Cameron Smith was unflappable as ever on a TPC Sawgrass stage that causes a lot nervousness.
Through 13 holes within the last spherical at The Players Championship, Smith had just one par. With a two-stroke lead on the par-3 seventeenth gap and watching an island, he delivered the boldest shot of his profession. When he punched out from underneath the timber into the water on the closing gap, he by no means panicked.
Only after the 28-year-old Australian capped off an extended week with the largest win of his profession did he lose management of his feelings.
This was extra about household than his $3.6 million prize, his three-year exemption to the majors and his five-year exemption on the PGA Tour.
Waiting for him off the 18th inexperienced had been his mom Sharon and his sister Melanie, whom he had not seen in additional than two years due to journey restrictions Down Under from the pandemic. They arrived every week earlier than The Players Championship to see Smith in his adopted hometown of Ponte Vedra Beach.
And then he gave them the most effective deal with of all.
“I haven’t seen them in two years. It’s really cool to have them here,” Smith mentioned, his voice choking barely. “My main priority really was just to hang out with them and golf was second for these few weeks. It’s nice to see them and nice to get a win for them.”
Anirban Lahiri reacts after lacking a shot on the 18th gap throughout the last spherical of play in The Players Championship golf match Monday, March 14, 2022, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
It was fairly the enjoyment experience, a dynamic conclusion to the longest week at The Players Championship crammed with 5 days of dangerous climate and, finally, the excessive drama the Stadium Course sometimes delivers.
Smith one-putted eight of his final 9 holes, together with a birdie on the par-3 seventeenth and a 3-foot bogey putt after hitting into the water on the 18th. That gave him a 6-under 66 for a one-shot victory over Anirban Lahiri of India.
Leading by two on the seventeenth, 135 yards to the outlet on an island inexperienced, Smith cut up the distinction within the 12 toes that separated the flag from the water. The ball ended up 4 toes away and he made his record-tying tenth birdie of the spherical.
“I’d be lying if I didn’t push it a little bit,” Smith mentioned. “I was trying to hit it over the bunker there and hold it up against the wind. The wind didn’t really do much for maybe three quarters of the shot, and it held it up right there at the end. That was just awesome.”
Anirban Lahiri hits out of a bunker on the third inexperienced throughout the last spherical of play in The Players Championship golf match Monday, March 14, 2022, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Turns out he wanted that last birdie.
Smith punched out from the pine straw proper of the 18th fairway all the way in which into the water. After a penalty drop, his 60-yard wedge spun subsequent to the outlet to three toes for a bogey.
Lahiri, who began the ultimate spherical with a one-shot lead, birdied the seventeenth and wanted yet one more to drive a playoff. He got here up in need of the inexperienced, and his pitch was under the cup all the way in which. He closed with a 69.
Paul Casey shot 69 and was the sufferer of a horrible break on the sixteenth gap when he was in place to edge nearer to the lead.
Smith, who completed at 13-under 275, gained for the second time this yr, and the fifth time in his PGA Tour profession, and picked up $3.6 million from the $20 million purse, the richest in golf. He moved to No. 6 on the earth.
Lahiri’s solely massive mistake was a tee shot right into a palmetto bush on the par-3 eighth, forcing him to take a drop close to the concession space that led to double bogey. It was the one shot he dropped all day, and his finest end on the PGA Tour got here with a $2.18 million comfort prize.
Anirban Lahiri reacts afteer lacking a shot on the 18th gap throughout the last spherical of play in The Players Championship golf match Monday, March 14, 2022, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. Lahiri finshed in second place behind Cameron Smith, of Australia. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
“I’ve been here seven years; haven’t gotten over the line yet. That’s definitely a monkey I want to get off my back,” Lahiri mentioned. “Today was as good an opportunity as any. I gave it a good go. Made some mistakes today that I could have avoided, but that’s golf.”
Casey, in the meantime, was the sufferer of dangerous luck. He was two pictures behind and in the identical group as Smith when he appeared to have an enormous benefit on the par-5 sixteenth. Smith duck-hooked his tee shot into the pines. Casey drilled his drive down the center. But the ball took one final roll within the rain-soaked fairway, proper into one other participant’s pitch mark.
Instead of a mid-iron into the par 5, he needed to punch it out quick. Then, he was inches away from getting aid from a sprinkler head close to the inexperienced and needed to scramble for par. Smith punched out to the golf green and matched the par.
“You need a little bit of luck sometimes, don’t you? That wasn’t very good luck, was it?” mentioned Casey, who contemplated going for the inexperienced till realizing he might throw away no matter probability he had left if the shot got here out badly.
“It’s a shame. It was the best drive I hit all day,” he mentioned.
So concluded every week like no different on the TPC Sawgrass, the place a lot rain early within the week meant the primary spherical lasted 54 hours and 16 minutes, ending on Saturday morning. The wind that adopted wreaked havoc on half the sphere. The bone-chilling temperatures Sunday made it robust on everybody. It was the primary Monday end since 2005 at The Players.
Smith made it memorable for thus many different causes.
Cameron Smith, of Australia, holds the trophy after successful The Players Championship golf match Monday, March 14, 2022, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Kevin Kisner birdied three of his final 4 holes for a 68 to complete alone in fourth.
Keegan Bradley was amongst 4 gamers who had an opportunity over the past hour. He was one shot behind after a birdie on the sixteenth, solely to three-putt the seventeenth from the entrance of the inexperienced to a again pin, after which took double bogey on the 18th when his punch shot from the timber got here out scorching and ended up within the water. He shot 68 and completed fifth.
