[PHOTO: LIV Golf]
Cameron Smith and his all-Australian Ripper GC have rounded into sensational form in time for the remaining three majors of this year, bagging a second consecutive teams victory on LIV Golf at its Singapore event.
Smith came from the clouds on the final round at the exclusive Sentosa Golf Club in Singapore with a seven-under-par 64 to finish at 13-under. He tied with teammate Marc Leishman (66) for second, two shots behind winner Brooks Koepka (15-under, 198) at the 54-hole event. Talor Gooch was fourth.
LIV Singapore marked 10 days until the second major of the year, the PGA Championship, kicks off. It will be played at Valhalla in Louisville, Kentucky, where Koepka will be the defending champion after winning his fifth major at Oak Hill last year. While Koepka will head to the PGA in winning form, Smith tied for sixth at the Masters in April.
“I’m very confident [about the PGA Championship],” Smith said, hvaing tied for ninth at last year’s PGA for his first career top 10 in that major. “It was nice to have my [sore] hip worked on on Friday afternoon. I was struggling on Friday [during a 71]. Nic [Catterall], my [musculoskeletal therapist], did a great job. I couldn’t have wanted a better finish [than tied second] heading into a major.”
Smith and Leishman combined with teammates Lucas Herbert (five-under total) and Matt Jones (one-under) to win the LIV Golf Singapore teams event, their second title in as many weeks having won the teams event at Adelaide last week in a playoff.
After a slow start to the season, Smith and his Ripper GC said they were expecting a big second half to the LIV season.
“We were lazy boys over Christmas, to be honest, and it took us a little bit to get going,” Smith said. “But this is is how we expect to play and how we want to keep playing. So we’re trying to make it three [consecutive] in Houston (the next LIV event in June).”
Smith said the addition in December of Herbert, whose career includes three DP World Tour victories and one PGA Tour title, had rounded out the team.
“I think we just keep pushing each other,” Smith said. “I think ‘Herbie’ has been a great addition, obviously. He’s got that young blood and he wants everyone to do well. He keeps pushing the old boys. It’s a really good mix of golfers we’ve got and a really good mix of personalities. We all just gel really well.”
