Australian youngster Cameron Smith is raring to rediscover his career-best golf after shaking off an intestinal illness that plagued the majority of his 2016 US PGA Tour campaign.
The 23-year-old is among seven Australians in the Californian desert this week to contest the CareerBuilder Challenge, starting Friday AEDT.
American major winner Jason Dufner is the defending champion at the $US5.8 million event, which is played across PGA West's Stadium, Nicklaus and La Quinta courses for the first three rounds.
Brisbane native Smith's first hit out for 2017 came at last week's Sony Open in Hawaii, where he finished in a credible share of 27th.
Despite American Justin Thomas blitzing the field for a seven-shot victory at Waialae Country Club, Smith reached second place midway through the third round.
"It was a good first tournament (for 2017), but the touch around the greens and putting was where I struggled," said Smith.
"I didn't have my best golf in Honolulu, so to get a 27th out of it gives me confidence."
As a rookie on the US PGA Tour, Smith enjoyed a breakthrough 2014/15 season - highlighted by an eagle on the 72nd hole to tie for fourth at the 2015 US Open on his major championship debut.
But a drawn-out intestinal illness - during which he lost eight kilograms - saw Smith lose his US PGA Tour card in 2016.
Smith was forced to play the second-tier Web.com Tour finals in order to redeem his status on the lucrative main circuit, where Smith finished in seventh place among the crucial top 25.
A revitalised Smith has kicked off his 2017 season with $US 336,216 in five events, highlighted by a top 10 in Las Vegas in November, among four top-40 finishes.
"I'm feeling good; back to 100 per cent," said Smith.
"I feel so much stronger and just in control, more than anything.
"I can eat whatever I want, which is really important. I lost seven or eight kilos last year with what doctors said was an intestinal bug."
Smith is joined be fellow Australians Aaron Baddeley, former US Open champion Geoff Ogilvy, John Senden, Brett Drewitt, Steven Bowditch and Cameron Percy at the CareerBuilder Challenge.
The Phil Mickelson-hosted tournament is the first US PGA Tour stop on the American mainland after the two-week Hawaiian swing.
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