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'Went for glory': Aussie golfer's $2 million final hole meltdown

Cameron Smith (pictured left) looking at the final hole and (pictured right) hitting a tree on the final hole of the World Golf Championships-FedEx St Jude Invitational.
Cameron Smith (pictured left) went for an all-or-nothing shot (pictured right) in the final hole of the World Golf Championships-FedEx St Jude Invitational and missed out on the win. (Getty Images/@pgatour).

Aussie Cam Smith suffered a horror final hole of World Golf Championships-FedEx St Jude Invitational and ultimately cost himself a $2 million payday.

Smith was tied for the lead at 16-under heading into the final hole, but finished two shots out of a three-man playoff after going for an all-or-nothing play.

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His final-round playing partner Abraham Ancer took the title on the second extra hole.

A week after falling agonisingly short of a bronze-medal playoff at the Olympics with a bogey on his 72nd hole in Tokyo, Smith could have joined Ancer, Hideki Matsuyama and Sam Burns at the TPC Southwind playoff.

But Smith tried to win the tournament before the playoff and it backfired.

On the 18th, Smith ended up behind trees that were blocking his way to the green after he sliced his tee shot well right.

Despite seemingly having no option but to bail out and try and get up and down for par from the fairway - which he achieved with his second ball - Smith elected to fire at the green from a dusty lie.

Hit shot cannoned off a tree and out of bounds.

Smith ended up finishing tied fifth and won $520,000, a little less than the nearly $2.5 million for the winner.

Smith unapologetic over final hole attempt

Regardless, Smith wasn't apologetic to anyone about his attempt to go for glory on the final hole.

Even though it cost him a shot at $2 million.

"I wanted to win. I didn't want to chip it out and leave my chances in (my rivals') hands," Smith said.

"There was a little gap up there. I had to hit like a medium flight draw and I tried to hit it.

"I wanted to make sure I had a good look at birdie and I just didn't execute it."

Smith's round of two-over 72 left the world No.28 - who two days ago tied the PGA Tour record for fewest in a round with just 18 - in a three-way tie for fifth.

Cameron Smith (pictured) looks on from the second hole during the final round of the FedEx St. Jude Invitational at TPC Southwind on August 08, 2021 in Memphis, Tennessee.
Cameron Smith (pictured) looks on from the second hole during the final round of the FedEx St. Jude Invitational at TPC Southwind on August 08, 2021 in Memphis, Tennessee. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images) (Sam Greenwood via Getty Images)

Ancer, the 2018 Australian Open champion, secured his first title on the PGA Tour by overcoming Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama and Sam Burns in the playoff with a six-foot birdie putt.

"This is surreal," the 30-year-old Mexican said.

"I felt I left so many shots out there on the back nine, but you never know."

with AAP

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