The much-awaited major of the year concluded on Sunday. And the Claret Jug went to its new owner Brian Harman. Although a lot of golf fans expected defending champion Cameron Smith to win the crown again this season, he fell short, much to their disappointment.

This week surely wasn’t a good one for Cameron Smith as he struggled a lot in difficult conditions at Hoylake. Although he has come a cropper, he has not made any excuses. He has taken the defeat in his stride like a true champion. Let’s learn more about it.

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Defending Champion Cameron Smith fails to retain the trophy

Last year, Cameron Smith had a brilliant performance at the Open Championship. He defeated Cameron Young by one stroke to become the winner of the Claret Jug with an overall under-20 score. It was a dominant performance by all means. So it was no wonder the expectations from him were real high this edition. 

After finishing tied 33rd, the six-time major championship winner confessed how hard it was to make birdies at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club. In the post-tournament press conference, Smith revealed various things related to his performance on the course. When asked by the moderator about how tough it was to play given that the weather condition was unfavorable, Smith replied that the ball wasn’t going far, making it difficult for him.

The moderator also asked Smith if he would get the Claret Jug back (the next year). To which the 29-year-old golfer responded, “Yeah, I think so. Even at the start of the week I felt as though I was playing good enough golf. It just wasn’t my week. I left — usually I’m leaning on my putter to make good scores, and this week it was almost the opposite.”

Also Read: Despite Facing Tough Lip Outs at Hoylake, Rory McIlroy Sees Glimmer of Hope as He Moves Inches Closer to an Incredible Feat

How exactly Cameron Smith fared at the Open?

Smith started the tournament with high hopes to retain the trophy. He successfully made the cut thanks largely to a brilliant eagle on the 18th hole on Friday and qualified for the weekend rounds. However, the two other rounds were tough for him even as leader Brian Harman was going from strength to strength.

Things completely went downhill for the Australian golfer in the final round as he suffered two bogeys. On the day he had to ramp up his performance, his top game eluded him. But the good thing is he hasn’t lost his heart and will make a fresh challenge next year. What are your thoughts on Smith’s average performance at the Open? Let us know in the comments below.

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