Australian Amateur Champion Camera Smith will make his Professional debut on the PGA Tour of Australasia this week at the Isuzu Queensland Open.
Being played at the Brookwater Golf and Country Club from the 22 – 25 August, Smith will be familiar with the layout having trained there with the Golf Queensland State Team.
“It’s been a while since I have played out here but I have played the course quite a bit. You need to be a good long distance putter because there are a lot of centres of greens that you need to hit,” said Smith.
Renowned for his skill with the flat stick Smith shrugged off suggestions that he may be able to use this and his course knowledge to his advantage.
“If I did have a strength it would be my short game but I have to get it on the greens first and everyone gets a practice round to see the course so I don’t think my experience will count for too much.”
While this is his first tournament as a Professional on home soil he has already had a taste of life on Tour having played two tournaments on the Web.com Tour in the US.
“Now it’s my job I have to work harder. I have had some ups and downs but so far it’s all been pretty good.”
“The competition is a little harder and the guys are different but other than that it wasn’t much different over in the States.”
The reserved 19 year old has some lofty career goals and felt it was time to start his career as a Touring Professional.
“I just felt the need to turn Pro, I felt like I had done everything that I needed to do as an amateur and taking the next step was necessary,” said Smith.
“It didn’t really bother me that I missed out on the US amateur tournaments; I got to play two Web.com Tour events which I felt would be a better learning experience.”
“I want to be number one in the world that’s the ultimate goal really so I am going to US Q-School at the end of the year.”
Concentrating his efforts on the Isuzu Queensland Open this week Smith is expected to be a hot contender for the title.
“I don’t have any expectations, everyone is coming to win so I will just play my own game,” added Smith.
“I try not to think too much about anything but my own game, which sounds really selfish but that’s the way it is with an individual sport.”