Cameron Smith

Cameron Smith's fine round of 68 started and finished with double bogeys while Danny Willett opened with 69 and Tiger Woods with 71.

His 69 was matched by Danny Willett, who is looking to end a dismal Augusta run since donning the Green Jacket in 2016. Scheffler also came unstuck at the last but only by way of a bogey. No chance; birdies at the 13th and 16th – he converted from 29ft there – contributed to a day’s work under par. He cut a frustrated figure after a wasteful dropped shot at par five eighth and was again agitated following a pulled drive at the tricky 9th. He played perfectly controlled golf for six holes – at which point he was one under – before a wayward tee shot at the 7th. Cameron Smith, seeking to become the only player other than Woods to claim the Players Championship and Masters in the same year, again proved his Augusta specialism.

The only man to shoot all four rounds in the 60s at Augusta National was at it again Thursday with a 68 — and he had a prime seat for the day's main ...

The Masters groups players in threesomes the first two rounds, but Smith and Bryson DeChambeau played in a twosome after their third, Paul Casey, withdrew due to back issues. Augusta saw torrential downpours for most of the day Tuesday, off and on Wednesday and Thursday morning, but Smith called course conditions “amazing” despite the soaking. The Smith-DeChambeau twosome played quick enough that they found themselves waiting for the threesome ahead to clear. In between, it was pure bliss: pinpoint accurate iron shots (he hit 14 of 16 greens in regulation), phenomenal drives (10 of 12 in the fairway) and even a chip-in on the par-4 fifth — his first birdie of the day and one that triggered quite a run. Smith only felt its bite on No. 1 and 18, where errant tee shots resulted in the pair of doubles. By noon Thursday, the skies cleared, the sun shined and the wind was whipping. And so, as most do when in the presence of Tiger Woods, Smith dropped what he was doing — which was playing a great round of golf at, ahem, the Masters — to admire the 46-year-old, 15-time major champion. Business in the front, party in the back, some might say. In fact, after Thursday’s round and despite hiking some 11,000 steps across Augusta National, Smith planned to return home for a 30-minute ride on a stationary bike. Smith did it all while one group in front of the main attraction. But on this day, Mullet Man bested Big Cat. Smith continues what’s been a sizzling start to his 2022 season. The 28-year-old, mullet-wearing Australian carded a 6 on each of the par-4 first and 18th holes.

Cameron Smith made eight birdies in a span of 12 holes Thursday at Augusta National Golf Club to open the 86th Masters.

Smith played one group ahead of Woods and found himself stopping to watch the five-time Masters champion play like the thousands of patrons who tracked his every step. Smith stuffed his tee shot near the hole at 6 for birdie, the first of three deuces on the card with birdies also at Nos. 12 and 16. If you sign up to a service by clicking one of the links, we may earn a referral fee. “His short game is ridiculous and it’s been ridiculous for 15 years,” Herbert said. “He’d be under a tree, trying to carry a bunker to a short-sided pin and I remember him trying to hit the lip in the middle of a tournament. He didn’t make a birdie until the fifth hole when he pulled his second left of the green.

On paper it was a bad draw, playing in front of Tiger Woods. How did Cam Smith manage to shoot 68?

And even though the Tiger gallery was respectful, the crowd the size of a small city can only be so quiet. “There was definitely a lot of noise,” Smith admitted. He’s the type of cat that makes Dustin Johnson look stressed. Then there is the nature of the patrons themselves. Even if fans wanted to move there simply was the space to facilitate it, so everyone stood where they were. There were no shouts of “Quiet, please” or “Hold still” from marshalls or caddies; the crowd stood at attention when called for. There were similar scenes during Thursday’s first round of the Masters, and the gallery that surrounded Woods every move was loud and impressive and definitely big. Perhaps Smith also benefited from the surprise and intrigue generated by this week especially. There are a number of holes where patrons aren’t behind or near the green, severely reducing fan movement in approach sightlines. AUGUSTA, Ga.—On paper it was a bad draw for Cameron Smith, maybe the worst of draws and it had nothing to do with the weather or his pairing. But the crowds did not deter those around Woods—or at least Smith; DeChambeau finished with a 76, although he is battling injury—for Augusta National and the Masters proved unique in combating the aforementioned obstacles. For players, that usually means dealing with noise and moving scenery and just a general indifference to what you’re trying to do.