'Went for glory': Aussie golfer's $2 million final hole meltdown
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.
Cameron Smith just needed par on the last to be in a potential four-man playoff. 😬 pic.twitter.com/n8VJGNmIHL
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) August 8, 2021
Today has been an absolute clinic in how to not win.
— Daniel Rapaport (@Daniel_Rapaport) August 8, 2021
Heading to a playoff on @CBS that doesn't include Cameron Smith because... https://t.co/kf8qljlghP pic.twitter.com/AekrUGIIAg
— Matt Zahn (@mattzahnsports) August 8, 2021
Not what you wanna see as a Cameron Smith backer
pic.twitter.com/xa7sz9K5xm— Bet The Greens (@betthegreens) August 8, 2021
Love Cameron Smith. At 18 tied for the lead, could have chipped out and gone for par from the deep rough. Instead, went for glory. (Failed. Misses out on play off.) pic.twitter.com/yAU2PVGbhu
— Jack Snape (@jacksongs) August 8, 2021
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.
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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