Cameron Smith fires warning to Rory McIlroy (and co) ahead of Open title defence

LIV Golf's Cameron Smith believes he is a "better golfer" than ever on the eve of his title defence at the 151st Open Championship at Royal Liverpool.

Smith, 29, ran out a narrow one-stroke victory over Cameron Young at St Andrews last July to etch his name on the famous Claret Jug, something he has taken a great deal of pride in the past 12 months. 

The Australian, who will attempt to become the first player to successfully defend The Open since Padraig Harrington in 2008, does not intend to give the trophy back for longer than a week when he returns to meet the R&A on Monday.

"It has been so much fun to have [the Claret Jug], but it will definitely be motivation to try and get it back," Smith told The West Australian.

"It’s the coolest trophy in the world, it’s unreal to have. Hopefully if not this year, in years to come I can try and get it back down to Australia."

Smith will speak to the media at large in the R&A Media Centre at Monday 2pm. 

While Smith is not the tournament favourite for the 2023 Open Championship, he is currently fifth in the betting at 14/1 behind Rory McIlroy (7/1), Scottie Scheffler (9/1), Jon Rahm (9/1) and Brooks Koepka (12/1).

But Smith, who won LIV Golf London last week, has fired a warning to those at the top of the market - and the rest of the field - by declaring he is a far better golfer in 2023.

Even despite winning five times in 2022. 

Related: McIlroy rips into LIV Golf with his most ruthless comment yet

"I do feel like I am a better golfer," said Smith while sightseeing in London before heading over to Royal Liverpool. 

"I do feel like that one thing, even though I won five times last year, I feel like I had a few days with the driver during a tournament where I was in contention and it really let me down. I was kind of grinding to stay at the top of the leaderboard.

Related: Cam Smith packs on the PDA with girlfriend at LIV Golf London

"The golf is starting to feel really nice, it’s starting to be in a spot where it doesn’t have to be 100 per cent for me to contend and that‘s’s a really nice feeling.

"The last couple of months I feel like I have really put the foot down, doing all the right stuff and started to straighten out the driver. Watching some golf from Hoylake it doesn’t look like there is a lot of drivers anyway so that might play in to my hands a little bit."

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