A lot of the inspiration for Cameron Smith’s first PGA tournament of the year came at about 5,000 feet.
Flying into Sydney from Brisbane on Sunday en route to the Sony Open in Hawaii, Smith glimpsed in amazement the smoke-blackened skies wrought by the wildfires raging across vast portions of his native Australia.
What he didn’t see was much of Sydney itself. “Usually from (the) Sydney airport you can see the downtown, the skyline. You couldn’t see that,” Smith said. “The smoke was pretty bad.”
>> PHOTOS: Day 2 of Sony Open at Waialae Country Club
Touched by what they have seen and motivated by what they have felt, Smith and his Australian mates appearing at Waialae Country Club this week — Cameron Davis, Matt Jones and Marc Leishman — have dedicated themselves to raising relief funds for the victims back home at a $1,000-a-birdie pace and encouraging other golfers and their fans to join in.
So, when Smith finished the second round Friday afternoon with a birdie, the congratulatory talk outside the scorer’s trailer was less about the 5-under-par 65 and two-day 135 that propelled him into a 9-way tie for second place, one stroke behind the leaders and more about the appreciation for the $6,000 he would be contributing for the day, the $12,000, so far, totaled for the tournament and an opportunity for more over the 72-hole event’s final two days.
“That’s a big motivator, to try to raise as much money as I can for the guys back home,” Smith said. “I’m sure they will appreciate it.”
The PGA Tour and Presidents Cup have announced they will match funds raised by players in the Sony Open field up to $125,000.
Before and after his rounds, Smith checks his phone for word from home. He said he watches the TV for updates and tries to hope for the best, even when the prospects appear daunting. “I think they were expecting a pretty bad day with the heat and wind, again,” Smith noted. “So, hopefully, you know, they can do what they can do.”
Smith said, “It is definitely motivating. I’m trying not to think about it too much out on the course. I’m just trying to do my thing (out there). That’s probably the best way to raise as much money as I can for the fires back home.”
For Smith, the reminders are all around. Tragedy particularly hit home in heavily impacted New South Wales, where an uncle who owned property “has nothing left,” Smith said. “We’re a pretty close-knit family, so it has hit everyone a bit hard. I mean, it is devastating, really. He’s probably one of the more fortunate ones out of a lot, really. Some people have lost their way of work and everything, so it is pretty bad.”
Against a background of reddened skies on his Instagram account, Smith was compelled to post, “Australia is burning, and I’m lost for words! Have personally had family members affected by the disaster, and it’s only the start of fire season. If anyone can donate, even the smallest amounts, clothes, blankets etc, it all counts… Everyone stay safe and my thoughts are with you!! Let’s make some birdies!”
As they prepare for today’s third round at Sony, Smith and his countrymen see opportunity to lend a further helping hand. “We have two rounds left,” Smith noted. “So, hopefully, plenty of birdies left.”
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Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@staradvertiser.com or 529-4820.
