Fresh off his breakthrough US PGA Tour victory, Australian youngster Cameron Smith says he's relishing a home-ground advantage at the Players Championship this week.
The 23-year-old Queenslander won his way into the Tour's flagship tournament at TPC Sawgrass courtesy of his nailbiting playoff victory at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans two weeks ago.
In the two-man teams event, Smith and Sweden's Jonas Blixt combined to defeat American duo Scott Brown and Kevin Kisner on the fourth extra hole of a Monday finish at TPC Louisiana.
Teeing it up in his first tournament since his maiden victory in four years as a professional, the newly-minted Jacksonville Beach resident feels right at home at TPC Sawgrass.
Starting Thursday, the Players Championship is regarded as golf's unofficial fifth major.
"It's my adopted home course seeing as I live 10 minutes down the road. TPC Sawgrass is where I practice and play in my off weeks," Smith said.
Such proximity has given the Brisbane native backstage access to recent design changes made to the course, which will play host to the world's best golfers, who are vying for the $US 1.89 million winner's prize.
"It's a relatively new course for everyone with the changes they've made. It's going to play firm and fast which plays into into mine and other Australians' hands given we grow up on similar courses," Smith said.
After finishing fifth on his PGA Tour debut in 2014 and fourth in his maiden major championship at the 2015 US Open, Smith iced his reputation as the next big thing in Australian golf with the $US 1 million victory in New Orleans.
In only his third season, Smith believes being exempt on the lucrative Tour until the end of 2019 allows him to adopt a more aggressive style.
"I definitely feel less stressed about my game and more relaxed on and off the course now I have that job security," he said.
"My caddie, Sam (Pinfold) and I have always been conservative; playing some safe shots into greens. But now, we can take some chances without having to worry too much about missing a cut."
Also fuelling Smith's Players Championship tilt is the fact his Zurich Classic win carried no world ranking points, meaning the No.114 has his work cut out trying to qualify for next month's US Open.
Smith has already booked spots at the British Open and US PGA Championship, as well as a likely berth in the rich FedEx Cup playoffs series at season's end.
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