Aussie Cameron Smith slams LIV golf star for 'painful' slow play
Aussie star Cameron Smith slams fellow LIV golfer Phil Mickelson for his slow play during $25MILLION tournament: ‘It was painful’
- Cameron Smith says it was ‘painful’ to play quarters against Phil Mickelson
- Smith led the Punch GC team and is now a chance to win $16million first prize
- 52-year-old Mickelson sledged Smith’s inexperience earlier in the week
Aussie superstar Cameron Smith has lashed out at veteran major-winning golfer Phil Mickelson for his ‘painful’ slow play, as the 2022 Open victor clawed his team to the semi-finals of LIV’s golf team championship.
Punch GC, flying the flag for Australia, are now into the final against fellow big name captains Dustin Johnson, Louis Oosthuizen and Brooks Koepka.
Aussie golfing champion Cameron Smith talks to the LIV media after Punch GC enter the team final
But it was before the semi-finals where 29-year-old Smith made a cheeky remark towards his opponent Mickelson, seen during the match-play event.
The top eight match-up came down to the last hole, where Smith dropped a classy 10-foot putt to knock out the Hyflyers.
After the round, Smith said Mickelson was dawdling through the finals holes.
‘Yeah, it was a good match,’ the 2022 Players Champion said.
‘I think Phil maybe had some gamesmanship in there a little bit. He seemed to take forever today. I think we were three or four holes behind, so that was a bit painful.’
Hyflyers team captain Phil Mickelson (R) talks to the LIV media with teammate Matt Wolff (L) and Punch GC skipper Cam Smith (C)
Earlier in the week the two had a hilarious dig at one another before going head to head.
‘The way Phil hits his driver around here, I think he’ll be dropping a few balls out there,’ Smith said, having a crack at Mickelson’s (at times) wayward driver.
‘There’s not much I can say. But I have won here [in 2009], just sayin’. Cam have you even played here at Doral?’, the 52-year-old American replied.
‘I think you were at that clinic that I gave. It’s nice to see you were paying attention.’
On Sunday, Smith and countryman Marc Leishman, Wade Ormsby and Matt Jones will have the chance to take home a whopping individual $4million.
2004 Masters champion Phil Mickelson (L) congratulates 2005 Masters champion Tiger Woods, taking out his fourth Augusta National title
The four will compete in stroke play, where they must log the lowest score as a team (from all individual strokes combined) to win the purse and inaugural LIV team gong.
If Smith is crowned LIV team champs with his Punch peers, it would cap off an amazing year abroad before he heads down under to play in the Fortinet Australian PGA championship.
Phil Mickelson and Cam Smith share a laugh on the first tee during day one of the inaugural LIV golf team championship
The Queenslander has six career PGA titles to his name in a breakout 2022 year, winning the 150th Open and pocketing $2.5 million.
In an unprecedented golf deal, Smith then moved to the Saudi-backed league, signing on a $140million contract.
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