Augusta, Georgia, United States: Cameron Smith will not give up on his quest for a Green Jacket after another strong showing in the 88th edition of the Masters Tournament.
On Sunday, the Australian recorded his fifth top-10 finish in eight starts at Augusta National.
With a two-under aggregate of 286, Smith ended in a share of sixth place – nine strokes behind world number one Scottie Scheffler, who completed his second Masters victory in three years.
During a week when conditions proved challenging, American Scheffler, England’s Tommy Fleetwood, who finished joint third, and Smith were the only players in the field not to post an over-par round.
But two-time Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship (AAC) participant Smith was left to ponder what might have been after signing for one-under 71s on days one and four and even-par 72s in the second and third rounds.
“It’s just a frustrating week. I can’t really say much more than that,” 30-year-old Smith told Fox Sports.
“I hit the ball how I know I needed to and put my ball in the right spots … but the putts just didn’t fall this week. It was very frustrating. I feel like that’s as good as I’ve played around here.
“It’s a creative golf course and I’d love to think I play my best golf when I’m creative. There’s so many shots that you get around here that you don’t get the rest of the year. It’s just such a cool place.”
Smith will have another chance to challenge for the Green Jacket next year. He is exempt at The Masters through 2027 courtesy of his Open Championship triumph at St Andrews in 2022.
Joining him back at Augusta National next year will be fellow-Australian Cam Davis, who closed with a 75 to finish tied for 12th spot – the cut-off point for players to be invited back the following year.
Like Smith, Davis made two appearances in the AAC during his amateur days, with a best of tied second in Hong Kong in 2015.
Other former AAC participants who made the cut at Augusta in the first men’s Major of 2024 were Australian Min Woo Lee (tied 22nd), Korean Kim Si-woo (tied 30th) and New Zealand’s Ryan Fox (tied 38th).
Alongside Fox on seven-over 295 was Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama, a two-time AAC winner who became the first Asian to win the Masters in 2021.
The distinction of finishing as the leading Asian went to Korean An Byeong-hun, who tied for 16th, missing out on an automatic return to Augusta National in 2025 by a single stroke. The top-12 finishers and ties earn invitations back to next year’s Masters.
The 32-year-old An signed off on his fifth appearance at Augusta with a 75. “The first two days were great, but the weekend was a little disappointing. I feel like my ball striking was there, but putting let me down. It was very disappointing to finish this way. I’ve got to figure something out. It’s golf.
“But it’s the Masters. I’m playing on Sunday. It was great. Hopefully I can come back next year,” said An.
An’s compatriot Tom Kim, a former Asian Tour Order of Merit champion, fired the day’s lowest round of 66, highlighted by eight birdies, to share 30th place.
“For me, I made the cut on the number. I didn't really have a good moving day. I just came out here trying to make it as stress-free as possible, and I did. I got lucky with a good round there,” said the three-time PGA Tour winner, who believes the strong performances of the Korean contingent will inspire others to follow in their path.
He said: “A lot of us are playing really consistently. We've got a lot of good Korean players, and I think it's definitely getting a lot more competitive. I think us playing well is inspiring the next generation to play events like this because no matter what Tour comes along, you can't beat traditions like the Masters and the four Major championships.”
Similar sentiments were expressed by 27-year-old Scheffler, the outstanding player in the game today and just the 18th player to win more than one Masters title and the 88th multiple Major winner in the men’s game.
He said: “It's hard to put into words how special this is. It's been a long week, a grind of a week. It was a battle. The golf course was so challenging, and to be wearing this jacket again and getting to take it home is extremely special.”
Scheffler finished at 11-under 277, four strokes ahead of Masters debutant Ludvig Åberg of Sweden, and seven in front of Fleetwood and Americans Max Homa and Collin Morikawa who shared third at four-under.
