Cameron Smith: 2021 FedEx Cup Contender or Pretender?
By Tim Letcher
Cameron Smith is a rising star on the PGA Tour. But is he ready to take the next step and compete for the 2021 FedEx Cup?
With the 2020 portion of the PGA Tour schedule in the books, we at Pro Golf Now will be taking a look at the current top 50, and some selected others, in the current FedEx Cup standings and whether they are contenders or pretenders for the 2021 FedEx Cup. Our latest subject is the current No. 15, Cameron Smith.
Best career FedEx Cup finish: Smith is just 27 years old and has had a couple of postseason runs. In 2018, he had his best FedEx Cup finish when he was 12th. He slipped back to 84th in 2019 but rebounded nicely last season. After winning the Sony Open, he was able to make it back to East Lake and finished 24th in the final FedEx Cup standings.
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So far this season: Smith has made five starts this season and has made quite an impact already. He started his season at the U.S. Open, where he shot 71 on Thursday and 73 on Friday to make the cut. But he shot 78 on Saturday and 72 on Sunday to slip back to a tie for 38th place.
Three weeks later, Smith played the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in Las Vegas. He opened play there with a 70 on Thursday, but he came back with a 63 on Friday. Smith shot 66 on Saturday and 70 on Sunday to finish in a tie for 24th place.
The following week, still in Vegas, Smith played even better. He shot 69 on Thursday and followed that with a 74 on Friday. However, he shot 68 on both Saturday and Sunday and climbed into 11th place.
His next two starts would be even better as he closed his season in a very strong fashion.
At the Zozo Championship at Sherwood Country Club, Smith opened with a 67 on Thursday and a 69 on Friday. He shot 66 on Saturday and 67 on Sunday to finish in a tie for fourth place against a very strong field.
Smith’s final start of the season came at the Masters. He opened with a 67 and was two shots back after one round. After a 68 on Friday, Smith was one of five players tied for the lead halfway through.
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He shot 69 on Saturday and was one of three players tied for second with 18 holes to play. In the final round, Smith shot another 69 to finish tied for second, his best-ever finish in a major.
The verdict: Smith is an up-and-coming talent on the PGA Tour. He’s got the game to play with the big boys. He may not win the FedEx Cup this year, but he’s definitely a contender.