Cameron Smith has blasted the course set up at Kingston Heath ahead of the ISPS HANDA Australian Open in Melbourne.
Smith is fuming at the ‘soft and slow’ conditions being presented this week believing that it takes away the true character of sand belt courses and negates the ability for creativity and shot shaping.
The 2022 Open champion used his imagination, touch and feel to win the Claret Jug at St Andrews, famously two-putting from behind the road hole bunker and was relishing a similar test this week only to be left dumbfounded by the soft conditions.
“I’ve played down here at Kingston Heath in an Aussie Masters, and I’ve told this story a lot actually, where I was allowing 25-30 metres of run out with a pitching wedge which is a lot,” recalled Smith who doesn’t believe heavy rainfall should have been a factor.
“Usually around the world you’re trying to take spin off, make sure it doesn’t spin back too much. I think when you get a place like this, where it’s meant to play like that, you have to create spin and create shots to get close to pins which is what everyone really loves.
“The weather down here the last couple of weeks has been pretty good, I know they got some rain over the weekend and again this morning, but I’ve played down here in rain before and it’s still been like that the next day.
“So, I think that’s a bulls*** excuse, to be honest. I think it’s been prepared like this for a reason and it’s now how these golf courses are meant to be played.
“It’s actually quite disappointing. I’ve been keeping an eye on the weather down here and was really quite excited to get down here with the weather they had last week, the hot temperatures,” he added.
Smith is one of the big name Aussies in the field including Min Woo Lee, Marc Leishman and Lucas Herbert while Chile’s Joaquin Niemann is another star attraction.
“I was really quite excited to play a firm and fast, Sandbelt (course) but it seems like there’s been a lot of water on there and not really what I was expecting,” Smith continued.
“We love it because it’s firm and fast, and it’s hard, and you have to be creative thinking about shot shapes, and that’s why everyone loves it and it’s not going to play like that at all.
“The best golfer is still going to win but it’s not how it’s meant to be.”
West Waterford’s Gary Hurley is also in the field.
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