Cameron Young, finishing at 20-under par to win by a shot.
McIlroy had one last bid to make it a playoff at the last hole if he could hole a difficult chip for eagle but it wasn’t to be as he made a par to finish solo third.
Smith became only the fifth Australian behind Peter Thomson, Kel Nagle, Ian Baker-Finch and Greg Norman to win golf’s oldest event.
At just 28 years of age, Smith shot a final-round 64 with a stunning back nine of 30 to secure his first-ever major … and a special one at the home of golf, St Andrews.
His eight-under effort was the lowest final round to ever win The Open at St Andrews, he also eclipsed Tiger Woods’ record of 19-under from 2000 for the best winning score at the Old Course by one shot and equalled Henrik Stenson’s all-time scoring record to par – at Royal Troon in 2016 – in an Open.
Smith’s win was set up by a run of five straight birdies from the 10th to the 14th as the golfing gods smiled on him and the putts began to drop.
Amazingly, Smith was only the second best putter at this year’s Open championship.
He had 120 putts for the week, one more than Si Woo Kim, who finished equal 15th.
Yet the rest of Smith’s game deserves plenty of plaudits as well and despite shooting 73 in the third round he would later describe that as his best ball-striking round of the week – that is until the final round.
What’s in Cameron’s bag?
NEWLY-MINTED Open champion Cameron Smith had a bag full of tricks at the 150th Open Championship at St Andrews.
Aside from his red-hot Scotty Cameron 009M Tour prototype putter, what else in his bag that helped him win the Claret Jug?
Driver: Titleist TSR3 (10 degrees), with Fujikura Ventus Blue 6X shaft.
Fairway Wood: TitleistTSi2 (15 degrees), with Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 8X shaft.
Irons: Mizuno Pro Fli-Hi (3-4), Titleist T100 (5-9), with KBS Tour 130 Custom Matte Black X shafts.
Wedges: Titleist Vokey-design SM9 (46, 52, 56, 60 degrees), with KBS Tour 130 Custom Matte Black X shafts.
Putter: Scotty Cameron 009M Tour prototype.
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x.
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet SuperTack.
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