PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — It's practice round 2 at The Players Championship on Wednesday. Golfers took the course around 7:30 a.m.
Flapping in the wind outside of the clubhouse at TPC is the Australian flag. It's tradition for the reigning winner's country's flag to fly high until a new winner is announced.
The defending champion is Cam Smith, an Aussie who lives on the first coast, but he switched sides to play for LIV Golf.
It's a little bit of drama to add to the mix for The Players. We talked with the co-host of the golfing podcast The Shotgun Start and author of The Fried Egg Brendan Porath about the elephant in the room... or on the course.
"I don't know if it is controversial, but it's a nod to the defending champion," Porath said.
"It's really one of the few sort of subtle nods to who won last year because Cameron Smith is no longer a (PGA) Tour member. I don't know what you expect the Tour to do with that. They're not going to celebrate that a lot," Porath explained. "They're not going to commemorate it. He's not going to be on the banners, but in a way, he shows up in the flag because they are upholding that tradition and keeping the Australian flag flying."
Porath says Smith's name is still in the locker room. He calls it a unique awkwardness.
As for if Smith is watching The Player's, Porath believes he is!
"I think he said he was going to watch. Of course, he's a nearby resident of Jacksonville area. He talked about how it was one of his favorite events growing up as a kid even in Australia watching it," Porath explained.
Porath says it is unclear if Smith will show up in person to watch the tournament.
As for the practice round, Porath says he is watching how players try different shot trajectories. TPC Sawgrass has a combination of factors that could mess with the golfers: wind, water, sand.
"Sometimes it is hit or miss what players you'll see. There is not a set tee sheet like you'll get Thursday or Friday. So I would suggest going out, sitting at a hole, watching the best do what they do on kind of a challenging spot and watching them kind of tinker with different types of shots they may have to hit in the coming days," Porath said.
He's keeping an eye on the back 9.
The tournament begins Thursday at 6:45 a.m.