PGA Championship 2026: Even Cam Smith admitted it was nice to be back
Darren Carroll/PGA of America
A common trait among those who went to the LIV Tour is to act offended at the mere suggestion that they might not be the player they once were, despite, in certain cases, evidence pointing to the contrary. For former Open champion Cam Smith, the evidence was mounting, at least in the majors, where he had missed six consecutive cuts coming into this week's PGA Championship.
At Aronimink, though, Smith looked like the Smith of old, shooting 68-68 on the weekend, securing his first top-five finish in a major since the 2023 U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club.
Smith won a Players Championship and a claret jug in a span of four months in 2022, instantly making him a coveted item for the Saudi-backed circuit. Understandably, he cashed in on his moment. Then he won three times on LIV between 2022 and 2023. Then, he faded. Quickly.
The easy criticism was that Smith had effectively retired. That he was a guy far more interested in fishing, having a few beers and enjoying his riches. Recently, though, Smith disproved that theory with a major switch this year—he left his longtime swing coach of 20 years, Grant Field, and began working with Claude Harmon.
"We've just managed to clean up a few things that were perhaps a little bit off, and I feel like I've got a lot more confidence in my swing," Smith said Sunday.
The results are already speaking for themselves. The 32-year-old Aussie, who quickly became a fan favorite for his chaotic style of play, beautiful putting stroke and overall vibe, went out in 32 in the final round and looked poised to match Justin Thomas' five under total, at the time the clubhouse lead. He had one last look at it on the 18th, but his final birdie effort didn't break, and his 68 led to a final total of four under—four shots behind winner Aaron Rai.
"It feels great to play nice," he said. "You don't work hard to play crap, and it's frustrating, and the last couple of years have been frustrating. I feel like I've been putting in the work and not really getting anything out of it."
He got plenty out of it this week, almost enough to pull off an out-of-nowhere win. An excellent sign of things to come with his new coach. The best sign? How the swing changes held up in the Sunday heat.
"Even out there today, under the pressure I felt like I was able to trust it already. So lots of positive signs," said Smith.
Smith began charging early at No. 2, where he stuffed a 117-yard approach shot to six feet. After missing the fairway at the fourth, Smith muscled an iron out of the rough from 159 yards that chased up to 10 feet for another birdie conversion. At the par-5 ninth, he was on in two, his eagle putt coming up just a foot short and setting up a tap in for 32.
He did not make a birdie on the back, but it was not for lack of effort. He had five looks inside of 20 feet and couldn't get one to drop, proof that his irons were dialed under pressure and Aronimink's severely-sloped greens can make even one of the best putters on the planet scratch their heads in disbelief.
Smith was anything but crushed afterward. He was asked about the Sunday pressure, and how it felt considering he hadn't been in the mix like that in "a little while." The type of question that could yield a scoff or an eye roll. Maybe even both.
Smith took it in stride.
"I mean, thanks for bringing that up. I haven't been there in a little while. You're right," he said.
"It was good. I love that stuff. That's why we compete. We compete to win, and it was nice to get the heart rate up and, you know, feel your hands and your legs get a little bit jelly. It was cool."
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