Cameron Smith makes LIV Golf claim as he talks Masters chances
Cameron Smith has suggested he feels far better prepared for the 2024 Masters thanks to one key LIV Golf change.
Cameron Smith says he feels better prepared for the 2024 Masters after LIV Golf listened to the players and added more events to the rival league's schedule.
Smith will be making his eighth appearance at Augusta National this month and his second since joining the breakaway tour in 2022.
Last year he finished in a tie for 34th and Smith feels as though the lack of tournament golf did contribute to a lack of sharpness.
Smith will make the drive up Magnolia Lane having played five LIV events in 2024 compared to three last year.
The popular Australian also played the Australian Open and Australian PGA Championship at the turn of the year.
Related:
- Jon Rahm drops some huge news ahead of The Masters
- Which LIV Golf players have qualified for The Masters?
- Tiger Woods plays golf with Justin Thomas and Fred Ridley at Augusta National
Asked how it would feel to win the Masters, Smith told The West Australian: "It'd be unreal. The Open at St Andrews is pretty special.
"To double it up with a green jacket would just really be unbelievable,"
"I grew up watching it, didn't miss a shot there from about, I reckon I was five or six years old, all the way through to before I turned pro.
"Yeah, it's just such a cool place and to have the opportunity to do it in my eighth time there, I desperately want to get it and it'd be awesome if I did."
Smith's results with LIV so far this season has been mixed.
His best finish so far came in Hong Kong when he tied for second after losing in a playoff to Abraham Ancer.
"Last year we only got to play three events before the Masters. This will be our fifth event this week before the Masters," Smith said.
So why does he feel this year will be different?
"So it's a little bit more tournament time just being competitive," he said.
"It will help a lot in itself, but also just obviously picking the clubs up a little bit earlier.
"There was a few things that needed to change and they [LIV] changed it, so it's been great for us."
He continued: "As soon as the New Year begins, as soon as you pick the clubs back up, kind of after Christmas, you're straight into it and you're definitely thinking about Augusta.
"I don't think there's really anything specific. It's kind of in the back of your mind.
"Obviously there's tournaments in between the New Year and Augusta that you're trying to prepare for as well.
"But the last three weeks I've been trying to get out on the course a little bit more and really focus on some kind of shot, shaping and controlling flight, which I think is pretty crucial for playing good around there."
Cameron Smith Masters record:
2016: T-55
2018: T-5
2019: T-51
2020: T-2
2021: T-10
2022: T-3
2023: T-34
Read next:
Ben joined the GolfMagic team in September 2021, initially as a content executive.
These days, he assumes the position of content manager.
