Skip to content
NOWCAST WDSU News at Noon
Watch on Demand
Advertisement

Cameron Smith and Marc Leishman will team up for 2021 Zurich Classic

Cameron Smith and Marc Leishman will team up for 2021 Zurich Classic
No, thanks, Colin. Uh, I want to hear more about your father's trips to New Orleans. What? Little you know. I mean, what business was your father in? And did he influence you in your love of food? Uh, you know, they're They're the commercial laundry business. So he went out there, um, for some conventions or whatever. I think he's been out there two or three times. Um, but, you know, I wouldn't just say he was influenced. My love for food. It's kind of just my family. We always used to go out to dinner, and we still do. Obviously, we're trying to be safe, but, you know, pre covid and everything. We always went out. You know, we always went to go find the good foods wherever we went. Obviously, I traveled a lot, So we're able to travel a lot as a family, and I just kind of grew and and being a professional golfer, you know, we we traveled to all these places being able to try all these foods. Um, and and, you know, I'll be honest, they haven't been the best. Um, but some places have been awesome. Obviously, New Orleans is going to be. You know something? I really look forward to. Thank you. Do you still stamp food names on the back of your wedges? Yeah. You know I do. Um, I still do. I haven't put any new ones in. I actually might put a few new ones in the next coming weeks. Uh, so we'll see what I have to put back there. Alright, Ed, Go ahead. Well, well, let me repeat myself. Thank you. Colin, can you tell me some other things that might intrigue you about the city? And can you speak to the format? And what excites you about that? Yeah. I mean, you know, So I've never been to New Orleans. I've never been to Louisiana. Um, I had a lot of friends. I went to l s U. And obviously, the culture down there and then everything. The food, Um, you know, it's just a lot of family, and there was a lot of love, and that's what I look forward to. Um, you know? So you talk about the format and you talk about just kind of relax nature. Um, it's something we always look forward to. You look at this past week where we had match play. It's really exciting. It gets us on our toes. You know, it really pumped us up because it's something that we don't get to play that often and having a team event and talking to guys that have played this a few years or have only played it once or whatever it may be, they're excited to come and play this event because it just it kind of frees us up. In a sense, whether you're playing well, you're not playing well. You go out there with a friend, a partner, and you go out and try and shoot the best score you can with them. And you know when when you have a format like that, it kind of frees you up. Sometimes that allows you to go out there and just really enjoy yourself and enjoy golf for what it is. Um, so, having a partner like mad having myself, um, we're gonna be able to hopefully just feed off each other and place a really good golf. Uh huh. Wow. Excellent. Uh, Scott. Uh, Scott, go ahead and ask your question. Well, well, Uh huh. Hang on one second. Sky. I'm sorry. he's done. He's got to get you a muted. Okay, I'm there. You go. There. Now. Okay. Hagelin. Thank you for, uh, thanks for doing this. Uh, since winning the P g. A How how many demands that they have been on your time in terms of scheduling. Yeah. I'm sure there's a lot of people like Steve who are asking you to come play in their tournaments now, Uh, and how have you kind of sifted through that and what made this tournament appealing? Because obviously, I'm sure every week they'd be happy to have, uh, have you play. Yeah, you know, on the side of of scheduling and getting all the media requests. Um, it's obviously gotten busier, but I don't mind it talking face to face, you know, I miss the person interaction. That's why we love these fans. That's why I love going to these events. Now, when we see people so hearing 10,000 people at this year's jury classic like, I'm excited. That's what brings us to life. Just seeing even 100 people out there, You know, it's way more exciting than what we had 67 months ago. Um, so it's good to see that we're taking strides on that end. Um, how do I kind of balance that? You know, it's just part of what we do. This is part of my job, but I enjoy it. So there's no hassle. Yes, I have to manage my time. And I have to realize what I have to do. Um, I can't just be booking things to book things, you know, on and off Leak When I've got the Masters, for example, to prep. Um, but what attracts me to the Missouri Classic? Obviously, I've got Zurich on my left sleeve here, so that's very attractive. Um, it's good to see a fellows art player, Billy Horschel, who won last week. Um, it's such a tight knit family with me, Billy Justin Rose, you know, to see those guys succeed, Especially after you know how I saw him play when I won the WGC whatever a month ago and how he was grinding. I knew when I had him in my pool it was going to be, you know, a great test for myself. Um, just to see how I fare in match play with these guys. Um, but, you know, that's obviously attracting thing, but just the city, the area, the guys that I've talked to who have played this event, um, it's something you want to do, especially kind of mid season, just to really decompress. And I'm not out there to relax. You know, don't get me wrong. I'm there to win. Um, but when you have a format like this, you're able to just take it, you know, one step down, and really just enjoy every part of the tournament. Excellent. Fletcher, you're up next. Thank you. Um, I guess you reference Colin the difficult year and how crazy it's been how nice it will be to have fans there. Do you hear players maybe even start? I know. Obviously you got some other events that are pretty significant coming up, but maybe even talking about this event, that it will feel like a sense of normalcy. It is a fun team event that guys pairing up and doing partnership. Do you hear them talking about it already in some way on tour? Um, because obviously the team format has produced some pretty strong teams in the last few years. Yeah, No, I mean, I've asked a few guys on who they're going to partner with, and I'm not going to say because I think I looked at the list this morning and they haven't announced it. Um, but you know, there's there's a lot that goes into who you choose as a partner, you know? You know, I think you guys have seen it over the years on on. You know, I think Brooks has brought his brother right. He's brought his brother chased to play, and you know, you see guys and how they kind of format that because it is really important. You know, sometimes you don't have the luxury. I talked to Xander, um, last Friday and you know, his first year he didn't have the luxury to pick someone, but he got parent. I forget who we got paired with, but he said he learned so much in those few days with him that that's what's exciting, you know, even for a guy that doesn't get to pick their partner and it might get paired with someone, Um, just the chemistry and the bond you're going to have to really create, um, as a team. That's what's exciting about this format. So you know. Yes, there's talk because it's so different than what we see every single week that it gets people kind of excited for What's to come. Ed Daniels, back up. Yes, sir. A two parter, please. Why do you think? Other than the ability why do you think that you've accomplished so much at such a young age? And if you could tell us kind of in a broad stroke, how lofty your goals are. Yeah. You know, I wish I had a perfect recipe for success where I've got to. I think everyone would want to know. I would want to know. Um, but I've said it since Day one, is that I just believe myself. You know, I I believe that can come out here and compete with these guys every single week when I'm playing great when I'm not playing great. Um, and this year, you know, my consistency hasn't been where I wanted. I wanted it to be, um excuse me, but there's so much for me to grow so much for me to get better. And I know what to work on. Excuse me. Um, to get to that spot where I want to be you know, when I first turned pro, Rory McIlroy was the guy who was finishing top five every single event. And then that's not, you know, an exaggeration. He was literally top five, 90% of the events he was playing in, and that's where I want to get. Um, so you know, when you talk about goals and and you know where I want to get, they're very high. I push myself to very high standards to very high goals, and I keep setting myself new ones because, you know, there's really no ceiling and no no limit. I've seen myself reach, and I just want to keep pushing and pushing the bar because that's that's what I That's what I love to do. And that's what kind of drives me. And that's what kind of creates that excitement creates that just passion for me because I want to keep getting better. All right, Ken Treuhand, you're up next how? There's been much discussion about distance at about the technology and the players just simply outdistancing courses now with how long they are off the T. How short the course has become. What do you see regarding the future where that's concerned, Do you think it's an issue or a problem or not? Um, I wouldn't say it's an issue. It's a great topic for people to kind of get on board and figure out where the game needs to go. Um, Webb Simpson set of great You know, it's not really the course that's that's our the distance that's creating these low scores. It's it's the way the course is being structured and built and maintain for the week. Obviously, we can't control weather, but when you have really long rough and you have really firm greens, it doesn't matter how long or short you hit it. The course is going to play tough and you see some courses out there every year. That just produced scores that are in the teams you know in the in the 10 to 15 score range. And I think those are the courses that really, really produce some great golf. Yes, it's exciting for us to shoot 25 under par because we're making a lot of birdies and you know, on my side I love making birdies. You know, I'm not gonna complain about when you're making birdie after birdie But when you're tested, you know and everyone in the field is tested, and then when you play really well, you're able to separate yourself. That's what's awesome when you see separation in the field. I think that's when it shows that there is a really good golf course at hand because you're able to make birdies. But you're also able to make bogies and doubles. Alright, Andrew Doke. Hey God, I hope you're doing well, man. I'm curious If you could share just maybe how you and Matt first connected on tour became friends and and kind of what all led to calls the relationship and how it's kind of grown. Yeah. So we you know, we knew each other from high school. Um, you know himself Sean Crocker, who plays on the European Tour. Spencer Suzman, who's just graduated from the University of Texas. Um, we kind of grew up in the L. A area. He was about 35 minutes away and in Westlake Agora Hills wherever he's from, Um and we just kind of created that friendship. And as a junior, he was, what, 23 years younger than me. But we still hung out. He was playing the invitationals when I was kind of on the tail end of those invitationals are about to go to college. And, you know, we kept a good friendship. And then once I went off to college, I didn't really stay in touch too much. But obviously, I knew what he was doing. I knew he was playing well, I think he finished runner up at a U S. Junior. Um, so he was playing really big golf, and by the time he went to college and I was I was I was a junior, Um, and he was a freshman, you know. He made huge strides and were we were able to play in this college event in Cabo this Carver collegiate And we played the final round together. It was me and him. We were riding the cart together. I won, He finished second. And then third place was actually Victor Hobson. But me and him were 17 under, I think, and he was 14. And Victor's on 400. You know, don't You're gonna have to check those scores. But that's when we kind of created that friendship. We knew we played well together. We knew we kind of fed off each other. And you can see that that final two days of playing golf together. So, you know, we kind of grew and grew even though we didn't go to the same school together. Um, And as we turn pro and we kept playing a few rounds together, that's how you know, things kind of grow. And obviously, we're going to get stuck together in the same class, uh, forever. Really? All right, Fletcher, you're up. Okay. Thank you. Have a question. Obviously, what we've dealt with the last year is terrible. And I think everybody hopes we never have to go through anything like that again. That being said college, I know that more people are playing golf in the ratings for golf are up. Do you find more of an interest in your sport either? Because people were at home and watching it, or they are taking the game up in some capacity. Have you seen more of an interest? Maybe in the last year than you had prior to this? Absolutely. And you see a lot of my friends and you see a lot of people just you know who never would have thought golf was going to be the sport they take up. Just get excited and and that's what you want to see. Whether it's for an hour, they can go out and hit balls on a range of five hours on a weekend. They can go play with their family or friends. Um, that's where you want to see the game grown. I want to continue to see a grow. I want to help, you know, give back all I can to the game because it's done so much for me. So to see where the game has got over the past year, um, is exciting because new people, more people, more groups of people are taking up the sport. It shows that really anyone can take it up with no experience. You can go out and just have a good time. And there's so many different outlets. Um, with you know, the ranges and the golf course is the par three courses that are being built, um, many everything. Any aspect of golf that's being brought to the sport for people to be attracted to it, that's what that's what's exciting. And I think you know your classes is going to be great because you're gonna see people. You're going to see us playing a completely different format that you really never see. Um, and just battle it out as toward professionals. All right, Jeff, you're up. Hey, Colin, Uh, kind of a broad, broad question A lot of young players get on the tour, and, uh, they struggle early with the mental aspect of the tournament play and trying. They might have success early and then and then, you know, drop off because of the mental side of the game. I'm kind of curious what training you do, or if you do any training on that. And how important do you think that part of the game is leading to your success? It's a huge part. I mean, you know, I've had the same coach for 16 years now, accessing house. He's been my swinging metal coach. Um, so we've been doing this for 16 years, you know, it hasn't been something that I just kind of showed up when I turned professional, fundamental coach and just tried something new. Um, this has been something in the process. We've been working on it. How do we keep getting better and there's so many more things that I can get better at. Um, but it's a huge part in where I've gotten to and you talk about young guys coming out here and having their mental game ready. You know, there's a huge sense of comfort that I don't think people realize when we come out here that it's not comfortable. But you have to make yourself comfortable. I'm coming out here and playing with guys Roy McIlroy, Dustin Johnson, Justin Thomas, Tiger Woods, guys that I've watched my entire life, and how do you go out there and separate that? You know, sense of your kid like, honest and go out there and remember that you're there to win a tournament. And I think some guys take longer than others. Some guys maybe never get there. Some guys get there quicker than others. Um, but how do you get there and feel comfortable ready knowing that it's golf? How do we go out there and play our best golf and know that and entrust ourselves that what we've practiced what I've worked on mentally and physically in my golf game, Um, that it's done enough to at least go out there and give it a chance to win. How did you get there? I mean, how did you personally do that? I mean, did you feel a sense of wide eyed wonder when you played early on? You know, I didn't, Um and I think that's something that not everyone is going to have and some people are going to have it. And I think you can tell you, You know, I can tell you guys and I can act on the outside like, you know, I have it, but
Advertisement
Cameron Smith and Marc Leishman will team up for 2021 Zurich Classic
Cameron Smith and Marc Leishman, two of the top Australian players on the PGA Tour, will team up to play the 2021 Zurich Classic of New Orleans, announced Steve Worthy, CEO of the Fore!Kids Foundation, producer of the tournament. "Cameron is a past team champion in New Orleans and will partner with his Presidents Cup teammate Marc Leishman in this year's event," said Worthy. "They know each other's game well, as they partnered on the 2018 Australian World Cup team,” Worthy added.Smith, playing with Jonas Blixt, won the first Zurich Classic team event in 2017 in a playoff against Scott Brown and Kevin Kisner. That was Smith’s first win on the PGA Tour. He went on to win the Australian PGA Championship the same year and then again in 2018, when he beat now-teammate Leishman by two shots. He won his second PGA Tour title at the 2020 Sony Open in Hawaii.So far this season, Smith has been close to winning again three times, including a tie for second in last fall’s Masters. He also finished fourth in the Genesis Invitational and tied for fourth in the Zozo Championship.Since becoming a full member of the PGA Tour in 2016, he has scored 21 top-10 finishes in 128 starts. He partnered with Leishman in the 2018 ISPS Handa Melbourne World Cup of Golf and brought his team within two strokes of the win when he holed out for birdie from a greenside bunker on the par-5 14th hole of the match. He also played on the 2019 Presidents Cup team that lost to the U.S. on the last day in Melbourne.Leishman has won five times on the PGA Tour to go with one European Tour victory and four wins in Australia. In 2015, he lost a playoff to Zach Johnson for The Open Championship. His best finish this season was a tie for fourth in the Sony Open in Hawaii when teammate Smith was defending champion.Leishman was voted Rookie of the Year in 2009 to become the first Australian to win that honor on the PGA Tour. In 2015, he withdrew from the Masters to be with his wife, who made what was called a “miraculous” recovery from a series of infections that put her into a coma. He returned to the PGA Tour at the Zurich Classic that year, finishing tied for 28th. This will be the first time he has played in the team format of the Zurich Classic. After his tie for 28th in 2015, he finished 20th in the 2016 tournament. He has played on the last four International Presidents Cup teams and competed on two World Cup teams in 2016 and 2018.The Zurich Classic field so far includes half of the top 10 ranked players in the world. Smith and Leishman join several other high profile teams previously announced to play the 2021 Zurich Classic including:· Defending champion Jon Rahm, ranked 3rd in the world, with Ryan Palmer, ranked 26th. · Collin Morikawa, ranked 4th in the world, with Matthew Wolff, ranked 23rd. · Xander Schauffele, ranked 6th in the world, with Patrick Cantlay, ranked 10th. · Tyrrell Hatton, ranked 8th in the world, with fellow Englishman and former Master winner Danny Willett. · Billy Horschel, ranked 17th in the world, with former LSU All-American Sam Burns. · Tony Finau, ranked 13th in the world with Cameron Champ. The Zurich Classic is the only team tournament on the PGA TOUR season. Since launching the team format in 2017, the Zurich Classic of New Orleans has drawn some of the highest ranking fields for any regular-season tournament on the PGA TOUR.

Cameron Smith and Marc Leishman, two of the top Australian players on the PGA Tour, will team up to play the 2021 Zurich Classic of New Orleans, announced Steve Worthy, CEO of the Fore!Kids Foundation, producer of the tournament.

"Cameron is a past team champion in New Orleans and will partner with his Presidents Cup teammate Marc Leishman in this year's event," said Worthy. "They know each other's game well, as they partnered on the 2018 Australian World Cup team,” Worthy added.

Advertisement

Smith, playing with Jonas Blixt, won the first Zurich Classic team event in 2017 in a playoff against Scott Brown and Kevin Kisner.

That was Smith’s first win on the PGA Tour. He went on to win the Australian PGA Championship the same year and then again in 2018, when he beat now-teammate Leishman by two shots. He won his second PGA Tour title at the 2020 Sony Open in Hawaii.

So far this season, Smith has been close to winning again three times, including a tie for second in last fall’s Masters. He also finished fourth in the Genesis Invitational and tied for fourth in the Zozo Championship.

Since becoming a full member of the PGA Tour in 2016, he has scored 21 top-10 finishes in 128 starts.

He partnered with Leishman in the 2018 ISPS Handa Melbourne World Cup of Golf and brought his team within two strokes of the win when he holed out for birdie from a greenside bunker on the par-5 14th hole of the match.

He also played on the 2019 Presidents Cup team that lost to the U.S. on the last day in Melbourne.

Leishman has won five times on the PGA Tour to go with one European Tour victory and four wins in Australia. In 2015, he lost a playoff to Zach Johnson for The Open Championship.

His best finish this season was a tie for fourth in the Sony Open in Hawaii when teammate Smith was defending champion.

Leishman was voted Rookie of the Year in 2009 to become the first Australian to win that honor on the PGA Tour.

In 2015, he withdrew from the Masters to be with his wife, who made what was called a

“miraculous” recovery from a series of infections that put her into a coma. He returned to the PGA Tour at the Zurich Classic that year, finishing tied for 28th.

This will be the first time he has played in the team format of the Zurich Classic. After his tie for 28th in 2015, he finished 20th in the 2016 tournament.

He has played on the last four International Presidents Cup teams and competed on two World Cup teams in 2016 and 2018.

The Zurich Classic field so far includes half of the top 10 ranked players in the world.

Smith and Leishman join several other high profile teams previously announced to play the 2021 Zurich Classic including:

· Defending champion Jon Rahm, ranked 3rd in the world, with Ryan Palmer, ranked 26th.

· Collin Morikawa, ranked 4th in the world, with Matthew Wolff, ranked 23rd.

· Xander Schauffele, ranked 6th in the world, with Patrick Cantlay, ranked 10th.

· Tyrrell Hatton, ranked 8th in the world, with fellow Englishman and former Master winner Danny Willett.

· Billy Horschel, ranked 17th in the world, with former LSU All-American Sam Burns.

· Tony Finau, ranked 13th in the world with Cameron Champ.

The Zurich Classic is the only team tournament on the PGA TOUR season. Since launching the team format in 2017, the Zurich Classic of New Orleans has drawn some of the highest ranking fields for any regular-season tournament on the PGA TOUR.